Garcia and Whitfield set for Derek Lightfoot 180s final showdown
ON Monday night in the Widnes & District Darts League, the Derek Lightfoot 180s Cup competition got underway.
In the pre-lims, Brian Dutton got the night started taking the first contest in two straight legs which was quickly followed by Kevin Garcia, again two straight legs.
Mike Howard turned up the heat in his second leg hitting two 180s and checked out with a 16-dart display to advance to the first round. Glyn Owen also went through without conceding a leg and Ste Whitfield with a 180 in each leg of darts finishing with a 15-darter followed the trend. Dave Powell needed a deciding leg of darts to go through as did John Bowles, despite an opening 17 dart leg.
Anthony Hall opened with a 19-dart game and moments later he was through to round one.
In the first round, John Bowles opened with an 18 dart game and quickly took the second leg.
Jack Dunn claimed his first leg with a 157 checkout, but needed a deciding 17 dart display to go through.
Ste Whitfield took out his teammate James Holden in straight legs, before two quickfire 16 darters saw Kev Garcia storm through.
Mike Howard knocked out teammate Brian Dutton in two legs, Alec McGill kept up the quality as he progressed without dropping a leg as did Tony Jackson in the next.
The final game in the round saw Dave Powell open with a 19 dart leg of darts. However, two superb 15 legs of darts saw Karl Windisch turn it around to take the final quarter-final spot.
In the quarter-finals, Ste Whitfield took the opening leg with the help of a 180 but was pushed to a deciding leg before going through to the semi-finals.
Kev Garcia dominated his next game with a pair of rapid 18-dart legs and his teammate Tony Jackson joined him in the semi-finals as he went through in two straight legs.
The last place for the final four went to John Bowles as he went through with an opening 19 dart game which was soon added to in a 2-0 win.
In the semi-finals, Ste Whitfield continued the standard he had shown all night, starting with a 19-dart leg of darts. And with his fourth 180 on the night in his second leg he was through to the final.
Tony Jackson found himself up against teammate Kev Garcia. Tony opened with an 18-darter to take the early advantage, but Kev, who had been delivering excellent ● darts, upped the stakes as he responded with a 14-dart display of his own. And after 17 darts in the final leg, it was all over as Kev booked his place in Finals Night tomorrow evening at the Mill Brow to take on Ste Whitfield.