THORNS

Lancashire Rose Ashton is ready to take tonight’s opponent Dekker: I’m not here to

LISA ASHTON will lead the sisterhood’s charge at Alexandra Palace tonight – after beating her two daughters to the honour.

And the “Lancashire Rose” will have the first chance to vindicate author William Golding’s adage: Women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men – they are far superior and always have been.

Ashton, one of two women qualifiers in the 96-strong field at the William Hill PDC world championship, takes on Holland’s Jan Dekker in sport’s biggest battle of the sexes since Billie Jean King beat Bobby Riggs on the tennis court 45 years ago.

The four-times Lakeside ladies’ world champion will be only 5-2 with the title sponsor to upset Dekker (above) when she walks on to the strains of the aptly named anthem On A Mission.

But Ashton, 48, came through a field of 122 entries in the UK & Ireland women’s qualifying tournament in Milton Keynes last month – and the Queen Mother of Ally Pally’s showgirls is ready to rumble.

On a night of two reigning world champions, she will share top billing with male counterpart Rob Cross.

And Ashton warned: “I haven’t come down here to make up the numbers.

“I’m here to win and, if I play my best darts, I’ve got a genuine chance.

“Jan is a good player, but, if you look at the other names in the hat, it could have been much worse. All the pressure will be on him and I’ve got to use that to my advantage.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I don’t want to let it pass me by. It’s the biggest tournament I’ve ever played in, a whole new level, the biggest night of my career – even bigger than the finals I’ve played at the Lakeside.”

In the qualifiers, Ashton was dreading being drawn against her daughters – Danielle, 20, ranked world No.16 on the British Darts Organisation women’s circuit, and 28-year-old Lindsey.

She said: “I was lucky enough to win the tournament, but both my daughters were in it and I thought it was guaranteed I was going to draw one of