Mann gives Jenkins a scare in five-set thriller

TERRY JENKINS edged a memorable encounter with debutant Jimmy Mann in Purfleet this afternoon to clinch a place in the second round of the Ladbrokes.com World Championship.

The world number 15 was staring at defeat when Mann had two chances to close out the match in the fourth leg of the fifth and deciding set.

But his 27-year-old opponent was unable to nail the winning double and Jenkins stepped in before claiming the next two legs to progress.

Jenkins claimed the first set with a three-dart average of 103 - but Mann produced some fireworks of his own in the second. A brilliant 170 checkout levelled the match and Mann also won the next set to heap more pressure on his opponent.

But Jenkins’s average was still over the 100 mark and he outscored Mann to set up a mouth-watering fifth set.

The first four legs of the decider were shared, which meant victory could only be achieved by finishing two legs clear before sudden-death came into play at 5-5.

However, Jenkins reeled off the next two legs to end a thrilling clash at the world-famous Circus Tavern.

“That was probably the toughest match I’ve ever been involved in,” said Jenkins afterwards.

Meanwhile, former world champion Dennis Priestley produced another vintage display to set up a second-round meeting with highly-rated youngster Adrian Lewis.

The ‘Mexborough Menace’ was involved in a titanic tussle with Phil Taylor - Lewis’s practice partner - at the Stan James World Matchplay in Blackpool during the summer before reaching the semi-finals of the Skybet World Grand Prix back in October.

And he carried on where he left off in Dublin with an impressive 3-1 win over John Magowan.

“I’m delighted to have got through, and it was a decent performance as well,” said Priestley afterwards.

Denis Ovens was not at his best against qualifier Geoff Wylie in the first game of the day but still did enough to secure a 3-1 victory.