Darts: Lowe rolls back the years in epic darts encounter

The legendary John Lowe rolled back the years to win a titanic darts tussle with Martin Adams in Dublin.

He reached the semi-final of the Paddy Power World Grand Prix Championship, beating Adams 6-5.

Adams had three chances to finish the match but buckled under the pressure.

The first set went with the darts and it was Lowe who moved into an early

lead with a 3-2 success. But Adams produced finishes of 92 and 78 to level

the score.

The England captain maintained his form to take the third set and although Lowe won the first leg of the fourth, checkouts of 98 and 118 helped Adams regain the initiative.

Lowe had a chance to take the set to a deciding leg but he hit the wire with an attempt at double eight and Adams snatched the set.

Both players struggled to find their form in the fifth but it was Adams who worked himself into a set-winning position, only to see his attempt at double 20 fall agonisingly wide. Lowe showed coolness under pressure to win the set and the vociferous crowd roared their approval.

The Chesterfield veteran also claimed the next set to level but Adams is an experienced campaigner and won the seventh set 3-1.

In a real see-saw battle, Lowe held his nerve to edge the eighth set 3-2 but Adams moved ahead with a 3-1 success.

With the finishing line almost in sight Adams claimed the first leg of the 10th set and moved within one of victory with a confident 81 checkout.

Lowe hit back straight away and he took it to a deciding leg with a clinical finish of 81.

Adams scored heavily in the next to give himself a chance of victory but he missed three match-winning shots and Lowe produced a crucial finish to take the set.

Both players then shared the next four legs to set up a tense deciding leg. But as Adams faltered John Lowe stepped up to the oche and hit double nine to book his place in the semi-final against Dutchman Roland Scholten.