Darts: David hits back to book semi spot

Tony David staged an epic comeback to end the challenge of Bob 'The Bear' Taylor 5-4 at the Embassy World Championships.

A see-saw encounter saw the first two sets going to Taylor.

But David had levelled it up by the break against Scotland's sixth seed.

Taylor came out after the interval and immediately hit a 161 checkout, taking the next two sets to put himself on the brink of a last-four place for the first time.

But 34-year-old Australian David stayed composed and gradually worked his way back into it, taking full advantage as Sweden-based Taylor's accuracy around the treble 20 began to desert him.

David sent the match into a deciding set and by now had the upper hand as Taylor was struggling badly, the man who walks out to 'Down Under' racing through the three legs he needed to clinch a courageous triumph.

David now faces Martin Adams in the semi-finals. Adams had earlier recorded a 5-1 victory over Wayne Jones.

"I'm over the moon - it means I'm the first Aussie to reach the Embassy semi-finals and that's a feat in itself, said David. "I hope I can go a step further.

"It was hard work to come back from 2-0 and 4-2 down but I always felt I was still in the match. I told myself I could do it.

"When I hit the winning double 10 I couldn't believe it - it was amazing. But I feel sorry for Bob - he's a lovely bloke."

Taylor admitted he had got ahead of himself when he held his two-set leads. "Twice I thought I was home and dry," said Taylor. "I started thinking the wrong things and just didn't have the ability to put it away. It's hard to keep steady up there.

"But I won't take anything away from Tony David - he's such an underestimated player."