Taylor powers into world semi-finals

Phil Taylor produced flashes of brilliance as he demolished Alan Warriner in a one-sided quarter-final showdown at the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in Purfleet tonight.

Warriner claimed last year’s semi-final clash would be “like a boxing match” because he was unhappy with the media attention Taylor received during the tournament.

But the hype surrounding the build-up only spurred Taylor on and he ran out a comfortable six-sets-to-one winner.

The ‘Ice Man’ has gone quietly about his business this year but the result was just the same as the Stoke sensation secured a 5-1 win.

Taylor took the opening set with a 13-darter before he followed up with a 3-2 success in the second.

It was all Taylor in the third, a superb 122 checkout and 11-darter moving him within two sets of victory.

Warriner, the 2001 World Grand Prix champion, refused to give in and he reeled off three straight legs to pull a set back.

But Taylor stamped his authority on the game with a 3-0 success in the fifth set, clinching it with a 110 outshot.

The first four legs of the next were shared, but Taylor scored heavily before taking out double four to seal victory.

The 42-year-old will face Dagenham’s Wayne Mardle tomorrow night in a mouth-watering semi-final encounter.

“I’m in the semi-final and my game’s coming together now,” said Taylor.

“Wayne’s going to have a hard game on his hands.

“I think tomorrow night you are going to see the best of me. I pushed a little bit more tonight.

“Wayne’s confidence is up. He’s going to have a lot of support and it promises to be a good game.”