Gary Anderson reached the semi-finals of the World Darts Championship for the eighth time in his career with a win over Ally Pally cult hero Justin Hood on New Year’s Day.
Hood impressed at the World Championships and is ready to make his Chinese restaurant dreams a reality after securing £100,000 to progress to the quarter-finals.
But Anderson proved too far ahead as Scotland capped off a fairytale debut with a 5-2 win with an average of 99.4, five 180s, 43% checkouts and over three tons of 161, 127 and 121.
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Anderson hit this 161 for the Bullseye in the quarterfinals against Hood.
Anderson won the opening set in comfortable fashion, averaging 98 at 3/5 in doubles, but Hood responded with three 180s and a huge checkout to draw level.
‘The Flying Scotsman’ dominated the third set to regain the advantage, but ‘Happy Feet’ went from 2-1 down to a clutch 120 checkout in the deciding game of the fourth set to restore parity.
Anderson beat Josh Rock in a surprising defeat in the last round and swept Hood, who said he plans to open a Chinese takeout in 2026, with three straight legs to win the next round. And he produced combinations of 72, 98 and a delightful 121 to take a 4-2 lead with a massive set average of 112.38.
The 55-year-old turned on the afterburners in the seventh set and hit the bullseye with a jaw-dropping 161 before jumping into a meeting with one of the two players. Luke Humphreys or Gian van binh.
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Anderson said she was ‘over the moon’ to make the semi-finals at Ally Pally.
Anderson said: “I felt out of control at certain stages, but if I messed up he would come back and the next minute it would be 2-2.
“It’s so hard to finally get into a rhythm!”
On facing Luke Humphries or Gian van Veen next, he said: “Luke Littler is the greatest on the planet right now, but if you look at what Luke Humphries has done over the last three years to keep his money, he’s at or near that spot. He’s a top-level player.”
Durant: Anderson was great.
Glen Durrant on Sky Sports Darts:
“The crowd today was amazing. Justin Hood will never forget these few weeks of darts. The important thing is that he keeps playing.
“He showed all the qualities to be a top player. Gary Anderson’s experience, firepower and heavy artillery were great. He managed the game brilliantly.”
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Searle advances to semifinals
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World Championship quarterfinal highlights between Ryan Searle and Jonny Clayton
Ryan Sully He won the biggest match of his life with a stunning 5-2 win in the quarterfinals against Jonny Clayton.
‘Heavy Metal’ is guaranteed £200,000 and will average 91 points for a win, with a maximum of three checkouts and scores of 125, 116 and 111, while ‘The Ferret’ will be ranked at least seventh in the world thanks to 30 failed double attempts.
“It means a lot! I don’t think either of us did particularly well, we were really nervous and there was a lot going on!,” said the 38-year-old Devon-born star.
“I think we finished pretty well under pressure. Jonny missed a lot of doubles early on and that was the difference.”
“The 111 checkout was huge. It was always like that during practice, but it was different on stage. Getting to the semifinals was huge.
“I think I’m provisionally ranked seventh in the world. That’s crazy to me. My message to people out there, I can’t see particularly well, but don’t let that hold you back. I try to be an inspiration to them.”
Searle will face the winner of the clash between the two teams. Luke Littler and Krzysztof Ratajski.
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Searle said she tries to be an inspiration to people with poor eyesight. He lives with a rare condition called dominant optic atrophy, a genetic eye condition that affects vision.
TURNER: Searle punished Clayton.
Sky Sports Darts’ Laura Turner:
“It was a blistering start for Ryan. There was a dip in the middle of the match and this was reflected in his average of 91.
“But his double rate compared to Jonny Clayton, who missed his chances, will be frustrating. He was punished by Searle and his timing.”
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Searle won the first set of his quarterfinal match against Clayton with this finish.
What’s happening at Ally Pally on Thursday nights?
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Glen Durrant and Laura Turner discuss Luke Littler’s furious reaction to boos from the Ally Pally crowd during his clash with Rob Cross.
The World Championship quarterfinals continue on Thursday night as Littler continues his title defense against Ratajski, while Humphries and Van Veen also do battle.
The Dutchman beat Humphreys in the European Championship final earlier this year.
Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match live exclusively on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel (Sky Channel 407 from December 10 until January 3). Stream darts and other top sports with NOW.
