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Newton Desert scorcher
WES Newton's love affair with darts' PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic continued with a 6-3 first-round win over Alan Tabern.
In an all North-West affair in Nevada, USA, two-time semi-finalist Newton, from Fleetwood, stunned St Helens-based Tabern, whose ranking of eighth is 30 above the Fylde thrower's.
Rising star Tabern was a quarter-finalist in Vegas last year but never recovered falling 3-0 behind in the Sky-televised opener at the Mandalay Bay hotel casino.
Newton took out 90 in two darts for the opening leg and immediately broke in the second before landing double 16 in the fourth.
The Fleetwood ace hit his first 180 in the fourth but Tabern took out 101 to get off the mark.
Double top moved Newton 4-1 up but five missed doubles allowed Tabern to take leg six.
Newton moved within a leg of victory with a double five, and although Tabern reduced the gap to 5-3 with a 100 finish a double 12 checkout ensured victory.
Newton will face Gary Anderson in the second round tomorrow after the Scot overcame Wayne Mardle 6-2.
Newton said: "This event seems to bring the best out of me. Alan and I always seem to have good games and I was determined to get revenge for him beating me in the UK Open recently. I started well and kept it going."
Blackpool-born Ronnie Baxter crashed out 6-2 to Dutchman Jelle Klaasen.
Baxter, winner of Tuesday's Players Championship at the same venue, missed a bullseye opportunity to level the match at 3-3 and never recovered.
World champion Phil Taylor began the defence of his title with a 6-3 victory over Jamie Caven.
The first round concludes today, when world no.2 James Wade faces Kiwi debutant Phillip Hazel.
First round results: Dennis Priestley 6 Colin Monk 1, Alan Tabern 3 Wes Newton 6, Colin Lloyd 6 Peter Wright 3, Ronnie Baxter 2 Jelle Klaasen 6, Terry Jenkins 6 Simon Whitlock 1, Phil Taylor 6 Jamie Caven 3, Wayne Mardle 2 Gary Anderson 6, John Part 6 Scott Burnett 2
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
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