King powers on to earn clash with Taylor at Blackpool

After stunning James Wade in the first round, King defeated Bernard Dolan 11-8 on the final night of second-round action at the Winter Gardens.

The match was nip-and-tuck all the way, with never more than two legs in it until King won the final three.

Dolan had led 5-4 at the midway point, then came back from 8-6 down to level the match before King’s final burst. His opponent tomorrow will be 15-time winner Taylor, who eased past Mensur Suljovic 11-5.

Beaten in Blackpool last year for the first time since 2007, Taylor was never behind last night, winning the first three legs, then another four in succession for a dominant 7-2 lead.

Qualifier Steve Beaton progressed too, 11-7 at the expense of Michael Smith to reach his first quarter-final in over five years.

Having trailed for the only time all match at 4-3, Beaton took the next four legs and a grip on the contest.

He will play Gary Anderson in the last of the quarter-finals after the world champion defeated Terry Jenkins 11-5.

Jenkins won the opening leg but was never ahead again, though he was still in the contest at 5-4 only forAnderson to take the next five legs.

The quarter-finals begin tonight, with Peter Wright v Adrian Lewis and defending champion Michael van Gerwen v Dave Chisnall.