Scott Waites (Eng) bt Andy Boulton (Eng) 3-1

Joint favourite Scott Waites called the tune, despatching karaoke-loving Andy Boulton in an absorbing 42 minute encounter 3-1.

After a storming start to the match, the Yorkshireman had to dig deep after the man nicknamed X-Factor threatened to spoil the script but felt the full wrath of the man nicknamed “Scotty to Hotty.”

The 2011 World Master narrowly missed taking the opening leg of the match against the throw when he wired bull for a show-stopping 123 finish. He then levelled and followed up with eye-catching 106 and 116 checkouts to steamroller to a 3-1 opening set success.

As he romped to his third successive leg he blasted in the week’s biggest checkout – 156 finished on double 16 to annex the opening leg of the second set. The following two were swapped but Boulton missed double 11 for a set-winning 142 checkout, as Waites powered in a 180 and 72 finish completed on double tops. The deciding fifth leg was a hard fought affair but Boulton blasted in a 64 checkout to level the match.

Waites opened up a 2-1 lead in the third set but then missed two attempts for double 16 for the set, with Boulton needing 139. After hitting a perfect treble 20, he followed up with treble 19 and looking on in disbelief as his third dart narrowly missed a set saving double 11. Waites grateful of a second chance fired in double 18 with his second dart.

The Halifax player eased into a 2-0 lead in the fourth set including a 134 checkout finished with double 16  but then missed two shots at his favourite double 18 and a brace for double four to win the match, Boulton nipping in to clinch 65 on double four.

Leaving himself 140, Waites hit two 60s but then wired double 10, Boulton powerless to respond as the Yorkshireman returned, needing all three darts to cross the line with a match-winning double 10.