PDC World Championship: Bunting, Cullen and Dobey storm into last 16

Get up to speed with the Thursday afternoon action at Alexandra Palace:

Florian Hempel (59) 0-4 Stephen Bunting (18)

Bunting was on 44 after nine arrows in the first leg and was out in 11 darts to keep his own leg. Hempel started the second leg with his second 180 of the match, but by loose darts he lost the initiative and Bunting managed to break in another 11 darts already in the second leg.

In a very high-quality first set, Hempel threw out 164 in the third leg for a break back and both men were 100 per cent on the doubles at that point and had already each thrown three 180s.

Hempel levelled the score in his own fourth leg and Bunting got to start the fifth leg. Bunting stayed perfect on the doubles and needed only one arrow for tops and the first set.

The short break did not necessarily do the men any good, but Bunting did manage to hit the necessary double again with his first dart in the first leg of the second set to take a break ahead.

Leg two and three went with the arrows and Bunting was allowed to throw for the set at 2-1. Bunting threw his fifth 180, missed his first two darts on the double, but still managed to take the set in the end.

Copy first set

Hempel missed a dart on tops in the second leg of the third set to keep his own leg and was again broken by Bunting who moved to 2-0 in legs. Hempel managed to break back a leg later and brought the tension back into the set. The German managed to win his own fourth leg and, as in the first set, a fifth leg had to bring a decision.

Bunting opened with six perfect darts but missed a nine-darter on the seventh dart. It did not bother Bunting and he also took the third set.

In the third leg of the fourth set, Hempel was broken and Bunting was 2-1 ahead on match point. From 78, Bunting was allowed to dock for the match, but his first match dart on tops was missed. Hempel could not get out and Bunting came back with a handful of arrows. Match dart number two did hit.

Bunting will play Michael van Gerwen in the next round.

Joe Cullen (14) 4-2 Ryan Searle (19)

Throwing out 121, Cullen took advantage of Searle's misses and immediately led by a break in the first leg. Cullen then neatly managed to keep his own legs and take the first set.

The second set started with two breaks, but then it was Cullen who managed to keep his own leg. Searle - who was 2-for-13 on doubles at the time - failed to break again and Cullen also took the second set.

Connection

Searle continued to miss a lot, but got a chance from Cullen - who also started to miss - to take three legs in a row and lift the score in sets to 2-1.

Both men managed to neatly hold their own first two legs in the fourth set and a fifth leg had to bring decision. It was Cullen's set, but from 124 Searle managed to break and make it 2-2 in sets.

Misses Searle

In the first leg of the fifth set, Cullen managed to break after a loose dart from Searle.

With Searle on 34, Cullen threw out 77 in the second leg to keep his own leg and he cashed in on his break. Searle narrowly managed to keep his own fourth leg and stayed in the set. He grabbed the needed break in the fourth leg and got to start the fifth leg himself. Cullen took advantage of numerous misses (six set arrows) by Searle and took the fifth set.

From 90, Cullen went out in 11 darts in the second leg of the sixth set, posted the break and made it 2-0 in legs. He was allowed to start the third leg himself and throw for the match. Searle escaped with a 104 finish and broke back.

Heavy Metal held his own fourth leg and Cullen was allowed to start the fifth. From 40, Cullen was allowed to dock and the first matchdart went straight in.

Cullen will play the winner of the match between Luke Humphries and Ricardo Pietreczko in the last 16.

Ross Smith (16) 2-4 Chris Dobey (17)

Both men started the match with 180, but could not follow that up with another maximum score. The first three legs went with the arrows and from 116, Dobey managed to grab the break in the fourth leg and win the first set.

In the first leg of the second set, 124 also went out for Dobey, who grabbed another break. After both men threw their fourth 180 of the match, Dobey cashed in on his break and moved to 2-0 in legs. Smith held his own third leg but failed to get another break and Dobey moved to 2-0 in sets.

Dobey's Misses

In a high-level match - in which Dobey was pitching close to 120 average at the start of the third set - Hollywood grabbed a break in the second leg of the third set and with it a 2-0 lead. After eight misses on Dobey's double, Smith grabbed a break back and rubbed it in with his compatriot by cheering exuberantly.

Smith also took his own fourth leg and Dobey got to start the fifth and deciding leg. His seventh 180 gave Smith the initiative and he threw out 85 for the set.

Dobey managed to keep his own second leg of the fourth set, interrupting a run of four consecutive lost legs. Smith managed to keep his own leg and broke a once again missing Dobey a leg later for 2-2 in sets.

In the first leg of the fifth set, Smith managed to break again and the match seemed to tilt completely. Dobey had a chance to reverse the break as early as the second leg and took it with both hands. The next two legs went with the arrows and Dobey got to start the fifth. He had no problems with that and took another lead.

After the first two legs of the sixth set went with the darts, Dobey broke after Smith's misses and was on match point. Dobey was allowed to start the fourth leg himself and got the chance from 38. Via 6 and double 16 the first matchdart was hit and Dobey dragged the victory out of the fire.

Dobey will take on defending champion Michael Smith in the last 16.