• PDC World Championship

Lewis survives scare; Burnett stuns Webster

Adrian Lewis completed the great escape against Nigel Heydon © PA Photos

Enlarge

Adrian Lewis flirted with a first-round exit at the PDC World Championship - but came back from two sets down to beat Nigel Heydon 3-2. Heydon was one leg away from victory on two occasions, but failed to take advantage and was made to pay the price.

Heydon raised his game to the occasion in the first set, finding top gear immediately and claiming three legs against the throw to move into a shock lead with an average of 105. And a wobble turned into a crisis for Lewis as Heydon moved two sets up, showing a ruthless eye for the doubles that Lewis, who was visibly feeling the heat, could not match.

Heydon showed no signs of slowing in the third set and, having forced the score to two legs all, Lewis knew he had to win the fifth in order to stay in the match. He did, and the game moved to a fourth set. Heydon missed a hatful of doubles to keep himself alive, and Lewis kept his composure to force a decider.

Just when the momentum seemed to have shifted towards Lewis, Heydon claimed the opening leg of the fifth against the throw. In the next leg he had three shots at double top, missed them all, then Lewis came and cleaned up 97.

Lewis went ahead in the match for the first time by claiming the next, leaving him just one leg from a hard-fought triumph. Heydon came back to 2-2 then, after both players traded costly misses, the underdog went 3-2 up - and to the brink of victory.

Lewis responded with successive 140s, then closed out the leg with double tops to level at 3-3. An 11-darter put him 4-3 up, then he completed the great escape by taking the next.

Richie Burnett wasted a few golden chances before eventually winning © PA Photos

Enlarge

Richie Burnett won the battle of the Welsh world champions, sending Mark Webster home with a dramatic 3-2 first-round victory at Alexandra Palace.

Burnett failed to find his doubles in the opening two legs, but recovered to claim the first set - only for a relieved Webster to level at 1-1, eventually stumbling over the line after missing several chances.

Burnett reeled off a 96 finish to move 2-1 ahead before Webster, who made the last four in each of the last two years, took out a crucial 100 in the fourth set to keep the match alive at 2-2.

Burnett eventually took a drawn-out fifth 4-2 after Webster missed eight darts at a double.

Elsewhere, Roland Scholten beat Jamie Caven 3-1, and Wayne Jones enjoyed an identical scoreline over Scott Mackenzie in the final round-one match.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.