Cullen sends Price packing at the World Matchplay as Dobey sees off Smith to reach Quarter-Finals
Joe Cullen and Chris Dobey produced inspired displays to send Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith crashing out of the World Matchplay in the Second Round on Tuesday.
The big-name exodus continued in Blackpool as Smith and Price joined reigning champion Michael van Gerwen in exiting the tournament before the halfway stage.
Four of the world’s top five have now been dumped out of this year’s event, with 2021 champion Peter Wright the highest seed left standing at the Winter Gardens.
Smith’s bid for a maiden World Matchplay crown was curtailed by a deadly Dobey – who won nine of the last 11 legs to reach the Last Eight here for the first time in his career.
World number one Smith looked imperious in racing 3-0 and 5-2 ahead, but three missed darts for a 6-2 advantage turned the tide, as Dobey followed up 72 and 130 finishes to level at five apiece.
The Masters champion continued his remarkable run of finishing to make it seven legs without reply, taking out another 72 finish, followed by a 110 checkout and a double-double 94 to storm 9-5 ahead.
Smith finally stopped the rot to preserve his slender hopes, before Dobey capped off a remarkable comeback with 15 and 16-dart holds to celebrate a landmark victory.
“I’m overwhelmed. Playing one of your best mates on stage is never going to be easy,” said Dobey.
“I don’t think I was in the game early doors. I’m not sure how I was level at 5-5, and that gave me the motivation to kick on, and when I got in front I didn’t let him back in.
“It’s a great feeling when you get nights like this. If my finishing is there I know I’m going to be hard to beat, and tonight was that night.”
Price, installed as the title favourite for the title following Van Gerwen’s exit on Sunday, was sent packing in a tie-break epic by Cullen despite posting a ton-plus average and landing 11 maximums.
Cullen capitalised on Price’s early missed doubles to establish a 4-1 lead, before maintaining his advantage with a crucial 112 checkout in leg ten, with the Welshman poised to level at five apiece.
Cullen stretched his lead to 8-5 as Price continued to toil on the outer ring, until a superb 11-darter from the 2022 runner-up sparked a sequence of five straight legs as he turned the contest on its head.
However, after Price missed a match dart at the bull for a 132 checkout, Cullen sank a superb 81 skin saver on the middle double, before pinning the same target to complete a 90 finish and edge 11-10 ahead.
The Welshman responded with a brilliant tops-tops 100 finish to level at 11-11, but Cullen wasn’t to be denied, following up a two-dart 74 combination with another 112 checkout to advance.
“At times my form deserted me, but I think I earned that,” said Cullen, who also defeated Price at the Winter Gardens in 2018.
“I don’t think Gerwyn played at his best and I think subconsciously I gave him too much respect, but I’m pleased with where my game is at, and when I needed it most, I excelled.
“I think I’ve got a score to settle with myself. I’ve lost so many amazing games on the big stage, so it was about time I came out on the right end of one.”
Cullen’s reward is a showdown against Daryl Gurney, who became the first player to claim a hat-trick of wins over Gary Anderson on the World Matchplay stage.
Anderson averaged 102, but he was unable to contend with Gurney’s sustained brilliance, as the Northern Irishman averaged 104 and converted 11 of his 16 attempts at double to triumph.
Gurney produced a flawless display of doubling to storm 5-0 ahead, and he continued the procession with a sublime ten-darter before Anderson opened his account with a 121 checkout in leg seven.
However, Gurney refused to relent, following up legs of 13 and 15 darts with a clinical 100 kill to stretch his lead to 9-3, before landing a brace of holds to close out a comprehensive 11-4 victory.
“I was so focused tonight,” admitted Gurney. “I knew when I got a chance I had to take it, and I’m so proud of the way I approached that game.
“I definitely believe I’ve got another TV title in me and this format lends itself to my game, but I have to reset now and produce my best in the quarter-finals.”
Meanwhile, Nathan Aspinall moved through to his third consecutive World Matchplay Quarter-Final with a hard-fought 11-9 victory over 2022 semi-finalist Danny Noppert.
There was little to separate the pair in the early exchanges, until Aspinall ended a run of five consecutive breaks by following up an 11-darter in leg nine with a comfortable hold to lead 6-4.
Aspinall retained his two-leg buffer before Noppert fired in legs of 12 and 13 darts to level at 9-9, only for the Stockport star to reply with back-to-back legs of his own to confirm his progress.
“That was so tough – I was battling with myself up there,” admitted Aspinall, who averaged 98 and landed eight 180s.
“I’ve not felt comfortable in either of my games, but I feel good in myself. It’s hard to explain.
“I’m confident, I’m happy and I’m buzzing to be playing, I’m not just playing as well as I’d like. Having said that, I’ve still averaged 98 in both games, so I’m going to take the positives.”
World Matchplay 2023 Day Four Results
Tuesday July 18
Second Round
Daryl Gurney 11-4 Gary Anderson
Danny Noppert 9-11 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 11-13 Joe Cullen
Michael Smith 7-11 Chris Dobey
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