Chris Dobey mounted a concerted fightback to keep his PDC World Championship campaign alive with a second-round win over Jeff Smith at Alexandra Palace.
The Canadian took the first two sets with the number 22 seed missing doubles, but the Englishman scrapped his way back into it to level at 2-2 before taking the final set 3-0, hitting four 100-plus checkouts along the way.
Dobey told Sky Sports: "I went in at the break disappointed β I missed so many doubles in the first two sets and fair play to Jeff, he hit everything. I dug in deep, as I always do, and came out the winner."
Earlier, Ryan Joyce had edged past Czech Republic number one Karel Sedlacek into the second round after a final-leg thriller.
πΏππ½ππ ππππ πΌ ππππππππ Chris Dobey averages 112 in the fourth set and 110 in the fifth set as he comes from two sets down to defeat Jeff Smith 3-2! Incredible turnaround! π pic.twitter.com/Xe3rFazHFG β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 16, 2020
Joyce, who will now face Krzysztof Ratajski, bust on 106 at 2-2 in the deciding set, but eventually clinched the match with a double seven after his opponent had passed up four match darts in the leg and six in total.
Ross Smith booked a clash with Jose De Sousa with a 3-0 first-round win over World Championship debutant David Evans.
The second and third sets both went to deciding legs in an encounter which was tighter than the scoreline suggested.
William O'Connor was not pushed as hard by another first-timer, Holland's Niels Zonneveld, as he eased to a 3-0 victory and a date with Daryl Gurney in the second round.
