LAST year, Kirk Shepherd became the youngest finalist in the history of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, but it was a different story last night as he was sent crashing out in the first round by Jan van der Rassel.
Shepherd won the first set and reclaimed a 2-1 lead after his Dutch opponent drew level.
But it was Van der Rassel who hit form in the crucial last set, scoring a 106 checkout after a Shepherd error to take the win.
A frustrated Shepherd reflec
ted: "I feel sick. I was confident that I was going to win, as I have beaten Jan the two times we have met before.
"But with an average of 83 you are not going to win many matches, and I am gutted to lose. I will have to put in a lot more practice, watch the game again and see where I went wrong."
Also yesterday, Tony Ayres edged Andy Smith with 3-2 win. It was Smith's second consecutive first-round exit and he can consider himself unfortunate to have lost to the Sussex qualifier after recording six 180s as well as claiming the second without reply.
Things were less tight in Australian Andy Nicholson's destruction of Adrian Gray, who failed to trouble the scoreboard at any point in a three-set, nine-leg drubbing.
"I'm delighted with that and proud to have made a good start in the World Championship," said Nicholson.
"I've worked so hard to get here and am proud to be representing DartPlayers Australia, who have harnessed my talent and encouraged me over the past year."
Charles Losper was also on the end of 3-0 drubbing, though he at least picked up three legs on the way while Tony Eccles nearly threw away a 2-0 lead against Remco van Eijden, who fought back to draw level before Eccles converted a 51 finish to progress.
Marko Kantele started well by claiming the first set against Ronnie Baxter but the Finn was soon found out, losing the next three to exit the competition.
