PAUL Dugdale was taken to the edge of defeat in his quarter-final match against Mick Abbott in the O'Day Individual competition finals night at Richmonds on Friday.

After opening well with a 20-darter Abbott levelled the scores and was out in 16 darts in the next but had to give a two-dart target for the bull and Dugdale struck with aplomb to go 2-1 up.

Both walked in the fourth leg but Abbott levelled and the fifth and final leg had Abbott on the centre as Dugdale went out in a brilliant 11 darts.

Ken Cooke took Leo McDonnell out 3-0 with 17, 13 and 12-darters and Ian Cunningham did the same to Howley's other entrant Rob Woodhouse with a closer-fought 3-0 win and 11, 17 and 19-dart winners.

Peter Edwards provided the upset of the night. Geoff Bailey gave him a three-darts finishing target in the opener and Peter only needed two darts. He then went on with increasing confidence and hit a 12-dart second leg.

Bailey took the next in 19 and gave himself a chance at 1-2 but Edwards hit an outstanding nine-darter, with Bailey on the centre himself, to win 3-1.

The semi-finals produced a match which the pundits expected to be the closest of the night when Ken Cooke clashed with Ian Cunningham, who has given his arrows a rest throughout the summer months.

When he was set to walk in the opener with Cunningham on the double in 12 darts Cooke conceded the leg for 0-1. Both walked round in the second but Cunningham took advantage of his opponent's missing 14 and three throws to go 2-0 up.

The next leg was a draw in 18 darts each but it was Cunningham who hit the double and bull in three darts for a 3-0 passage to the final.

Spa Brook underdog Edwards was unable to match his form of the previous round and had to walk in all three legs as Dugdale showed no mercy and hit a welcome streak of form after his earlier match as he won in 15, 18 and 17 darts.

The clash of the two Hawthorne top-flighters was a scintillating finale worthy of the big crowd as Dugdale went 1-0 up with a superb 10-darter.

When he was on the bull and Cunningham had to walk he was gifted the second leg but his opponent showed his true mettle with a sensational eight-darter to get back into the game.

The near seven-darter in the previous round could have unnerved any player but not Dugdale on his big night.

He took the next leg with a fine 11 darts as Cunningham was left on the return double and he collected the record £250 cash pay-out and trophies from league chairman Alan James, who deputised for the Thwaites team which had been condemned to sales conference duties.

Ian collected £100 cash and the trophy on a night when the total prize pool was £550 in a superb night to remember.

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