Three-time runner-up Peter Manley was involved in yet more controversy as he tumbled out of the Ladbrokes.com World Championship in Purfleet tonight.
The man darts fans love to hate lost 4-3 in the second round to Wynand Havenga - the first South African to contest the sport's most prestigious event - despite recovering from three sets down.
Havenga, a 41-year-old finance manager from Cape Town, had shown himself to be a character in his opening victory over Steve Maish on Monday, celebrating extravagantly when he hit a maximum score of 180 or won a leg.
That sort of behaviour was never likely to go down well with Manley, who also clearly took exception to the Springbok's tendency to take his time retrieving his darts from the board.
On one such occasion the 44-year-old Cumbria-based player could be seen telling his opponent to 'get out of the way' as he was ready to throw, with Havenga dawdling back from the board.
Then the world number seven decided to give Havenga a taste of his own medicine, pulling out his darts one by one in order to delay the turn of the South African Masters champion.
It revived memories of when Manley became embroiled in a war of words with Adrian Lewis at the Circus Tavern last year, with Phil Taylor's protege temporarily walking off stage in protest. Manley also refused to shake Taylor's hand after losing 7-0 to the 13-time champion in the 2002 final.
But it was a sign of how Havenga's good play had disturbed 'One Dart', who lost the first three sets before pulling back to 3-3 as the needle between the duo seemed to inspire him.
Havenga would not be ruffled though, and regained his poise just when it appeared Manley was set to complete the best comeback of the tournament as he ousted the highest seed to fall so far.
Terry Jenkins resisted a comeback from Steve Beaton to prevail 4-3 in what was almost a replica of the Lewis-Jones match but without the fireworks.
