World number one Phil Taylor saw off the brave challenge of Mark Walsh on Saturday evening in the second round of the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship.
Walsh, ranked 30th, pushed Taylor all the way and claimed a shock 3-2 lead, having earlier been 2-0 up, before 'The Power' battled back to clinch a hard-fought 4-3 win.
And the Stoke-based 13-time champion admitted he had been a worried man when Walsh, from Watford, took charge of their clash.
'I was, I couldn't seem to break his throw,' Taylor said.
'I thought when it starts getting close to the finish the occasion would start getting to him and it did a little bit.'
It was Taylor's second consecutive struggle in the tournament and he admitted he is yet to find anything like his best form.
'Something's wrong somewhere. It was a strange game, I always give 150%, I was trying everything,' he told Sky Sports.
'But once again I've got a few days off, I'm going to go home. I've been giving people heart attacks, but that's what happens sometimes. It's not easy if you're not 100% right.
'You practice all year round and all of a sudden you get on that stage and don't feel right.'
Walsh was left to rue a chance missed.
'When I went 3-2 up I really thought I had him,' he said.
'Unfortunately I didn't play too well in the last two sets and Phil did what he does.'
Peter Manley produced a 4-1 win over follow Cumbrian Alan Warriner-Little in the second round on Saturday afternoon.
Manley said: 'Alan and myself are good friends and it was a hard game to play.
'I was probably the more relaxed player and it showed in the end - he outscored me but I hit my doubles when it mattered.'
Manley was a beaten finalist against Taylor on three occasions in the past and will meet Jan van der Rassel in the last 16 following the Dutch player's 4-1 win over Denis Ovens.
'I'm very happy,' said van der Rassel. 'It was a very hard match, Denis is a great player and he never gives up.'
Roland Scholten beat Mervyn King of Ipswich 4-2 in their second-round clash.
Earlier, Alan Tabern of St Helens enjoyed a straight-sets win over Hampshire's Andy Jenkins.
