Derry thrower Daryl Gurney marched into the last 16 of the PDC World Championships for the first time in his career thanks to a rollercoaster 4-3 victory over Robert Thornton, while world number one Michael van Gerwen avoided a major upset.
Gurney set up a meeting with Mark Webster of Wales after a terrific battle at Alexandra Palace.
The 30-year-old stormed out of the traps, winning the first seven legs to lead his Scottish opponent by two sets to nil.
But after winning the first leg of the third set, Gurney lost his focus.
Thornton fought back to make it 2-1 and with momentum suddenly on his side, he won nine out of the next 12 legs to turn the match on its head, leading 3-2 and looking destined to march on.
Gurney comes out on top in a marathon battle! #WHDarts pic.twitter.com/EdTOWEuDng
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 27, 2016
But Gurney showed real steel to take the must-win sixth set and make it a tension-filled finale.
It was the ultimate test of nerve in a raucous atmosphere, with Thornton hitting the rocks on the home straight.
He missed attempts at double top and double 10 in the first leg of the decider and Gurney pounced, closing out a ding-dong encounter to remain in the tournament.
"I've had seven or eight world championships (both PDC and BDO) and I've never got past the second round," Gurney told Sky Sports afterwards.
"I knew he was going to come back at me. I knew it was coming and I was lucky to get through at the end."
Dave Chisnall was put to the pin of his collar at times, but eventually saw off Chris Dobey 4-2, while Mark Webster upset eighth seed Mensur Suljovic 4-3.
In the evening session, Raymond van Barneveld and Phil Taylor enjoyed straight forward victories, while Cristo Reyes went close to causing a shock against world number one Michael van Gerwen before eventually losing out 4-2.
Van Barneveld rattled off the first 10 legs as he raced into a 3-0 lead over Alan Norris, who simply had no answer to the five-time world champion’s scoring power.
He finally won a first leg to the delight of the crowd, but Barney wrapped up the contest and booked a last-16 date with Adrian Lewis.
Taylor, bidding for a 17th world title, was unconvincing on his finishing against Kevin Painter, but still whitewashed his opponent in a repeat of the 2004 final.
The Artist had his opportunities, but Taylor took a 2-0 lead, while Painter again missed further chances in the third, with Taylor taking it with a double one.
A missed bullseye in the final third meant the end was coming for Painter, with the Stoke native wrapping up proceedings with a double 12 to take the fourth set 4-0.
Spaniard Cristo Reyes (32) made history with the highest ever losing average (106.07) at the World Championships as he caused huge problems for the Dutch maestro in a pulsating 4-2 defeat to the world number one.
Van Gerwen eased in front in first set, but a 10-dart leg in the second settled any early nerves for Reyes and a 115-average saw the underdog level the match.
A monster 161 checkout was crucial for van Gerwen in the third, and while the world 32 lead at one point in the fourth, it was the Dutchman who held his nerve on double 18 to move just one set away from victory.
A bullseye finish from van Gerwen in the opening leg in the fifth set the tone, but Reyes battled throughout and deservedly took the decisive game to reduce the deficit with an average higher than his opponent with the crowd sensing a shock at the Ally Pally.
Reyes had opportunities to level the game at 3-3, but failed to do so before van Gerwen sealed his passage to the next round with a 4-2 win and set up a quarter-final match with Darren Webster.
MVG marches on! He wins 4-2 but Reyes sets a record for the highest average EVER for a losing player! What an effort! Sky Sports Darts NOW! pic.twitter.com/lTNwAl2z2A
— Sky Sports Darts 🎯 (@SkySportsDarts) December 27, 2016
