The dream of an Essex PDCWorld Darts champion is still alive after Wayne Mardle and Kevin Painter both won through to the quarter finals in Purfleet last night.
Mardle, who hails from Dagenham, sent the Circus Tavern crowd wild by coming back from the dead to beat fifth seed Colin Lloyd 4-3.
The 30-year-old -suffering froma cold-was seemingly dead and buried at three sets to one down.
However,"Hawaii 501" became "Houdini 501" as he reeled off leg-after-leg to shatter Lloyd's hopes.
Earlier, tenth seed Painter -who lived in south Essex for 30 years before moving to Cambridgeshire five years ago - missed eight match-winning doubles before beating Ronnie Baxter 4-2.
Published Friday January 2, 2004
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