Defending champion, Chelmsford's Rod Harrington, booked his place in the third round of the 1999 PDC World Darts Matchplay with a first round 10-7 win over veteran John Lowe at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, and a second round success over Steve Raw.

Against Lowe, and in front of a near-capacity crowd, Harrington,the world number one, raced into a 7-2 lead before losing the next five legs, and thus letting Lowe reduce the deficit to 7-5.

Harrington, 41, from Boreham, then recovered his touch to take two of the next four legs for victory.

"John is so experienced and can relax during matches, but I find them such hard work against him," said Harrington.

"Now I am in the third round I am looking forward to settling down and enjoying the tournament."

In his second round match, against Raw of Cleveland, Co Durham, Harrington recorded a 13-7 win and was scheduled to play Peter Evison in last night's (Thursday) quarter-final tie.

On his defeat of Raw, Harrington said: "It was a bit of an anti-climax after beating John Lowe, but my aim is to be heralded the champion for the second successive year, come Sunday."

Rod Harrington, Chelmsford's World Ranked no. 1 darts player, takes to the cockpit of an RAF Red Arrows jet, during the World Matchplay Darts tournament, at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

Picture: ALLSPORT

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