World Seniors Matchplay Darts final LIVE RESULTS: John Henderson faces holder Leonard Gates for £10k prize
JOHN HENDERSON has snatched the World Seniors Matchplay Darts title from Leonard Gates after an epic final in York Barbican.
The Scotsman fought off a late Gates comeback before becoming champion.
And Highlander has now added this title to his over-flowing trophy cabinet as well as taking home the £10,000 winnings.
- FINAL RESULT: Henderson 9-6 Gates
- TV channel: TNT Sport
- Live stream: discovery+
- Explainer: Full results and prize money
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Hows that
Richie Howson is currently leading Neil Duff 5-3 as they head into the 9th leg of their opener.
Gates just it
Leonard Gates and John Henderson remain the bookies’ favourites ahead of this afternoon’s quarter-finals.
Both admitted they’ll need to improve on patchy first-round wins – but also predicted they will do just that.
Third in the betting odds comes Richie Howson, who is first in action this afternoon against Neil Duff.
Scottish star Henderson takes on David Cameroon an hour later.
Then it’s fourth favourite Robert Thornton against Martin Adams.
And at around 4pm Gates takes on Lisa Ashton, who is rated the rank outsider despite yesterday’s comprehensive win over Paul Hogan.
The two semis and the final take place this evening.
Action set to get underway
Here is the schedule for the quarter-finals
1pm – Richie Howson vs Neil Duff
2pm – John Henderson vs David Cameron
3pm – Robert Thornton vs Martin Adams
4pm – Leonard Gates vs Lisa Ashton
Henderson reflects on Taylor's withdrawal
Speaking after his 8-5 win over Tony O'Shea, Henderson said: "I was due to play Phil Taylor, the World's best ever player. So I was in Whitby last week and I said I'm looking forward to playing you next week.
"Last time he played me he won in Blackpool like 10-2 so I wanted to get one over him. Not in a personal thing.
"When I got told he pulled out, I don't think I prepared any different no."
"Revenge has never been a thing in my vocabulary. It's just me trying to win another Senior's title.
"Hopefully I can prove to everybody why I am the World Champion."
Shock name on presenting duties
Iconic Match of the Day presenter Ray Stubbs has made a shock return to TV.
The sports broadcaster has hosted a number of legendary shows over the years.
In 1990 he began hosting Match of the Day, Grandstand and Sportsnight - three of the BBC's most iconic sport shows.
Stubbs, 68, also worked as a presenter at the 1994 and 1998 World Cups, as well as Euro 96.
He appeared at the Olympics and has hosted Football Focus and Final Score.
As well as football, Stubbs hosted the BBC's coverage of darts and snooker before switching to ESPN in 2009.
However, he has now returned to darts, hosting the World Seniors Matchplay on TNT Sports.
He is joined on coverage by darts legend Bobby George.
Who will go home £10,000 richer?
Eight players remain in the hunt to take home the huge £10,000 jackpot from the York Barbican.
Leonard Gates won the tournament last year and is still in the conversation to make it back-to-back trumphs.
The American faces Lisa Ashton in the quarter-finals this afternoon.
Here is a full breakdown of the prize money:
- Winner: £10,000
- Runner-up: £5,000
- Semi-finalists x2: £2,500
- Quarter-finalists x4: £1,250
- First round x8: £750
Gates & Henderson enter final day as favourites
We've seven matches today to decide who takes the World Seniors Matchplay Darts title at the York Barbican tonight.
And judging by yesterday's last-16 clashes the tournament is wide open.
Leonard Gates and John Henderson remain the bookies' favourites ahead of this afternoon's quarter-finals.
Both admitted they'll need to improve on patchy first-round wins - but also predicted they will do just that.
Third in the betting odds comes Richie Howson, who is first in action this afternoon against Neil Duff.
Scottish star Henderson takes on David Cameroon an hour later.
Then it's fourth favourite Robert Thornton against Martin Adams.
And at around 4pm Gates takes on Lisa Ashton, who is rated the rank outsider despite yesterday's comprehensive win over Paul Hogan.
The two semis and the final take place this evening.
Quarter-final schedule:
1pm - Richie Howson vs Neil Duff
2pm - John Henderson vs David Cameron
3pm - Robert Thornton vs Martin Adams
4pm - Leonard Gates vs Lisa AshtonRound-up of yesterday's action
It was certainly a mixed bag on Friday - with no player at his best.
Martin Adams looked well below par in beating Matt Clark, title-holder Leonard Gates showed flashes of why he's the favourite and world seniors champ John Henderson also admitted he'll need to improve.
Chris Mason bagged six maximums, only for poor finishing to creep in and give a solid-looking Neil Duff a flattering 8-4 win.
And Robert Thornton eventually pipped John Part 10-8 in an odd but ultimately epic encounter between icons of the sport.
Afternoon:
Richie Howson 8-4 Trina Gulliver
Martin Adams 8-6 Matt Clark
Kevin Painter 3-8 David Cameron
Leonard Gates 8-5 James RichardsonEvening:
Robert Thornton 10-8 John Part
Neil Duff 8-4 Chris Mason
John Henderson 8-5 John O'Shea
Paul Hogan 3-8 Lisa AshtonLisa roars warning to Gates
Lisa Ashton steamrollered Paul Hogan and fired a warning to defending champ Leonard Gates for their quarter-final today.
The Lancashire Rose returned from a mini-break to look snappy against Crocodile Dundee - taking five of the last six legs for an impressive 8-3 win.
And after the Crocodile's tears, it could be more Ashton cheers - as she urged the crowd to once more get behind her against American Gates.
Ashton, 54, said: "I'm not here to make up the numbers.
"If these fans can stick with me I hope I can keep going."
Credit: Rex
Henderson reveals it was tough playing pal O'Shea
John Henderson vowed to play better today - and insists he must to have any chance of glory.
The much-tipped Scot believes friendship affected his 8-5 win over Tony O'Shea, who was an eleventh-hour replacement for Phil Taylor.
Henderson said: "It's difficult to play such a good friend.
"I think we showed a bit too much respect to each other and weren't at our best.
"I won't play like that tomorrow (Saturday). I will play better.
"I'm going to play a wee bit better - and I'll have to."
Credit: Rex Get ready for golden Gates
Bookies' favourite and reigning Leonard Gates promised he’ll only get better now that he is once more fully focused on darts.
After beating James Richardson 8-5 yesterday, the American now faces England's Lisa Ashton in today's fourth quarter-final.
Credit: Rex Gates said: “There’s a lot going on outside of darts.
“And for me to come back and get back int the atmosphere of finishing is very important.”
Asked how he felt ahead of playing on Saturday, he added: “I’m definitely ready.”
Credit: Rex Crowd wowed by Kev's courage
Kevin Painter became a fans' favourite as he fought against what many believe was dartitis.
The Essex oche ace, 57, is best remembered for losing 7-6 to Phil Taylor 20 years ago in one of the best ever world championship finals.
But at 6-2 down against Canadian David Cameron yesterday, he struggled to release his darts when chasing a 104 check-out.
When Painter did eventually offload, he pulled off the 19, treble 15, and double 20 needed.
That sparked possibly the loudest reaction of the day from the audience.
Painter is thought to have had an issue with releasing darts for many months.
And although his determination got fans on his side, it was Cameron who went on to take the next two legs for an 8-3 victory, the biggest of the first session.
The 55-year-old finished the match brilliantly, with a 152 checkout.
Legend Phil 'gutted' to miss out
Phil Taylor reckons many World Seniors Matchplay stars are "glad" he had to pull out out.
The 16-time world champ, 64, was "gutted" to withdraw at short notice" on the advice of medial experts.
Now he's hoping to be fit for next month's World Seniors World Masters in Sunderland then bow out of competitive darts.
The Mirror report Taylor as saying: "Naturally, I am gutted to be missing out on playing in such a big event like the WSDT Seniors World Matchplay.
"It promises to be a fantastic tournament, and there will be a fair few that will be glad I'm not going to be playing, as practice was going very well."
Credit: Rex Previous two champs both win
The winners of the first two World Seniors Darts Matchplay could well be in the mix for glory this year.
One finished yesterday afternoon as a comfortable winner, the other ended the evening with a nervy victory.
Robert Thornton eventually beat John Part 10-8Credit: Rex Leonard Gates beat Jim McEwan 9-6 to lift the 2023 crown.
And the American launched his bid to retain the title with an 8-5 defeat of James Richardson.
Scotland’s Robert Thornton was the tournament’s inaugural victor two years ago.
He pipped all-time great Phil Taylor 12-10 in that final.
But Thornton was sweating at the end last night.
John Part reeled off two superb finishes after struggling for so long to take their first-round contest to sudden death.
Thornton eventually nicked it 10-8.
But judging on yesterday alone, the door for victory looks more open for Gates.
Oche aces should earn well above par...
Barry Hearn claims darts and snooker stars should out-earn golfers.
The Matchroom president reckons oche aces like Luke Littler and table talents like Judd Trump have growing commercial value – aided by their sports thriving in Asia.
Hearn still plays prominent roles in the Professional Darts Corporation and World Snooker Tour.
Luke Littler has widened the popularity of dartsCredit: ITV Each sport has a £500,000 top prize at its World Championship – but that sum has now been matched at the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters.
The 76-year-old told The Barry Hearn Show: “The Middle East has now decided, specifically in Saudi Arabia but also in Qatar and probably in Bahrain and Abu Dhabi that snooker is actually very popular in the Middle East. It’s had a rebirth.
"Of course with Saudi, the amount of money they’re putting in, the rebirth is not a minor happening, it’s a major event.
“For my mind, and I’ve got nothing against golf, but I want to see darts and snooker have bigger prize money than golf because I believe it’s worth more money than golf in today’s commercial world.”
Recap of tonight's results
Robert Thornton 10-8 John Part
Neil Duff 8-4 Chris Mason
John Henderson 8-5 John O'Shea
Paul Hogan 3-8 Lisa AshtonRESULT! Paul Hogan 3-8 Lisa Ashton
Ashton was brilliant after the mini-break.
Hogan took out a 101 to briefly cut the deficit to 6-3 - but that was his only leg of the session.
Paul Hogan 2-3 Lisa Ashton
Ashton's 177 gave her another chance of breaking.
And she just missed a double -leaving 20 - then taking it out.
Paul Hogan 2-2 Lisa Ashton
Hogan pulls off a maximum and he's soon down to an 81 finish.
He finished to complete another 12-darter.
Paul Hogan 1-2 Lisa Ashton
Ashton got down to a 20 finish - and did it in two darts to make it two impressive legs in a row.
Paul Hogan 1-1 Lisa Ashton
Ashton coolly levels in what's been a high-class start to this match.
Paul Hogan 1-0 Lisa Ashton
Hogan is throwing first in what pundits reckon should be a tight match.
And he holds with an impressive 12-darter.
Final match to come - Paul Hogan vs Lisa Ashton
Dudley darts ace Paul Hogan, 61, taken on 54-year-old Lisa Ashton, one of the greatest ever female players.
Ashton - aka the Lancashire Rose - is a four-time world champion.
Hogan - known as Crocodile Dundee - now lives down south in Basingstoke.
He's a three-time WDF quarter-finalist.
Henderson claims it's improve or bust
John Henderson revealed it was tough playing a "such a good friend" as Tony O'Shea.
And the joint tournament favourite, alongside American Leonard Gates, believes that friendship affected their performances.
O'Shea was a late call-up after legend Phil Taylor withdrew on medical advice.
Henderson said of his 8-5 win: "It's difficult to play such a good friend, and I think we showed a bit too much respect to each other and weren't at our best.
"I won't play like that tomorrow. I will play better.
"I'm going to play a wee bit better - and I'll have to."
RESULT! John Henderson 8-5 Tony O’Shea
O'Shea battled back well to get down to a 28 finish - but Henderson quickly clinched it.