Stevenson through to last 16 on day two of Q School

SIMON Stevenson picked up valuable merit table points after winning his way through to the last 16 on day two of Q School at the Robin Park Leisure Centre, Wigan yesterday.

The final two players at the UK Qualifying School on each of the four days win an automatic PDC Tour Card while a further 15 PDC Tour Cards will be awarded to the leading players in the Order of Merit at the end of the four days.

Stevenson began with a 5-1 victory over Q School debutant Paul Jenkinson before he defeated Tom Lonsdale 5-4.

The Mirrorman was pushed the full distance again in his next encounter by the experienced Brian Woods who was a BDO World Championship semi-finalist in 2008 and a winner of 15 titles over the years, but Stevenson held his nerve to hit the winning double in the decisive ninth leg.

LAST 16: Simon Stevenson achieved valuable order of merit points after five victories on day two of Q School where he got through to the last 16.

Scott Marsh, the winner of the Sheppey Darts Classic in 2013 was Stevenson’s next opponent and he was ousted 5-1 which took Stevenson into the last 32.

He was then drawn to face Lee Palfreyman, a former semi-finalist of the Las Vegas Dessert Classic but Stevenson showed good form to win 5-2.

Now into the last 16, the Tamerton Foliot marksman was up against Welshman Robert Owen, a player who Stevenson defeated as recently as last August in the International Darts Open but was let down by his finishing and crashed out of the tournament in five straight legs, but not before picking up valuable ranking points.

John Mann could not repeat the heroics of the previous day when he got to the last 16 and after a 5-0 victory over Kieran Evans, went out 5-3 to Scotland’s Luke Woodhouse.

Michael Beard is unfortunately still looking for his first victory of Q School. After a defeat in his first match on Thursday he went out 5-1 at the first time of asking yesterday to Jamie Guilfoyle.

All three will return to the arena today with high hopes of improving on their order of merit points.