REIGNING Star Darts champion Steve Jones threw down the gauntlet to pretenders to his crown with a blistering display of arrows in his opening round tie at Chapel End Labour Club, Billinge. He took the first leg of his game with Mark Anthony Owen with a 137 and two tons finishing in 18 darts.

He rattled off the second leg also in 18 darts with the highest check-out of the competition so far - 120.

But you had to feel sorry for Owen who recorded scores of 121, 100, 100, 60 and 100 in his 15 darts but did not get the chance for a stab at the double.

Jones, whose tie was held over from the previous week's part of the draw, goes into the draw for this Sunday's matches.

The part two ties produced some real thrillers with Antony Dingsdale's tie with Fred Edzes going to three.

Edzes, wearing a cape emblazoned with "Freddy the Flying Dutchman" and a pair of foam orange clogs brought colour to the proceedings and levelled by taking the second leg.

But three tons and a 125 from Dingsdale in the final leg showed the future was not orange as he polished the game off in 20 darts.

Ali Thompson came from behind to beat Barry Owen 2-1 after a marathon final leg. Owen threw some steady arrows, illuminated by a 140, to take the first leg in 21 darts.

Thompson, who had looked to be getting his eye in with his last two first leg throws yielding a ton and a 123, continued with throws of 140 and a ton before checking out on 119 for an 18 dart finish.

Both players had difficulty hitting the doubles in the final leg, before Thompson cracked it at his fourth attempt.

George McCormick threw some outstanding darts against Richard Hesford - rattling off two tons and a 140 to take the first leg in 17 darts.

Then he recorded the least dart finish of the competition, hitting 141 and a 180 to take the second leg in 14 arrows.

Hesford threw a couple of tons and 140 in a solid display.

Ronnie Singleton won a three leg thriller with the unlucky Karl Lee in a tie that could have gone either way.

Lee hit a couple of tons in the first leg, but was bested by Singleton who hit a 140 and 120 to wrap up the first leg in 20 darts.

Lee opened his second leg account with a score of 140, levelling the tie in 22 darts.

Crucially throwing first, Singleton hit 100 and 140, wrapping up the tie in 18 darts. Lee threw a 180 and 140 and looked handily placed but was punished for failing to check out on 76. He was a double top short after 15 darts, but never got the chance to have a stab at it.

Andrew Roger made short work of his win over Rob Jacks, hitting two tons in the first leg and three on the bounce in the second on his way to a 2-0 win.

Ian Paul Hunter won a close three legger against Alan Johnson. Johnson hit a ton and 121 but failed to hit his doubles. Hunter checked out on 80 to take first leg in 24 darts.

Johnson hit two tons and a 135 on his way to taking the second leg, with Hunter also taking a couple of tons.

The third leg was keenly fought, with Johnson hitting 140 and a ton. But Hunter cliched it with a 121 and a ton wrapping up the leg and the match in 21 darts.

Colin Young hit a 134 when he wrapped up the first leg against Stephen Lynch in 18 darts. Lynch missed two chances on the doubles and with it the chance to level matters, Young taking the second leg in 30 darts.

This Sunday, June 24 will see the competition hotting when the 16 qualifiers from round one, part one play down to four.

The draw for this stage will take place at the club prior to the session, which will again commence at 2pm.

This Sunday's 16: Chris Martin, Doug Smith, Ian Hunter, Michael Tully, Alf Dutton, Brian Sinkinson, Stephen Jones, Mick Hallwood, Gary Welding, Shaun Pilling, Steven Comber, Michael Frodsham, Peter Turton, Eddie Dootson, B. Hesford, Bob Arnold.

Thanks to the sponsorship of Tetley's, Thwaites and John Smiths, plus the entrants' fees, prize money for this year's finals night on July 15 totals £1,000 - £500 for the winner, £250 for the runner up, £75 for defeated semi finalists and £25 to the beaten quarter finalists.

1st round, part two - Sunday, June 17, results: Carl Fenney (w/o), Antony Dingsdale 2 Fred Edzes 1, Michael Anders (w/o), Barry Owen 1 Ali Thompson 2, Richard Hesford 0 George McCormick 2, Peter Phillips (w/o), Karl Lee 1 Ronnie Singleton 2, Ken Harris (w/o), Dave Houghton (w/o), Andrew Rodger 2 Rob Jacks 0, Alan Johnson 1 Ian Paul Hunter 2, Stephen Lynch 0 Colin Young 2.

Byes: Paul Pennington, Michael Holt, Alan Waite.

Stephen Jones 2 Mark Anthony Owen 0 (round one, part one).

Special mention should go to markers Dave Houghton and Doug Smith and shouter Barry Pender.