Anderson beats Hood to join Searle in semi-finals

Justin Hood’s outstanding run at Alexandra Palace was ended by two-time champion Gary Anderson, who for the first time in four years made it to the semi-finals of the PDC World Championship.

Before Scotland’s 55-year-old Anderson stepped on the accelerator and won nine of the next ten legs to clinch a convincing victory, their quarter-final match was split in the first four sets.

Anderson, who will play either Luke Humphries or Gian van Veen in the final four, told Sky Sports, “I’m over the moon to get through.”

Luke Humphries is still a top-notch player and, while I am aware, Luke Littler is the greatest player currently.

Gian is very good, and the next chapter will be difficult.

Ryan Searle, the 20th seed, defeated Jonny Clayton 5-2, which will elevate him to the top 10 in the world.

English left-hander Hood, 32, has won a lot of praise for his play and gained acclaim for it when he made his debut appearance at Alexandra Palace.

In what turned out to be the final leg of the contest, he was elicited loudly as he attempted to hit a 126 checkout, and once more as he left the stage following his defeat.

Searle reached his first World Championship quarter-final after winning 14 sets without giving a reply.

The 38-year-old Englishman increased that lead to 17 with some effective finishing in Clayton’s set, who finished his matchup in a sluggish fourth.

One of Searle’s three ton-plus checkouts in the match, the 111-run final leg, restored his three-set lead and he won the match’s final four spots in the seventh set.

The Welsh fifth seed, who made just 10 of his 40 doubles attempts (25%), though Clayton did better for the extended quarter-finals when his number of missed attempts on the outer ring paid off.

Searle, in contrast, hit 17 of his 30 attempts (56.7%).

Searle wears contact lenses because he has a genetic eye condition called dominant optic atrophy, which impairs his vision.

He admitted to not seeing well when he won, saying to Sky Sports on stage following his victory.

If other people find it difficult to see clearly when playing darts, try not to let that prevent you.

From 19: 00 GMT: