Wade took command in the clash between two of the world's top five players, but only earned two darts to seal victory in the final four legs as King mounted a sensational fightback.

Wade, who reached the semi-finals of last year's event in Essex, won the first leg with an accomplished 14-dart finish.

The man from Aldershot then secured a break of throw with an 80 checkout to win the second leg, after King missed three darts at doubles.

King managed to break back to win the third and levelled the game at two-all with an excellent 50 finish.

Wade won the fifth leg to lead the game for a second time thanks to a 65 checkout, completed on double top.

Both players hit maximums in the next leg, but Wade moved 4-2 up with an excellent 103 checkout, and a 13-dart-finish put the left-hander one leg away from victory.

King hit a fine 130 checkout on double five to win the eighth leg and then broke throw in the ninth to keep his hopes alive.

Wade appeared to have gained the advantage in the tenth leg after hitting three consecutive 140s, but he missed two darts at double 12 to take the win and King converted a two-dart 96 finish to force a decider.

The final leg was finely balanced but, with Wade waiting on 60, King held his nerve to hit a 106 checkout to complete a superb comeback and set up a tasty second round contest with Jelle Klaasen on Saturday.

"When I was 5-2 down I couldn't quite believe it because I felt comfortable and had been playing well," said King. "I could have been 4-1 up at the break but I missed a couple of chances and James took his.

"I kept believing, dug in and thankfully he missed a couple of chances for the match and I stepped in."

Wade said: "At 5-2 it was my game to lose but Mervyn stuck in there well and did the job. I felt good on stage and it was a good game."

JELLE KLAASEN 6-1 GARY ANDERSON
JELLE KLAASEN stormed into the last 16 of the 2010 totesport.com Players Championship with a 6-1 drubbing of Scotland's Gary Anderson.

Anderson won the opening leg of the match but from then the Dutchman was dominant and will now take on either James Wade or Mervyn King.

Klaasen recorded a 180 in the first leg but it was Anderson who managed to hold throw by converting an 80 finish.

The Dutchman won the second by hitting double eight and then broke throw in the third leg with a 75 finish.

Klaasen pulled further clear by winning the fourth leg in 13 darts and then won the fifth leg after Anderson was of missing six opportunities at double four.

A maximum from Anderson in the sixth leg could not halt the Dutchman who moved 5-1 ahead with an accurate attempt at double 10 and the end was swift as Klaasen converted a 90 finish on double 15.

"I can do better than this but I'm very pleased," said Klaasen. "I've worked very hard since the World Championship, especially on my finishing, and that showed."

Anderson admitted: "Jelle hit the big scores at the right times and pinched his doubles. I've been practising well but didn't perform tonight."

MARK WALSH 6-4 STEVE HINE
MARK WALSH defeated Steve Hine by a 6-4 scoreline in the first round of the 2010 totesport.com Players Championship.

Walsh, who led 3-0, had to survive a mid-game burst from Hine before sealing a second round tie against Wayne Jones.

Walsh, who lost to Wayne Mardle in a close encounter last year, made a confident start to the match by holding throw to win the first leg and then broke his opponent's throw to establish a 2-0 lead.

The third leg soon feel the way of the second seed, which included a maximum from Walsh before Hine got off the mark by hitting double eight to win the fourth.

The man from Coventry, who lost in the second round of the World Championship to the eventual winner Phil Taylor, then won the fifth leg by breaking his opponent's throw with a clinical 120 checkout.

That reduced Hine's deficit to 3-2 and he soon levelled the match winning the sixth leg with another 120 finish.

The next leg saw Hine miss two darts at double top to lead the game for the first time, and Walsh managed to forge ahead again by hitting double ten with a crucial last dart.

Walsh broke his opponent's throw for a second time with a 72 finish to lead 5-3 but he missed six chances to wrap up the match in the ninth leg and Hine hit double eight with his last dart to keep the game alive.

But Walsh made no mistake in the tenth leg by hitting an 84 finish, with his opponent waiting on a two-darter, to end the match.

"I'm very relieved," said Walsh. "Steve came back well at me and I wasted a lot of chances, and I thought I might blow it but luckily enough I got past the winning post."

Hine said: "The 120 finishes were nice and something for the crowd to cheer but Mark gave me other chances that I didn't take, so I can't complain. He played well."

COLIN OSBORNE 6-3 CO STOMPE
COLIN OSBORNE overcame the challenge of Dutchman Co Stompe with a 6-3 triumph at the totesport.com Players Championship at the Circus Tavern, Purfleet.

Osborne, who won the 2009 Championship League Darts by defeating Phil Taylor back in October, will now take on either Jamie Caven or Michael van Gerwen on Saturday evening.

He made a confident start to the match hitting a two-dart 96 finish to complete a 14-darter in the opening leg.

Stompe won the second with an excellent 108 checkout but missed chances to break Osborne's throw in the third leg after missing three darts at double 12, and that allowed the Derby man to regain the lead.

Stompe hit a maximum in the fourth leg but missed a dart at double top and Osborne capitalised by hitting that bed to move 3-1 ahead.

Osborne, who suffered a first round defeat to Andy Smith at this event 12 months ago, should have moved three legs clear, but two darts at double 16 were off-target and Stompe managed to hit double top to keep the game finely balanced.

The winning double in the sixth leg proved difficult for both players, Osborne missing five chances but Stompe wasting eight of his own as the Derby man hit double four to hold his lead.

The Dutchman, who defeated Osborne in the first round of last year's Las Vegas Desert Classic, recorded an 80 finish to win the seventh leg but fell two legs behind once again, courtesy of a 13-dart-finish from the Englishman.

That put the third seed one leg away from the match, and he managed to seal a place in the second round by winning the ninth leg on double 16.

"In such a short format it's cut-throat and it's nice to get over the winning line," said Osborne. "The first round is always the hardest to get through and I'm relieved that I've done that, and I can look forward to Saturday's second round now."

Stompe admitted: "I didn't play too well but when I had my chance I didn't take them. If you don't take your chances then you get punished, and Colin finished well."

WES NEWTON 6-2 PETER WRIGHT
WES NEWTON enjoyed a comfortable path into the last 16 of the 2010 totesport.com Players Championship with a 6-2 victory over Peter Wright.

Newton hit four maximums and ended the match with an impressive three-dart average bordering 98.Wright held throw at the start of the match by converting an 80 finish before Newton won the second with the aid of a maximum.

Newton missed two darts at double 16 to break throw in the third leg but Wright failed with his three attempts at double top and Newton returned to oche to hit double eight and lead the game for the first time.

Newton recorded a two-dart 52 finish to win the fourth leg after Wright missed another opportunity at double top and the Lancastrian extended that lead by breaking his opponent's throw for a second time by hitting double 10.

The Lancastrian continued the winning run by taking the sixth leg, which included his third 180 of the game.

That put Newton one leg away from the match and superb 174 to leave himself 32 but Wright managed to hit double top with his last dart to keep his hopes alive.

But Newton put an end to the contest in eighth leg with an accomplished 13-dart-finish to set up a second round clash against Ronnie Baxter or Mark Dudbridge.

"I'm happy with that," said Newton. "I knew I had to perform because Peter has had a brilliant year on the circuit, and I felt I played very well."

Wright said: "I couldn't find my range on stage and it didn't happen for me tonight, but Wes played brilliantly and deserved the win."

WAYNE JONES 6-2 ANDY SMITH
WAYNE JONES defeated Andy Smith 6-2 in the first round of the 2010 totesport.com Players Championship at the Circus Tavern, Purfleet.

Both players produced below-par displays, with Smith having been laid low with pleurisy in the build-up, but it was Jones who got over the winning line with the aid of better finishing.

Jones hit a maximum in the first leg of the match in the process of recording a 15-darter before Smith levelled the game by winning the second, hitting a 180 of his own.

Jones moved 2-1 up by converting a 68 finish and then secured a break of throw in the next leg by hitting double eight.

The man from Wolverhampton then extended his advantage to three legs by hitting double 12 to win the fifth leg.

Smith, who has been struggling with ill-health in the run up to the event, hit his second maximum of the game in the sixth leg and went to win it by hitting double eight to reduce the deficit to 4-2.

Jones moved 5-2 ahead with an accurate attempt at double eight, and then won the match by taking out a two-dart 74 finish to book a place in the second round.

"I knew Andy was struggling and it was hard for me to stay motivated," admitted Jones. "We've had some great games before but this time it didn't happen that way.

"The only thing that matters was that I got through, and hopefully I'll play better in the second round."