DESPITE the disappointment of a first round exit in the William Hill PDC World Darts Championship, Cardigan ace Jamie Lewis can reflect on an excellent year.

His performances have seen him break into the top 32 of the world rankings at just 24, and progress to his maiden major quarter-final at the World Grand Prix.

It was the third year that Lewis has competed in the last 64 of the PDC World Championships at Alexandra Palace, after previous first round exits against James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld.

This year his met an in-form Daryl Gurney, who had progessed to the semi-finals for the first time in a major tournament at last month’s Players’ Championship.

In front of a record-breaking crowd of 3,000, Gurney, who is nicknamed the Dude, cruised through the first first set by winning three legs in a row, hitting two 180s and missing only one double, as well as achieving an average of 109.98.

In the second set, Lewis upped his game and landed double nine to get off the mark. Gurney levelled after the Welshman missed double 15 for a 150 finish, but Lewis took out 78 and tops to take the set.

Lewis broke immediately in the third set, but a 180 followed by a 76 finish saw 29 year-old Gurney reply in kind, and the next two legs went with the throw, before the Northern Irishman pegged a crucial double 11 to restore a one set lead.

Gurney kicked off what proved to be the final set with a break of throw and doubled his advantage by landing double 16.

Lewis pulled a leg back, but Gurney hit double nine to complete the leg, and the pair exchanged 180s, as the Waterford man went on to become the first player to bank £15,000 for reaching the last 32.

In the final analysis, Lewis, had thrown five 140s and three 180s, with an average of 90.34, but it was not quite enough on the night.

Red the full report and reaction in the South edition