World Darts Championship: Hastings ace Ritchie Edhouse suffers Alexandra Palace heartbreak

The Hastings-based player was on the brink of a comfortable victory as he led by two sets to nil and two legs to nil against David Cameron on Monday evening.

But, incredibly, Edhouse lost nine of the subsequent 10 legs, missing six match darts along the way, as he was beaten by three sets to two at London's Alexandra Palace.

The 39-year-old impressively clinched the first set by three legs to nil and then came from behind to take the second set 3-2, helped by his opponent missing six darts to level at a set each.

Edhouse proceeded to go 2-0 up in the third set, at which point he was just a leg away from winning. He missed match darts in each of the next three legs, however, as Cameron claimed the set 3-2.

That proved the start of a remarkable turnaround. Canadian veteran Cameron bagged the fourth set 3-0 before going 2-0 ahead in the decider.

Edhouse, who landed eight 180s, stopped the rot by winning the next leg only for Cameron to wrap up victory in the one that followed.

Edhouse, ranked 49th, therefore missed out on a second-round tie against world number nine and UK Open champion Danny Noppert this evening (Friday).

Rob Cross, meanwhile, will begin his campaign this afternoon with a tough-looking second-round clash against Scott Williams.

World number 66 Williams posted a 100.32 average and hit 10 180s during his high-class first-round success against Ryan Joyce.

But sixth-ranked Cross will go in buoyed by his excellent run to the final of the Players Championship Finals towards the end of last month.

Cross, of course, memorably won the title five years ago on his debut in the sport's blue riband event, beating the great Phil Taylor in the final.