ACOMB arrows ace Chris Thompson believes he could be the dangerous dark horse nobody wants to draw at the UK Open over the next four days.

World number 58 Thompson, who reached the competition’s quarter-finals two years ago, will tackle Justin Pipe, ranked 19 places below him, in the second round at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium tomorrow night.

The winner of that match will take their place alongside the planet’s top players in the third round of the Sky-televised tournament known as the “FA Cup of Darts” due to its unseeded draws.

Thompson could then face the likes of Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld or James Wade.

But, having already beaten Wade this year and fellow Premier League star Merv King, the world’s number three and four players respectively, York’s “Hitman” reckons few players will want to be paired against him.

The Minster Law legal executive said: “I’m playing better than when I reached the quarter-finals in 2008. People didn’t really know me then. I was regarded as a good county player, but I’m somebody to be feared on the circuit now and they all know that. Nobody wants to draw me.”

Thompson enjoyed the biggest moment of his career in this competition when he missed out on a semi-final appearance after a close contest with top-20 player Vincent van der Voort.

He faced off against the Dutchman on the main stage in front of a full house and the live television cameras.

Far from daunted by the experience, he revelled in the atmosphere and would love to taste it again.

“It’s still the big moment I look back on and I want more,” Thompson added. “I’m also close to qualifying for the Players’ Championship at Blackpool and the World Championships and I love playing on the big stage in front of people – it gets the best out of me.”

As ever, the legendary Taylor will be the man to avoid in the early rounds in Lancashire and Thompson has recent experience of feeling “The Power,” who made history by throwing two televised nine-dart finishes in last week’s Premier League final.

The Crescent WMC and St Paul’s player was whitewashed by the 15-time world champion as he aimed to reach his first PDC final in Derby earlier this year and Thompson, who recently added Ecoflooring UK’s Jim Sanderson to his growing list of sponsors, confessed: “Nobody will want to draw Phil, especially after his performance last Monday.

“When I played him in Derby, I threw 140, 180 and 140 in one leg and never even got back to the board. You normally have to run into him at some point if you are trying to go all the way but, hopefully, it’s in the latter stages.”

Other than Taylor, there is one other player Thompson would rather avoid running into.

Twenty-two stone Andy “The Pieman” Smith has prevented York’s number one player from earning a better crust in 2010, as Thompson explained: “He’s the only other player I can’t seem to beat at the moment and has cost me a lot of money. I’ve played him eight times and not beaten him yet. He reckons he’s got the hex on me, but I’m hoping he will be eating his words instead of pies the next time we meet.”

Fellow Minsterman Martyn Turner will play Riley’s qualifier Nicky Bache in the first round and, should he win that game, will then face world number 220 Matt Draper or BDO county qualifier Mark Harris.

John Quantock, also from York, will need to negotiate a way past promising PDC prospect Matt Padgett and, possibly, world number 86 Jason Clark, meanwhile, to reach the third round.

About their chances, Thompson added: “John’s got a couple of toughies. Matt Padgett is a young kid and a good player and, then, Jason might be waiting in the next round. Martyn’s got the easiest draw and he’s playing really well.”