RAWCLIFFE’S Martyn Turner will play rookie Matthew Edgar in the third round of the UK Open tonight.
Daventry-based sports coach Edgar, 25, only qualified for the PDC tour in January and has never competed in the Sky Sports-televised tournament before.
He is also 35 places below world number 90 Turner in the rankings.
But Edgar has already disposed of Nigel Heydon - the preliminary round conqueror of Turner’s fellow Minsterman Chris Thompson 4-0 - and is the training partner of former World Championship finalist Kevin Painter.
Turner reached the last 64 of the competition, held at Bolton Wanderers’ Reebok Stadium, by beating Speedy Hire qualifiers Tommy Little and Ryan Murray in the opening two rounds.
The Ainsty ace showed his character to come back from 2-0 down to the impressive Murray in his second round match.
Murray, an Edinburgh die-caster, hit bull to throw first and, after holding his darts, broke Turner in the second with a brilliant 160 checkout.
World number 90 Turner though held his nerve to hit third-dart doubles in each of the next two legs.
After drawing level, he then won the fifth leg against the throw with a two-dart 78 finish and clinched victory having hit double ten with another third dart when he had needed 40 and Murray was waiting on 60.
Turner and Edgar’s match is due to be the last played on board six this evening.
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