Gray to face world champ Taylor

Adrian Gray will take on the great Phil Taylor this afternoon

St Leonards-based carpet fitter Gray will face the sport’s greatest ever player on the main stage in round four of the Speedy Services UK Open at approximately 2pm live on Sky Sports.

Although Gray is 76 places behind world number one Taylor on the PDC order of merit, the match should hold no fears for him because Gray famously beat Taylor in the 2007 World Grand Prix, again live on television.

Gray followed up his brace of 5-4 victories over against Steve Brown and Connie Finnan on Thursday night with a 9-5 win against Speedy Qualifier Dean Stewart last night, while Taylor hit two 11-darters, a 115 finish and had a 104 average in whitewashing Ronny Huybrechts 9-0.

The UK Open, unique for having eight stages in play simultaneously in the early rounds, features a mixture of top professionals and amateur qualifiers as 146 players compete for the £40,000 first prize.

Professionals competed in a series of eight qualifying events earlier this year, with the top 114 players progressing to play in Bolton, where the leading 32 qualifiers enter at the third round stage.

Fourth round draw: Main Stage - Dave Chisnall v James Wade; Phil Taylor v Adrian Gray; Gary Anderson v Kevin Painter; Michael van Gerwen v Michael Mansell. Stage Two - Brendan Dolan v Matt Padgett; Joey Palfreyman v Raymond van Barneveld; Terry Jenkins v Kim Huybrechts; John Part v Andy Hamilton. Stage Three - Ronnie Baxter v Lee Palfreyman; Jelle Klaasen v Stuart Kellett; Kevin McDine v John Henderson; Wes Newton v Adrian Lewis. Stage Four - Terry Temple v John Bowles; Robert Thornton v Kirk Shepherd; Stephen Bunting v Peter Wright; Steve West v Richie Burnett.