Pebsham ace crashes out of world darts

Gray, who plays for Pebsham in the local and county leagues, was beaten in the second round of the 2007 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Friday night.

St Leonards-based Gray, the PDC world number 44, lost the final four sets in a 4-1 defeat against 47th-ranked Darren Webster.

Things began encouragingly for Gray, 25, in a match which didn't start until 11.15pm as he reeled off three successive legs to take the opening set 3-1.

But it swiftly went downhill because Webster, from Norwich, seized control by winning 10 of the next 11 legs in front of the Sky Sports television cameras.

Gray, known as the 3 Styler, will be ruing a disappointing performance in which his three dart average was 78.69, around a dozen lower than that he achieved during his highly impressive first round triumph over 10th seed Ronnie Baxter four days previously.

The event has marked a significant step forward in his promising career, however, having come through three qualifying matches just to get to the competition proper.

Next up for Gray, something of a black sheep on the darting circuit in view of his boy band looks and athletic frame, will be the UK Open North East Regional Final at Tynemouth on Saturday January 6.