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Scott Mitchell held his nerve to land his first British Darts Organisation world title

Scott Mitchell BDO World Championship final
Image: Scott Mitchell: Won his inaugural BDO World Championship at the first time of asking

Scott Mitchell held his nerve to land his first British Darts Organisation World Championship crown with a nail-biting 7-6 win in an all-English affair over Martin Adams on Sunday night.

The 44-year-old had only won two matches on his previous five visits to the Lakeside going into this year's tournament, but against a three-time champion he stayed calm to clinch the £100,000 top prize.

After hitting double top, 'Scotty Dog' Mitchell burst into tears before roaring with delight and embracing his family in the crowd.

Both players had real finishing problems throughout the match, but Adams was the more afflicted and it proved costly.

The match swung one way and then the other early on as neither player was able to establish more than a one-set lead, but, after missing a dart for the title when 6-5 and 2-1 in front, Mitchell clinched the deciding set 3-1.

Mitchell told the BBC: "This is quite amazing. Halfway through that I really wished I was watching it, I didn't really want to be up here.

"It's everything that dreams are made of really, I can't believe it."

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Veteran thrower Adams, 58, got off to a flying start with two 180s in his first three visits to the oche, but the doubles then eluded him at crucial times.

He missed eight doubles in the first set as Mitchell took it 3-0.

'Wolfie', who was also taken to a deciding set in his semi-final win over Glen Durrant, struggled again with his finishing in the opening leg of the second set, but finally took it against the throw and produced a 123 checkout to go 2-0 up. He started the next leg with five perfect darts, which paved the way for him to level the match to love.

The three-time BDO champion moved 2-1 ahead by taking the third set 3-2, but landscape gardener Mitchell, from the New Forest, hit straight back.

He took the first leg of the fifth set against the throw and then missed four darts at a double to go 2-0 up. The finishing problems were now Mitchell's as Lincolnshire-based Adams regrouped to establish a 3-2 advantage.

Those problems threatened to continue as Mitchell missed two darts at double top to take the sixth set 3-0, but he recovered to win it 3-1 and level the match at 3-3.

There were three breaks of throw in the first three legs of the seventh set before Mitchell finally held his throw to make it 4-3.

Mitchell missed four darts for a 5-3 lead, leaving Adams instead to level the match at 4-4.

The man with 22 years of Lakeside experience moved 2-0 ahead in the next set, but a 94 checkout with a bull finish helped calm Mitchell's nerves and he duly reeled off the next two legs for a 5-4 lead.

Adams made it all square again, finally hitting double 16 at the fifth time of asking.

After another three straight breaks at the start of the 11th set Mitchell held his throw to move to within one set of the title.

Mitchell led 2-1 and had a dart for the title, but missed double 16 and Adams upped his game, taking out 91 to make it 6-6.

But Mitchell came again, breaking throw in the first leg of the decider and going on to win it 3-1 with double top to end the drama and take the title.

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