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Phil The Power Taylor extended his unbeaten run in the PDC Premiership to 42 matches with an 8-5 win over World Champion Raymond van Barneveld. 

In a match which has been hyped ever since they met earlier in the season, Taylor never really looked in trouble although the error of victory was slim.  It sounds like a contradiction in terms but Barney had a dart at a double in the first 2 legs, missing by the narrowest of margins but losing both.  That’s how much pressue Taylor puts on his opponents.  You only get one chance and if you don’t take it you get punished.

Barney himself wasn’t playing badly averaging a 109, but went into the break 4-2 down.  When they met earlier in the season he led 5-1 at the half way stage, but Taylor came back with the best 8 legs I have ever seen averaging 115 to take 7 of them and win the match 8-6.  Barney staged a mini comeback of his own this time, levelling the match at 4-4, but then Taylor went into another gear and rattled off 3 legs on the trot to enure the draw. before going on to win.

The big question is can anybody stop Taylor.  Over recent weeks it would appear that Barney is the only one with the game to do it, and he has to bring his best game to the Oche to stand even a chance.  He would almost certainly have beaten anybody else last night. Taylor himself said its like Chelsea and Manchester United - those two are way better than anybody else and the rest are playing catch up.  Harsh words but fair.  Certainly since losing his world title, Taylor is more determined that ever to win win win.  On this performance  it will take him to have an extraordinarily bad day or soembody else to play out of their skins to beat him.  It all makes for great entertainment though, as the longer he goes unbeaten the more the tension builds…