MICHAEL SMITH admits his “a*** fell out” in a bonkers last-leg win over Chris Dobey at the Grand Slam of Darts.
Smith and Dobey were tied at 9-9 and went to a decider on Wednesday night as they battled for the right to face Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals.
But both throwers struggled to close out the match as they missed a string of doubles in a staggering climax.
Dobey had spurned 11 match darts by the time Smith finally got the job done on double four.
And the victorious ‘Bully Boy’ pulled no punches when trying to explain what Sky Sports commentator Dan Dawson called a “farcical” last leg.
Smith said: “I think we both bottled it. Both of our a***s fell out.
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“It happens, and luckily enough that final double four went in. I just wanted to get on my knees and pray to God for him to miss again. Someone was on my side tonight and I’ll take it.”
The St Helens star is a former world champion and world No.1 but injuries and arthritis have seen him tumble down the rankings over the past 12 months.
That hasn’t deterred him from trying to go all the way in Wolverhampton, though – even with the monumental challenge of Humphries up ahead.
He said: “I’ve come to this tournament to win it. I might not be physically fit but mentally I’m still the same person. I’ve still got a shot.”
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Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn 2 – all the info
TIME for round two of this generation’s family feud!
Chris Eubank Jr and Conor Benn go punch-for-punch once again as both rivals look to make their fathers proud.
The blockbuster rematch takes place at the 62,000-seater Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, November 15.
Eubank Jr narrowly outpointed his bitter foe after 12 brutal rounds in April to secure the bragging rights in what was certainly a Fight of the Year contender.
And the two British superstars will dance once more as Eubank Jr aims to do the double while Benn seeks revenge after suffering a first career loss.
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Smith added in an interview with Sky Sports: “It’s always a battle now. Every game I play, they always go to last legs, and I hate it, it’s doing my head in.
“I’m into the next round, I’m happy. I nearly threw it away in the last leg [against Dobey] so I’ll take it all day long.”
Ricky Evans also required a last-leg shootout to book his spot in the quarter-finals as he edged out Luke Woodhouse.
But Gerwyn Price and Humphries made light work of their opponents on Wednesday night, beating Martin Schindler and Jurjen van der Velde by wide margins.
