World number nine Kevin Painter battled past Arron Monk to book his place in the second round of the PDC World Championships.
The recent winner of the Players Championships carried that form over to the Alexandra Palace but did not have things all his own way despite winning 3-1.
Monk missed double top for 2-2 and instead Painter took full advantage to nail the same and win the first set 3-1.
The 21-year-old then nailed bullseye to go 1-0 up in the second which then went to 2-2 only for Painter to dominate the deciding leg for a 2-0 lead.
Double top took Monk to a 2-1 lead in the third set which Painter promptly levelled but the former held his nerve to find double 20 with his third dart to pull a set back.
Double 16 gave Painter a 2-1 lead in the decider as he moved to the brink of victory but double nine levelled it for Monk. However, another double 16 won it for Painter.
High average
Andy Hamilton lived dangerously and just missed out on a nine-dart finish before progressing past Spaniard Antonio Alcinas 3-2.
The Stoke thrower twice had to come from behind to book his place in the second round and a date with Vincent van der Voort.
Hamilton could have taken the first set but missed a dart at double 10, allowing his opponent to take out 48 and edge the set 3-2 with an average of 107.
The higher ranked player was struggling to live with the Spaniard but levelled the match after checking out 110 to take a 2-1 lead in legs, clinching it with double 18 in the next.
Hamilton appeared to have the third set wrapped up when moving ahead 2-0 in legs, moving to the brink of a nine-darter in the process before missing double 18, but then proceeded to miss three darts at doubles allowing Alcinas to step in with double five.
He then levelled the set before checking out 123 against the throw to move back into the lead and heap pressure back on the 'Hammer'.
He responded though, levelling the match by taking the fourth set 3-1 and then winning the fifth 3-0 as the Spaniard's level dropped, both players missing chances to win the third leg before Hamilton clinched victory on double 16.
Whitewash
Mervyn King eased into the last 32 by whitewashing the unfortunate Australian Geoff Kime.
The former semi-finalist kicked off with a 180 - an ominous warning of what was to come for Kime playing a man who recently bested Phil Taylor in Doncaster.
The 12th seed was having it all his own way against the Aussie, who was making his debut on the big stage, and quickly found himself 2-0 up.
Kime had two darts to take his first leg of the match at the start of the third but missed them both to allow King to add a seventh straight leg on double eight.
King took the second leg before Kime hit a 180 in the third, but missed another three shots at doubles before King closed it out with double 10.
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