Kettering darts star Ricky Evans 'wants more' after major semi-final debut

​The Kettering darts ace enjoyed a brilliant competition at the UK Open at Butlin's in Minehead last weekend.

He won through five rounds to reach the last four, before being comprehensively outplayed by world champion Luke Humphries.

But Evans produced some brilliant darts on his way to the semi-finals.

He delighted the packed crowd on Sunday as he saw off former world champion Rob Cross at the quarter-final stage, and he would go on to leave north Devon £30,000 richer after banking his prize money.

Evans joined the tournament at the third round stage on Friday afternoon, and started well as he won his first match against Lee Evans 6-3.

In the last 64 he was then paired against Scott Williams and eased to a 10-4 success, before beating Mike De Decker 10-5 in the last 32.

That edged him into the last 16, where he was paired with Luke Woodhouse.

Again, Evans was in control of the match which he won convincingly 10-6.

That saw him reach Sunday's finals day, where he had to face former world champion and current Premier League contestant Cross.

Neither player was at their best, but it was Evans who won through in the end, seeing off Cross 10-7 to set up that debut semi-final.

That was where the dream ended for Evans though, as in that clash he was well beaten 11-2 by a dominant Humphries.

The world champion and world number one was simply too hot to handle, but he met his match in the final as he went on to lose 11-10 in to Dimitri Van den Bergh, who claimed his first major title.

Evans, who is enjoying a decent spell of form as he also reached the last 32 of the World Championship at the turn of the year, is now closing in on the world's top 40, and he took to social media to thank his fans for their backing.

"Now that the dust has settled, I just wanted to say a big thank you for everyone that supported me over the weekend, inside Butlins and all over the world," said the Kettering ace.

"The best fans ever! I've got a taste of it all now, and I want more."

The highlight of the weekend for Evans was undoubtedly that win over Cross, and he was beaming afterwards.

"I don't know what's happening," said Evans straight after the match.

"To beat somebody as class as Rob, he gave me so many chances and I just took them out.

"That's the beauty of it and I am on cloud 10!

"I must have made so many facial expressions at the end, and stupid noises, but I won!"

And he added on X: "Wow what a feeling! Full credit to Rob Cross for some nice words from him at the end. It wasn't the best game, but thankfully I got the win, and I'm into the semi-finals."

The run to the last four has lifted Evans up to 41st in the current PDC Order of Merit.

A place in the top 32 guarantees entry into the Paddy Power World Darts Championships in December.