PHIL TAYLOR maintained his 100 percent start to the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts season with an 8-2 rout of Raymond van Barneveld at the Westpoint Arena in Exeter.

The 15-time World Champion came from 2-0 down to win eight successive legs against the Dutchman, who was condemned to defeat for a third successive game.

Taylor sealed victory with a 116 checkout to ensure that he remains two points clear of Mervyn King ahead of their meeting at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester next week.

"I'm pleased to get the win but I felt the pressure a little bit and started slowly," said Taylor. I expected Raymond to click into gear but when I went in front his head dropped and he wasn't the same player.

"When you see a weakness you have to exploit your opponent and hit them hard, and that's what people are doing to Raymond at the moment."

King picked up his third win of the season with an impressive 8-5 win over Terry Jenkins, winning four of the game's final five legs to pull clear for victory.

Ronnie Baxter won his second successive match, seeing off Simon Whitlock 8-6 in a thriller.

Baxter led 4-1 and 7-4 but missed ten match darts as Whitlock hit back to force a deciding leg, only for the Blackpool-based star to land double ten for the win.

The night's other game at Exeter's Westpoint Arena saw reigning champion James Wade pick up his first point of the season with a draw against Adrian Lewis.

Wade made an electric start with finishes of 148 and 104 in assuming a 3-0 lead, and after Lewis hit back to level the left-hander produced a classy 132 checkout of bull, bull and double 16 in leading 7-4 - only for the Stoke star to win the final three legs and claim a point.

Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week Four - Westpoint Arena, Exeter
James Wade 7-7 Adrian Lewis
Ronnie Baxter 8-6 Simon Whitlock
Mervyn King 8-5 Terry Jenkins
Raymond van Barneveld 2-8 Phil Taylor

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