DAVE Chisnall and Stephen Bunting will go head to head in the second round of the Unibet European Championship this afternoon.

And Michael Smith successfully came through his first-round tie to book a date with Phil Taylor.

It's quite a day for the St Helens darts trio at the Ethias Arena in Hasselt - all live on ITV4.

Smith, the former World Youth Champion, produced an impressive display of finishing as he took out six doubles from nine attempts in his 6-4 win over Gerwyn Price.

After Welshman Price took the opener, Smith finished 81 on the bull, 72 and 70 as he took a 3-1 cushion, only for the debutant to better those checkouts with a 161 finish before hitting double ten and an 11-darter to move 4-3 up.

Smith, though, hit a 180 as he levelled again with a 13-darter, before double ten moved him 5-4 up and a fine 14-darter wrapped up his win to book a clash tonight with four-time European Champion Phil Taylor.

Taylor punished Vincent van der Voort for missing 11 darts at doubles as he claimed a 6-1 win over the Dutchman, who had taken victory when they met in the World Grand Prix earlier this month.

Van der Voort actually led as he opened the game with a 14-darter, but six missed doubles in the second allowed Taylor to level and another miss in the third saw the 16-time World Champion move 2-1 up.

Taylor then opened the fourth leg with seven perfect darts, scoring 177 and 180, and though he was unable to complete a nine-dart finish, took the leg in 11 for a 3-1 lead.

Van der Voort then missed two more doubles as Taylor posted a third-dart double 16 to win the fifth leg, double 16 for a 14-darter to move 5-1 up before hitting a 180 and double five to complete victory.

Chisnall powered to six 180s against Mensur Suljovic - but still needed a 121 bullseye finish in the deciding leg of their clash to see off the in-form Austrian.

Suljovic, who has reached for ranking semi-finals during October, took out 98 and 118 to win the opening two legs before Chisnall, inspired by his first 180, edged a tight third - after four missed doubles from the Austrian - to get his challenge off the mark.

Chisnall landed another 180 in the fourth as he levelled and took the next two, as the pair traded maximums in both, for a 4-2 cushion, with three straight 14-dart legs and landed a fifth 180 in as many legs as he moved 5-2 up with a 12-darter.

Suljovic, though, hit back as a 171 score set up tops for a 13-darter, and a 14-dart finish was followed by a 111 checkout to punish Chisnall's miss at double 12 for the match, as the game went into a decider.

Chisnall landed his sixth maximum as the pair fought for victory, and when Suljovic missed the bull to finish 161 to snatch the win, the St Helens ace returned to hit the middle double to complete a 121 combination and claim a second round spot against Bunting.

Bunting also edged through an 11-leg thriller as he defeated Ian White 6-5 to reach the second round with the narrowest of wins, as the Stoke ace hit back from a three-leg deficit to send the contest all the way.

After landing tops to win the opening leg, Bunting finishes 60 and 66 for 14-dart finishes to move 3-0 up, only for White to take out double four, 75 and a 13-darter to level.

Bunting replied with a 13-darter and the next two were shared as the St Helens ace moved 5-4 up, with White landing another 13-dart finish to send the game into a deciding leg.

The former Lakeside Champion, though, hit his third 180 of the game at a key point before finishing 64 on double 18 to edge the win.

Unibet European Championship
Friday October 30
First Round
Afternoon Session
Cristo Reyes 6-2 Max Hopp
Christian Kist 4-6 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Magnus Caris
Justin Pipe 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Michael Smith 6-4 Gerwyn Price
Ian White 5-6 Stephen Bunting
Robert Thornton 4-6 John Henderson
Peter Wright 6-3 Alan Norris

Evening Session
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Benito van de Pas
Mensur Suljovic 5-6 Dave Chisnall
James Wade 6-3 Terry Jenkins
Gary Anderson 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor 6-1 Vincent van der Voort
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Kim Huybrechts 6-3 Mervyn King

Saturday October 31
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1.45pm-6pm local time, 12.45pm-5pm UK time)
John Henderson v Rowby-John Rodriguez
Stephen Bunting v Dave Chisnall
Adrian Lewis v Justin Pipe
Gary Anderson v Simon Whitlock

Evening Session (8pm-12am local time, 7pm-11pm UK time)
Peter Wright v Kim Huybrechts
Phil Taylor v Michael Smith
Michael van Gerwen v Cristo Reyes
James Wade v Jelle Klaasen