Dave Chisnall powers through but Phil Taylor too strong for Michael Smith

He produced some heavy scoring to see off Stephen Bunting.

Chisnall now faces reigning European Champion Michael Van Gerwen in today's quarter finals.

The tournament concludes this evening.

Michael Smith, the third St Helener in the tournament, was unfortunate enough to meet a Phil Taylor back at his imperious best.

Heavy-scoring Dave Chisnall produced a scintillating display to defeat St Helens rival Stephen Bunting 10-6, landing ten maximums and averaging almost 104 in a high-quality contest which saw the former Lakeside Champion reply with seven 180s of his own.

The tone for the match was set in the opening leg as both players landed maximums, with Chisnall leading only to then fall 3-1 down as Bunting posted an 11-darter in taking control.

Chisnall then replied with a 12-darter and a 117 checkout in a run of four straight legs as he moved 5-3 up and into a lead he would never relinquish.

Bunting replied with a 14-darter and a 142 checkout as he won three of the next five, but he was crucally never able to draw level before a superb 12-darter from Chisnall, which featured two 180s, gave him an 8-6 cushion.

The pair traded 180s in the 15th leg as Chisnall posted a 13-darter to open up a three-leg lead before he landed a tenth maximum and double ten to secure the win and a tasty quarter-final match-up against van Gerwen.

"We both played well and it was a good game," said Chisnall. "Once I went 6-4 up I thought it was important to get two legs in front of him because he was right behind me, but I held it from there.

"I'm feeling good and I'm looking forward to the quarter-finals now. I'm playing well but having a few snatchy moments, and I've been working on that - but it's a part of my game and sometimes they go in!"

it was Taylor and Michael Van Gerwen who laid down the challenge to their rivals at the Unibet European Championship with huge averages in second round victories at the Ethias Arena on Saturday.

Reigning European Champion van Gerwen continued his bid to retain the title with a classy 10-3 win over Spain's Cristo Reyes, hitting five 180s and averaging 106.81 with the best display so far in this year's event.

The world number one led 3-0 before Reyes took out 83 to get off the mark, and the Tenerife-based thrower lost another three legs before finishing 96 and 88 to win two out of three and threaten a fightback at 7-3.

Van Gerwen, though, halted the response in its tracks with a stunning ten-darter which he followed up with legs of 11 and 14 darts to seal a quarter-final place.

"I think it was a fantastic performance and it's a great feeling - but I know there's more in the tank because I can play better than this," said van Gerwen.

"There's a lot more to come but I need to show it. It's a fantastic tournament to win and it will be a cracking game in the quarter-final."

Taylor, meanwhile, had earlier averaged 105.25 in his 10-5 defeat of Michael Smith, having opened the contest in blistering fashion by winning the opening four legs with the aid of a 180 in each and legs of 11, 14, 13 and 12 darts.

Smith hit back to win five of the next seven as he cut the gap to 6-5, but crucially the former World Youth Champion missed four darts to level the game in the 12th leg.

Taylor punished him with a 100 finish, then took out 98 for an 8-5 lead and a killer 161 checkout before a 97 combination sealed the four-time European Champion's place in the last eight.

"I started off well but then let Michael get back into the game," said Taylor. "He missed his chance to go six-all and that 100 finish changed the game.

"I'm playing brilliantly, better than ever, and it's coming together for me, and if I don't win then it's not for the lack of trying, but the standard now is higher than ever and it's brilliant. It's an exiting time for darts."

Taylor's quarter-final opponent will be the 2013 European Champion Adrian Lewis, who hit a ten-dart leg of his own in a 10-7 win over Justin Pipe.

After Pipe won the opening leg, Lewis edged 2-1 up and shared the opening eight legs before a superb 119 checkout from his opponent saw him regain the lead at 5-3.

Lewis replied with scores of 180 and 174 in the tenth leg, which he won in 13 darts, only for Pipe to finish 90 on the bull to move 6-5 up.

Another 13-darter from Lewis levelled, and a sensational ten-dart leg - as he scored 140, 180, 145 and finished double 18 - edged the two-time World Champion back ahead at 7-6.

Pipe levelled with a 106 checkout, but Lewis' 128 finish for a 12-darter was followed by back-to-back 14-dart legs as he wrapped up victory in style by taking six of the final eight legs.

"Justin's a really solid player and a tough competitor, and he hit some really good finishes," said Lewis.

"It was nip and tuck and I couldn't get going for a while, but in the last five legs I hit top gear and as soon as I hit that I knew I'd win, and I want to keep this going now."

World Champion Gary Anderson moved into the European Championship quarter-finals for only the second time as four ton-plus checkouts helped him to see off Simon Whitlock's gutsy challenge in a see-saw encounter.

Australian ace Whitlock, the 2012 European Champion, twice led by two legs but saw a mid-game surge from Anderson, who took four straight legs to move from 5-3 down to 7-5 up, prove crucial before late finishes of 101 and 136 completed the win.

Whitlock had claimed the opening two legs with third-dart finishes, at double ten and double 18, before Anderson took out his first big checkout, of 125, to get off the mark.

He landed a 180 as he levelled before hitting double five to move 3-2 up, only for Whitlock to reply with three successive legs of 11 darts - including six perfect darts in one - 14 darts and 15 darts, with a 122 checkout, moved him 5-3 up.

Anderson replied with legs of 15, 14 and 13 darts as he regained the lead, hitting a 105 checkout in the process, before double five put him into a 7-5 advantage.

Whitlock took out 75 to respond and shared the next two before a 101 finish from Anderson took him to the brink of victory at 9-7, with double four keeping the Australian alive before the pair traded 180s in leg 18 only for a 136 checkout to seal the number two seed's last eight spot.

"It was a scrap so I'm glad I came out with the win," said Anderson. "It wasn't the game I was expecting but my form's going well and it's good to still be in the hunt here.

"Things are going well so far this weekend and it would be good to keep this going on Sunday now and I'll get myself ready for the quarter-finals."

Jelle Klaasen also landed four ton-plus checkouts as he moved through to meet Anderson, as the Dutchman reached the last eight for the third successive European Championship with a 10-5 win over James Wade.

Klaasen landed an early 114 finish to lead 2-1 before Wade, inspired by an 11-darter and two 180s in as many legs, edged in front.

Klaasen though, finished 70 to level and took out legs of 12 and 14 darts to open up a 5-3 lead, with Wade replying with a 117 finish of his own only to miss tops to level in a key tenth leg.

Klaasen took that leg and the next before finishing 118 to move 8-4 up, and though Wade finished 84 on the bull to respond, checkouts of 114 and 158 helped the Dutch ace wrap up the win.

"My finishing was brilliant but it needed to be against James and I'm happy with those big finishes," said Klaasen.

"I can score better and be more consistent, but I took all the chances I got and you have to do that against James. I'll have to hit my trebles a bit better against Gary, but I feel confident and I hope I keep on finishing like this."

Peter Wright - who captured the spirit of Halloween with a typically outlandish look - ended home hopes in the £300,000 tournament with a 10-8 win over Kim Huybrechts in a high-quality contest.

Huybrechts had been the sole Belgian representative in the 32-player field for the PDC's first major televised event in the country, but saw a late surge from the world number four deny him a spot in the final day of action.

Wright stormed out of the blocks with finishes of 120 and 62 to lead 2-0, only for Huybrechts to land three 180s in as many legs as he moved 3-2 up.

Wright then levelled with two 180s as the maximums continued to flow, while a 118 finish from Huybrechts was countered by a 13-dart leg from the Scot as the next eight legs were shared to leave the scores tied at seven-all.

Double seven then edged Huybrechts ahead, but he then missed the bull to move 9-7 up as Wright levelled on double 18 before taking out 116 and 101 to defy further 180s from the Belgian and seal his quarter-final spot.

"Kim played some awesome darts and that was a battle," said Wright. "He was hitting me with everything but he missed a few doubles and I took my chances.

"He'll be back because he's a great player, but I was the lucky one to win today."

An emotional Huybrechts admitted: "It's the first time we've had a big event like this in Belgium so it's extra painful to lose because I wanted to do well, but I did my best and I wasn't good enough tonight.

"I had some small chances, but that's what the game's about and if you don't take your chances you end up losing."

Wright now faces an all-Scottish quarter-final with John Henderson, who reached the last eight for only the second time in a major PDC event with a comfortable 10-2 win over Rowby-John Rodriguez.

The Austrian youngster had defeated Christian Kist in Friday's first round, but was unable to regain that form as Henderson secured safe passage.

Henderson finished 126 for the opening leg and landed two 180s in the next three as he took a 4-0 lead before double 18 saw Rodriguez win his first leg of the contest.

Henderson, though, took the next four without reply to continue his charge at 8-1, and a 108 finish from Rodriguez only briefly stemmed the tide as the Scot finished double nine and tops in the next two to complete the win.

"I started off so well and Rowby didn't turn up like I was expecting him to," said Henderson. "I'm happy to get through that and I'm pleased with how I'm playing.

"I'm buzzing at the moment but I want to go as far as I can tomorrow. It's fantastic to be in the last eight of a TV event, and you never know what can happen on the final day."

Sunday November 1.
Afternoon Session (1.45pm-6pm local time, 12.45pm-5pm UK time).
Quarter-Finals.
John Henderson v Peter Wright.
Michael van Gerwen v Dave Chisnall.
Gary Anderson v Jelle Klaasen.
Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor.
Best of 19 legs.

Evening Session (8pm-12am local time, 7pm-11pm UK time)
Semi-Finals.
van Gerwen/Chisnall v Henderson/Wright.
Anderson/Klaasen v Lewis/Taylor.
Best of 21 legs.

Final.
Best of 21 legs.