Gary Anderson in brutally honest World Darts Championship exit verdict as he vents on 'embarrassing' last 16 display

Frustrated Gary Anderson says he was rotten and embarrassing as Brendan Dolan ended his World title hat-trick bid.

The Northern Irishman felt he'd taken out one of the game’s greats after he sent the Scot crashing out of the Ally Pally showpiece at the last 16 World Championship stage last night with his shock win. But Anderson confessed he was nowhere near his best and cut a frustrated figure as his rival cashed in on the poor periods.

The 53-year-old made no excuses and said: “Listen, I was rotten. I was lucky to get a few darts to push it all the way, but it was my own fault. I was lucky to stay in the game. The first two sets my head and arm were not working together. I was miles off, they were sliding out my hand.

“My throw in the practice room was great. Down there [stage] I could not grip my darts, nothing. That’s got me done. I got to 3-2 and I started throwing darts low again. Once they start going low, my head goes.

“All day long I was throwing a nice angle. Up there [on stage], absolutely all over the place. These things happen. That’s got my head going, I don’t know what the heck went on.

“There were some really bad darts, it was embarrassing. Onto next year, new year, new start.”

Anderson’s dismal start saw him lose the first two sets. But, backed by the London crowds, he surged back to reel off three successive sets and into position to book a place in the last eight as he aimed to add to wins in 2015 and 2016. But Dolan would not lie down and, needing to win the last two sets, he did just that to turf the former champ out of the tournament.

The victor, who also removed 2021 king Gerwyn Price in the previous round, said: “That’s a very special win because I played one of the greats of the game. In my