Gerwyn Price roared into the quarterfinals of the World Darts Championship after downing Jonny Clayton in an absorbing all-Welsh, high seed clash at Alexandra Palace.
Price, the 2021 world champion, raced into a 2-0 lead before Clayton -- seeded three places higher than him at seven -- rebounded with two legs of his own as his rival struggled for doubles.
By that stage, the Price average had gone from a mighty 111 to the mid 80s.
But in a topsy-turvy encounter, Price managed two critical breaks in the fifth and sixth sets to see off his countryman and reach the last eight for the fifth time at the Palace.
He will face Kevin Doets or Chris Dobey next, on New Year's Day.
"I thought I blew Jonny away in the first two sets but then I couldn't hit a barn door and was trying too hard, like the Joe Cullen game," Price told Sky Sports afterwards.
"I didn't play my best but I scrambled to a win. I promise you I will get better."
Price, 39, could be on a collision course with Michael van Gerwen on his side of the draw.
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