Raymond van Barneveld made a stunning comeback from three sets down to edge a scintillating Ladbrokes.com World Championship second-round clash with Colin Lloyd in a sudden-death leg.

The Dutchman, in only his second match at the Circus Tavern, looked to be heading for an early exit when he made a disappointing start to a match understandably billed as the biggest of the first week.

But just when world number one Lloyd could be forgiven for thinking he was home and dry, 'Barney' found his form with a vengeance and worked his way back into it.

At three sets all it really came alive as each player sought a decisive break of throw, but they matched one another blow for blow until it reached 5-5 in legs and sudden death.

Lloyd, refusing to buckle despite having let a big lead slip from his grasp, had missed a match dart at double top and then found himself throwing second in the decider as he missed the bullseye ring whereas Van Barneveld hit the 25.

The 39-year-old from The Hague was always ahead in the sudden-death leg and closed out a famous win on 56, hitting single 20 and then double 18 at the second attempt.

"In the first three sets I couldn't believe it, Colin was playing so well," said Van Barneveld, a four-time winner of the rival British Darts Organisation's version of the world title and who only switched to the Professional Darts Corporation in February.

"He kept finishing legs in 12, 13 or 14 darts. I knew I had to fight for my life, but I came back and sometimes there is an angel on your shoulder."

In the third round next week Van Barneveld will face a fellow Dutchman in 19-year-old Rico Vonck.

In Friday night's other games, Chris Mason gained revenge for his defeat by John Part at the same stage last year by knocking out the two-time former world champion with a 4-2 win, while Darren Webster beat Adrian Gray 4-1.