2320: So no upsets here as Painter makes it an unwelcome return for Mawson racing to a 3-0 victory.

2310: Just as I prepare to write that Painter is 'brushing aside' Mawson here, John Gwynne steals my thunder by uttering the same line. Great minds think alike or fools seldom differ? You decide...

2235: We're still sulking after Jenkins' exit but there's good news for Chris Mason fans - after losing the first set to his mucker Brown he's closed out the match without losing another leg. Painter v Mawson next, with the winner facing Mason in the next round. So we could have Mason v Mawson in round two - hardly the dream tie for rubissh spellors.

2145: Chris Mason is up now against Steve Brown. We've had two shocks in a row with Anderson and Jenkins out. Will we get a third?

2136: Shepherd follows up a 20 with a 23 but still wins the match because of more double trouble from Jenkins!! What drama. Jenkins would have missed the rear end of a cow with a banjo there. Shocking. But credit to the youngster - he thought he was out and came back to win it.

2136: Shepherd stumbles at the oche...then has a bounce-out, then hits successive single ones. Maybe hope for Jenkins yet.

2135: Jenkins couldn't hit the double if they were three inches wide right now. He's staring an early exit in the face here. 2-0 down in the last set with Shepherd 'serving' for the match and the biggest win of his career.

2130: Jenkins may be 'The Bull' but he's sweating like a pig up there. Easy to see why, though, with the missed doubles piling up.

2127: Eight of nine legs from Jenkins put him on the brink of the second round but Shepherd is right back in it now after seven missed doubles from Jenkins (two after the youngster had put his darts away so sure was he that he was out) allowed him to come from 2-0 down in the fourth set to take us into a decider. Jenkins visibly rattled. This isn't looking good for the tip...

2102: Great stuff from Jenkins as he rattles off three straight legs to level the scores. The Bull has certainly upped his game but Shepherd has fallen dramatically from the level he was at in the first set.

2052: A rollercoaster first set goes the way of Shepherd. He led 2-0 then Jenkins pulled him back to 2-2 but a slack dart from the Bull let the youngster back in to take the set. He celebrates as if he's won the title, though maybe that's just us being bitter that he's rattled our man early doors.

2045: Jenkins showing an early propensity to splay darts left and right of the treble 20 which isn't the best of news. Shepherd - despite his somewhat unconventional throwing style - looking really impressive.

2035: Not the best of omens for our betting tip as Jenkins reveals he's lost his last two meetings with Shepherd, though he says he was well short of his best on both occasions and the big stage does tend to bring the best out of him. Clark, meanwhile, says he felt like a "tourist" at times against Anderson as he has so little experience of the big stage. With Raymond van Barneveld his likely next opponent, he'd be forgiven if that dominated his mind, but the father-of-six insists nothing will distract him from Christmas with the kids. Heartwarming stuff from the 'Cockney Jock'.

2030: What a start to the night! A series of whitewashes this afternoon made for a disappointing session but we've already had enough drama for the evening session thank you very much. One of our pre-tournament tips is up next - though we 'only' need Terry Jenkins to win his quarter to provide a profit. He's got Kirk Shepherd up first.

2026: It's all over - and Clark is the victor...though in the spirit of the last couple of legs, he stumbles over the line. Anderson has a dart at double top but misses, leaving Clark requiring 11. His first dart goes in double three but thereafter he nails single one, double two. He looks on the verge of tears as he turns to embrace Anderson but soon recovers his composure (of sorts) to drop a few shapes to the end-of-match music.

2022: Sloppy darts from both players turns the closing stages of the third leg in the final set into something reminiscent of a Friday night down the local 'Dog and Duck' but Clark closes it out. He's 'serving' for the match.

2020: Anderson has a dart for 2-0, but his shot at double top is too high. Clark checks out to level the scores. Drama.

2017: Bobby nails the 141 to take the lead in the last set. He's 'only' won on his throw - but that could be a huge psychological blow.

2012: We're going the distance! Anderson nails double top to make it 2-2 in sets. Clark was the only one in it earlier - now Anderson looks the likely winner.

2010: The fists are pumping and his wife is off her seat - Anderson is right back in this one. He's broken the throw to go 2-1 up in the fourth set and the reaction shows just how pleased he is with that. Clark has slackened off since his great start and seems to be getting frustrated with himself. A recipe for disaster in this game.

2001: Big Bob is back - and how! Set three goes the way of the veteran to the delight of the vast majority of the crowd judging by their reaction - and Clark looks rattled. A 99 first up in set four draws a shake of the head and Anderson steps in with a 123.

1942: Anderson rallies to level up the legs but it's a short-term comeback as - after a shaky few darts - Clark nails 25 to close out the set.

1936: The trademark Anderson 'point and snarl' is out as he nails a 180 - but he's up against it as he goes on to lose the leg. A set and 2-1 down. It could well be we're seeing the last of Anderson on TV here. Come on Bob!

1918: Very early days, but there could be a shock brewing here. 'The Cockney Jock' looks in great form while Anderson is struggling to find the lipstick.

1915: They're on the oche for the first of the night games and it's Bob Anderson up against Jason Clark. Anderson - as always - looks as cool as a cucumber. Clark is looking like a QPR first-teamer in his blue and white hooped shirt.

1643: What an incredible session of darts. After the prelims, we've had four first-round games and all four have finished 3-0. Bates is the latest man through, easing past Convery. We'll be back at 1900.

1630: He's not the fastest mover along the oche but Bates is racing away with this one. His three-dart average - just over 80 - isn't too flash but he's eased into a 2-0 lead in sets. Easy to see why Convery hasn't earnt himself a nickname yet - there's nothing particularly eye-catching to seize on.

1620: Whichever way the first set went there was a pun lined up, and it's good news for Bates fans - he's 'off and running' (rather than hobbling off the blocks) by taking the first against the low-key Convery.

1615: Bates is clearly still hobbling - and the journey from backstage to the arena (longer than at the Circus Tavern) looks to have taken its toll. Hopefully 'Champagne' is still (ahem) bubbly enough to see off Convery, whose nickname according to the Sky graphic is 'None'. Surely someone can come up with one...

1610: Great quote from Bates in his pre-match interview as he says once he gets "the foot injury out of my head" he'll be fine. That must have been some break...

1605: All over in the battle of the two Irishman and it's McGowan who is through after a 3-0 victory. It's been one-sided stuff so far. Next up we've got the bald-headed Barrie Bates in action - and his has been one of the more interesting stories of the year. Bates was diagnosed with gout earlier in the year...only for a second opinion a few months later to reveal he had actually broken his foot! He's up against Gerry Convery in the last of the afternoon action.

1545: After Monk's exit, McGowan is doing his bit for gurners everywhere - he's two-zip (as Sid Waddell would say) up.

1517: Mick McGowan is off and running in the battle of two Dubliners. His nickname is 'The Magnet' but that surely can't refer to his way with the ladies. Looking like a cross between the bloke from Corrie who now does the voiceovers for furniture adverts and Birmingham boss Alex McLeish (yes, him again), his gurn as he throws is almost Monk-esque.

1505: Denis Ovens never looks particular at ease on the stage, but just he's cruised into the first round with a 3-0 mauling of Colin Monk. The faces Monk pulls as he throws are legendary...but the man they call 'The Heat' was never troubled by him. Mick McGowan v Jason Barry next.

1500: An early start at Ally Pally today, with two preliminaries and one first-round game already completed. Raymond van Barneveld now knows his first-round opponent after Anthony Forde won through the preliminaries, while Andy Jenkins faces Miloslav Navratil after the latter eased through. Something of a surprise in the sole first-round game today, though, with 24th seed Wes Newton crashing out after a 3-0 defeat by Jamie Caven.