Daryl Gurney believes he 'must improve' as he progresses to World Darts Championships quarter-finals

Superchin hit eight 180s and an impressive high checkout of 125 on his way to victory but it was a nervous finale in the sixth and decisive set as he missed six match darts.

The 34 year-old two-time major winner also missed double 12 for a nine darts finish at the start of the third set but did enough to clinch victory which set up a heavyweight last eight clash against the winner of Gerwyn Price (3) and Mervyn King (19) on New Year's Day.

Gurney wasn't impressed with his performance claiming he put too much pressure on himself to progress and the Waterside thrower insists he must improve if he's to prolong his stay at the championships.

"I want to win and I want to play well," he lamented afterwards. "On my own accountability there, I thought I was terrible. I think I was very lucky in the first leg. Did Vincent miss six darts and I took out a 125?

"If I didn't take that out, in all honesty, I probably would've lost that set and then you never know how it's going to go. If I finished that 100 in the second set I could've won 4-0.

"I need to improve," he insisted. "I was putting myself under so much pressure. It was like the old Daryl Gurney came back there. I was scolding myself.

"I was putting myself under so much pressure. Last night I never slept. I think in all honesty I got a maximum two hours sleep and was putting myself under so much pressure.

"I thought to myself if I can get through this game it could potentially turn around the whole year. That's what I was thinking the whole way through and ended up putting myself under pressure.

"When I missed those six darts I thought to myself 'don't you dare do this! If this goes to the last set I'm getting beat'"

Gurney has the benefit of a day off before returning to the oche on New Year's Day and he's welcomed the break in play.

"I've got tomorrow off. I can beat anybody," he said. "I need to refresh and my mindset is going to change now and you never know what can happen. As long as I get a day off I'll be ready to rock from there."

Gurney reckons he's 'punching above his weight' but does he believe he's got what it takes to reach the semi-finals?

"I feel like I'm a good darts player. I don't feel like I'm the best darts player. I feel like I can beat anybody but I will never ever be a world No.1 or the best player and person to look up to," he said humbly.

"I feel like I'm always that person punching above his weight and the way Christmas has gone, it's a lot of weight," he laughed.

"I'm a quality darts player who is punching above his weight and whenever I get opportunities I need to take them because I'm one of the biggest scorers but not the biggest scorer. So when that opportunity comes I need to take it."

Gurney claimed after his impressive third round win over Chris Dobey that he wanted revenge on the 'Dutch Destroyer', van der Voort who defeated him at the World Matchplay during the summer.

It was 4-4 in head-to-heads between the pair going into the match and Gurney made a blistering start to the match with a 125 finish to break van der Voort's throw in the first leg to issue a real statement of intent.

Looking assured, Gurney backed that up by taking the second and while Van der Voort applied pressure by winning the third leg, Gurney kept his cool to clinch the opening set.

Van der Voort missed a glorious chance on double four to break Gurney's throw in the first leg of the second set and the Derry man punished him.

The determined 27 seed bounced back, winning the next two legs to give him the upper hand in the second set. A second attempt at double 16 kept Gurney alive in the set as he broke the throw of van der Voort who looked rattled.

Van der Voort missed his ninth dart at a double but Gurney couldn't make him pay, missing double 10 and van der Voort prevailed by levelling the match at one set apiece.

Gurney wasn't deterred and came so close to a nine darter at the start of the third set but only 10 were needed to break van der Voort's throw in the first leg.

The Waterside man took the second leg to put himself in a commanding position and went on to take the third set 3-1 as he regained the lead.

The fourth set went to throw as the world number 11 stamped his authority on the match, landing a 120 checkout to wrap up the fourth set and give himself a two set cushion at 3-1.

Despite being just one set away from securing his passage into the last eight of the World Championships, Gurney allowed van der Voort back in as the Dutchman won the fifth set 3-0 to give him real hope of a comeback.

Gurney missed six match darts to book his place in the quarter-finals and van der Voort took full advantage to give himself a lifeline, tied at 2-2 in the sixth set.

However, with three darts at 32 to win the match, Gurney needed only one, making no mistake as he advanced to the last eight for the first time since 2017, winning 4-2.