Ovens rocks in Gibraltar

Denis Ovens from Stevenage was the beaten finalist at the StanJames.com Players Championship in Gibraltar on Sunday. Ovens went down 3-1 to world number three James Wade who was the PDC Player of the Year and won three non-televised tournaments in 2007. W

Denis Ovens from Stevenage was the beaten finalist at the StanJames.com Players Championship in Gibraltar on Sunday.

Ovens went down 3-1 to world number three James Wade who was the PDC Player of the Year and won three non-televised tournaments in 2007.

Wade bounced back in style from a first-game loss in Saturday's Players Championship to take the £5,000 winner's cheque 24 hours later. Ovens won £2,500.

He never looked in trouble after taking a 2-0 lead against Ovens in the final, and although he lost the third set without reply, he won the fourth 2-1, thanks in part to two maximums and a 177 score which left his opponent trailing.

Ovens, runner-up in the previous weekend's Blue Square UK Open North East regional final, continued his good start to the year by seeing off Kevin McDine in a close semi-final.

McDine led the deciding set of their game before Ovens took out 121 on the bullseye to level and then 105 on double 16 for the win.

Ovens had also been pushed all the way by John Ferrell in the last eight, and also overcame Steve Cusick, Dennis Smith, Andy Smith and Terry Jenkins.