Fifth seed Jonny Clayton needed a deciding set to eventually overcome world number 44 Niels Zonneveld and reach the last 16 of the PDC World Championship.
Welshman Clayton, 51, was back in action after a 12-day break, having received a bye through to round three because his second-round opponent Dom Taylor was suspended for failing a drugs test.
The first six sets of a high-quality match all went with the throw, Clayton moving a set in front of Zonneveld on three separate occasions, but the Dutch left-hander kept responding in an impressive display.
However, the former Premier League champion found the key break of throw in the second leg of the deciding set before sealing victory.
Both players averaged more than 98, while Clayton hit 11 180s to Zonneveld’s seven.
Seventeen of the 32 seeds went out of the tournament in the opening two rounds and Clayton told Sky Sports: “I don’t watch the games but I follow all the results and it’s a chance [to go far in the tournament].
“I’m not going to lie, I look and think ‘there’s another one gone’ and it gives me hope that I can do it. I’m looking forward to every time I get on this stage and I feel good.”
In round four, Clayton will play the winner of Saturday evening’s opening match between Germany’s Ricardo Pietreczko and Andreas Harrysson of Sweden.
