For Stephen Bunting, this was the kind of match that tells you more than the scoreline does. He did not cruise through, he did not control every phase, and he certainly did not get to Blackpool’s Winter Gardens without being pushed to the edge. But in a marathon last-leg decider against Niels Zonneveld, he found just enough when it mattered most.
Bunting’s win at the World Matchplay kept him alive in the tournament after a contest that swung sharply, then swung again. He averaged 109.5, hit seven 180s and still had to survive a stirring comeback from Zonneveld, who dragged the match to 5-5 before Bunting closed it out in the final leg.
A match that turned on resilience, not comfort
The numbers suggest a high-level contest, and that is exactly what it was. Bunting’s 109.53 average was a strong marker of quality, but it was not the whole story because Zonneveld repeatedly made the match uncomfortable. That is the important distinction: a big average can show scoring power, but it does not guarantee control when the opponent keeps answering back.
Bunting had the heavier scoring bursts and the edge in the key moments, yet the match still demanded a response after Zonneveld forced a 5-5 tie. Bunting then took five of the next six legs, which was the decisive stretch. In a format where momentum can flip quickly, that run mattered far more than any single flashy visit to the board.
What the result says about the tournament picture
This was also part of a busy day at the World Matchplay in Blackpool. Luke Littler, the defending champion, beat Niko Springer and moved into the second round at the Winter Gardens, while Nathan Aspinall defeated Joe Cullen 10-5 to set up a second-round meeting with Littler.
Aspinall’s win had its own quiet significance. He said he had not been playing that much and had not been concentrating fully on darts because he missed out on the Premier League and World Series, but he was pleased with how he performed. He also said he did not expect to play like that, though he believed the work he had put in showed on stage.
For Bunting, though, the main takeaway is simpler: he survived. Not every contender needs a statement win to move on, but there is value in escaping a close one with your tournament still intact. A 109.5 average and seven 180s normally point to authority; a last-leg decider points to pressure. Bunting managed both, which is why the result feels significant.
At the World Matchplay, that is often the difference between being a contender and being an early headline. Bunting remains in the draw, and after a match like this, that is no small thing.
