Facing Fallon Sherrock: No ordinary Premier League game for Glen Durrant

Watch Fallon Sherrock's Premier League debut live on Sky Sports Action, on Thursday, February 13 at 7pm

By Brian Barry

Image: Facing Fallon Sherrock brings with it added pressure

Fallon Sherrock is no ordinary opponent.

The 25-year-old created history at the Alexandra Palace in December, becoming the first female player to win a game at the PDC World Championship.

Due to her remarkable popularity, opponents found it difficult to deal with the added pressure.

'The Queen of the Palace' rode a wave of momentum as she swept aside Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic at the World Championship before eventually getting stopped by Chris Dobey, who resorted to wearing earbuds to block out the noise of his opponent's noisy followers.

"It was like going into any other match," recalled 'Hollywood', her victor in the third round. "The only thing that was different was you were playing against 3,000 or 4,000 fans as well as Fallon. That was the tough part.

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"After the first couple of sets...I focused on the board a lot more. The first two sets were a bit iffy, dealing with the crowd. I think I held my nerves nearer the end, and that's how I got through.

Image: Chris Dobey found it tough taking on Sherrock and her supporters

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Laura Turner and Colin Lloyd look ahead to Premier League Night Two, and Glen Durrant prepares to take on Fallon Sherrock

"The crowd weren't that bad when I was throwing, it was when I was going for the doubles, that's when it was getting to me more.

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"It always helps if you quieten the crowd. I thought to myself, all you need to do is try and get a 3-0 set under my belt, and the crowd will start to quieten down. I think it was the fourth set that was 3-0, and that's exactly what happened. And the crowd went a bit quiet, and it helped me relax a bit more, focus on my game, and get the job done."

Sherrock's quality can present as much of a problem as her supporters, as Evetts discovered at Ally Pally.

Speaking to Sky Sports in the build-up to his now-famous defeat, Evetts had said: "Practice is going really well at the moment so I can't complain, but it will definitely be different playing a lady because I haven't played one for a very long while in any competition.

Image: Ted Evetts was magnanimous in defeat at Ally Pally

"I've just got to treat it like any other game, hopefully play my best and put on a show. It will certainly be different because I've been quite fortunate with the crowd on my side, whether that be at the World Championship, the European Tour or anywhere really.

"If they're against me it's going to be what it will be, but fingers crossed they realise I'm actually an alright guy and don't mind me too much!"

After creating history at last month's World Darts Championship, Sherrock says she is proud to inspire more women to enter the game

Duzza: I've got a job to do

On Thursday evening, it's the turn of Glen Durrant to face the history-making Sherrock on the big stage as he aims to build on victory over Michael Smith in Aberdeen.

Three-time BDO world champion Durrant follows that win with a contest against the Milton Keynes sensation, who was given the nod as one of nine 'Challengers' in this year's Premier League.

"Fallon has come from nowhere," said 'Duzza'. "But that's what the PDC does - the production, the marketing, now she's got exhibitions coming out of her ears, she's got some of the biggest ladies names in the world [supporting her], ie. Billie Jean King. It's been absolutely stratospheric for ladies darts at the moment. And I'm proud of her.

"But come next week, I've got a job to do. Losing against Fallon would eradicate everything I've done [against Smith] so I'm in a better place going into that game. Really excited for it, but a tough, tough, tough game."

Live Premier League Darts

Sherrock says she is 'excited' to take part in this year's Premier League and World Series events after her amazing World Darts Championship run

Night Two Fixtures, Nottingham

Rob Cross v Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith
Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
Glen Durrant v Fallon Sherrock
Daryl Gurney v Michael van Gerwen

The Middlesbrough native recorded a 7-3 win over the 'Bully Boy' in his opener and said: "If I can beat Fallon next week, four points, going into Gary Anderson in Cardiff, I think I'd be a lot more relaxed.

"I'm very aware of the [Sherrock] game. Huge challenge, exciting challenge, I'm not so sure if it's the game that nobody wanted, or the game that everybody wanted. But to have 5,000, 10,000 people booing me is going to be a first. But I've got two points on the board. I think I'll feel a hell of a lot better now than I would have done if I got a drubbing [against Smith]."

Glen Durrant beat Michael Smith in his Premier League opener

The World Matchplay, Grand Prix and Grand Slam semi-finalist has consulted Dobey on the peculiar challenge of taking on Sherrock.

"Obviously we've spoken about it," Dobey said. "I just said to him, 'just don't think about it, don't get annoyed with the crowd booing you or whatever. You've just got to play your game and forget about it'.

"You've seen what he's done in the darting world. Obviously he's got a lot more experience than Fallon as well. So you've got to put that down to being a three-time world champion; he's got a better mentality than a lot of players on the tour. I think Glen should possibly win that, but obviously you don't know how he's going to react to the crowd. But that's one bit of advice I gave him - 'don't get sucked into the crowd'."

Sage advice, perhaps, but when the world's top players are going to extra lengths to prepare for a darts match, it's clear they're feeling the heat.

Fallon Sherrock is no ordinary opponent.

Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts.

Coverage of the Premier League continues on Thursday, February 13 in Nottingham at 7pm on Sky Sports Action & Sky Sports Main Event with Fallon Sherrock - 'The Sherrock of Nottingham' up against Glen Durrant.

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