COLIN MONK came back from the dead in his match against Ted "The Count" Hankey, but in the end he narrowly failed to drive a stake into the heart of his Dracula-loving opponent.

Monk went down 3-2 in the first round of the Lakeside World Professional Darts Championships in a thrilling encounter on Sunday night.

But the Basingstoke player knew he should have triumphed after his battling efforts took him within two legs of victory.

He said afterwards that he was very disappointed he hadn't finished the job off to progress to the next stage.

Monk produced a typical gutsy display to overturn his early troubled throwing and Hankey's 2-0 lead.

Drawing on 11 years' experience competing at Frimley Green, the Buckskin builder hit back to win the third set by three legs to one.

Monk played some fantastic darts in the process - none more so than the brilliant 125 finish of bullseye, 25 and bullseye in the third leg which really got him going on the oche.

He duly took the fourth set 3-1 as number two seed Hankey struggled under the pressure he was facing.

Monk's momentum continued as he took a 1-0 lead in the deciding final set - the first time he had been ahead in the match.

It looked as though he would go 2-0 ahead when he reduced his 145 check-out to a mere 16 after scoring 129.

But Hankey, world champion in 2000, produced three superb arrows to take out 102 - throwing a brave two, treble 20 and double top to tie the set.

Monk admitted afterwards that such a finish had sucked the blood out of him.

He said: "It killed me. I only had double eight to go 2-0 up and his finish just killed me. I didn't have a good leg after that and just couldn't get going from there."

Galvanised, Hankey went 2-1 ahead, but even then it was a struggle as the stakes rose. The leg took him 18 darts and lowly double one was the finish.

Against the throw in the fourth leg, Monk was struggling after an opening score of 45. Hankey took advantage to eventually take the set 3-1, and also the match, with double top.

A crushed Monk acknowledged the brilliant support he always receives from family and friends in the crowd as he walked off the stage.

He later told The Gazette: "It was a struggle from the start. When you're struggling, it's very hard.

"I was throwing well in practice - I had six hours before the match - but when you get up there it's totally different. There's a lot of pressure.

"I was out of the game and then back in the game, and at 2-2 and 1-0 up in the final set everything was looking pretty rosy.

"But I just couldn't get the drop on Ted, and the 102 he threw was gutting for me.

"I am very disappointed to go out, but it happens. It's a shame we had to meet in the first round." Hankey said afterwards: "This was my final. It was always going to be hard against Colin because he is such a battler and a good friend. There's a lot of respect between us.

"Even at 2-0 up, if anyone thought I was going to beat him 3-0, then they don't know darts or Colin.

"I think I eased up a bit at 2-0, just as Colin started warming up and playing his game. I still didn't think I'd lose, but at 2-2 and 1-0 up he had me on the ropes.

"I cursed myself and gave myself a good talking to out there to get me going again.

"I feel as if it's going to be my year. I said to myself that if I got past this match then I would go on and win it.

"When I play my natural game I can beat anyone."

Hankey plays 18-year-old Stephen Bunting tonight at 7pm as he chases a second world title.

Basingstoke's other competitor in the tournament, Paul Hogan, met defending champion Ray van Barneveld last night to battle it out for a place in the quarter-finals.

For reports and pictures of that match, see Friday's Gazette.