MENZIES LEFT BLOODIED AFTER TITLE DREAMS END

CAMERON MENZIES was left battered and bloodied after his world title dreams were ended by Charlie Manby. 

The World No26 completely lost his cool and repeatedly punched a table on stage after losing 3-2 to the 20-year-old at the Ally Pally. 

Menzies, 36, was going for crucial doubles in a cacophony of boos and left the arena with blood pouring from his hand.

He could face a fine and a ban from the sport if the incident referred to the Darts Regulation Authority. 

After the match, a clearly gutted Menzies said: “First of all, I would to apologise for what happened. I am sorry that I reacted in the manner that I did. It’s not an excuse, but I have had a lot of things on my mind recently and I suppose it all just became too much at the end.

“It has not been easy time for me with my uncle Gary passing away recently. I saw him four days before he died and he gave a look which told he much he thought of me. “Had I won the game against Charlie, my second match would have been on the day of Gary’s funeral and that’s has been lost on me.

“Let me say again, that’s no excuse for what I did on the stage. It was the wrong thing to do and I don’t want it to take anything away from Charlie. He played well.

“This is not how I would like people to view me. Yes I can get emotional at times, but not like that and that wasn’t right.”

It all started well for the Scot with a strong first set to take the lead over the World No163. 

But ‘Champagne Charlie’, a mate of Luke Littler, came storming back to take level up the match. 

As the contest unfolded, the more the crowd got behind the Huddersfield kid. Menzies went 2-1 up in sets and appeared to still be in control.

But the crowd got more and more involved and the ‘Scotland get battered everywhere they go’ chants got louder. 

It came down to a deciding set and both players missed a hatful of chances, Menzies throwing for crucial doubles in a huge storm of booing. Manby finally delivered the killer blow to send the Ally Pally wild and leave Menzies devastated on stage. 

Manby said: “It was absolutely amazing. It’s not just me who has been up there today. It has been all them lot there, who have been with me.

“I can’t thank them enough. I did what I did. A lot behind the scenes has come from them.

“When I won the first set, I settled a lot. It was a good feeling that going in and being settled on a stage where I have never played before.

“I tried to keep calm, go up there and get it over and done with. It’s not as easy it looks.

“This is 100 per cent hands down the greatest thing I have ever done in darts.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.