Fallon Sherrock thanks the crowd at the Alexandra Palace. Photo / Getty
Fallon Sherrock's dream run at the PDC World Championships came to an end at Alexandra Palace on Saturday morning, with a gutsy 4-2 third-round defeat against Chris Dobey.
Sherrock, the first woman ever to win a match at darts' showpiece event, roared into a 2-1 lead as Dobey repeatedly wilted under the pressure of deafening boos when looking to close out legs. But the former motorway worker grew into the match and finally ended Sherrock's run - after she had beaten Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic - to book his place in the fourth round on Sunday.
In many ways, the result of this match matters little. Sherrock's legacy is already assured and there is no doubting this is now her world - an overwhelmingly masculine stage lauded over by a teetotal mother-of-one.
"Fallon will you marry me," flashed one sign in front of her face as she sheepishly looked round an arena littered with pockets of blonde-wigged, pink-shirted groups of lookalikes.
The £25,000 (NZ$48,839) she will earn for her run at this tournament far outweighs any previous payday, but will likely prove insignificant in light of her sponsorship potential going forward into the World Series of Darts at Madison Square Garden next summer. Few expected her even to get this far and there was little disappointment as she was cheered on stage after the loss.
"I enjoyed myself so much," she said, with a huge smile across her face. "He played so well. This is amazing. It's just unbelievable. Hopefully I'll be back here next year."
On his rival, Dobey said: "This girl can play and I needed to be at my best. She fully deserves all the support."
Celebrities around the world flocked to praise Sherrock and her history-making run with actor, writer and comedian Stephen Fry saying "you've thrown your way into the hearts of millions, written yourself into the history books and done an incalculable service to the game of darts".
While tennis legend Billie Jean King also had nothing but praise for Sherrock.
"Her talent and grace under pressure will take her far. She is the 1st woman in history to win matches in the championship and I look forward to following her career for years to come."
Take a bow, @Fsherrock – you’ve thrown your way into the hearts of millions, written yourself into the history books and done an incalculable service to the game of darts
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) December 27, 2019
While her run at the #WorldDartsChampionship is over, @Fsherrock has inspired millions. Her talent & grace under pressure will take her far. She is the 1st woman in history to win matches in the championship & I look forward to following her career for years to come. #Gamechanger https://t.co/zhFbUsaADn
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) December 27, 2019
It is four years since Dobey decided to ditch his day job spending 12-hour shifts putting cones out on motorways in the north-east of England but no working environment will ever have been as hostile as the one facing him on Friday afternoon, with boos resounding around Alexandra Palace from the moment his face hit the big screen.
The father-of-one has earned a reputation as one of the nice guys on the circuit, but insisted before the match he would relish the test of jeers at the oche.
"I'm ready - I'm feeling confident," he had said. "No disrespect to Fallon, but I'm up there to provide for myself and my family. Hopefully I can end the fairytale."
His quest to do so began terribly. Capitalising on a break of throw in the opening leg, Sherrock won the first set amid a feverish atmosphere that left Dobey alone at the oche practising between sets. In fact, he needed only to focus on the outer ring of the board - where his accumulation was far superior to Sherrock's throughout the entire match, it was his pitiful efforts to hit doubles at crucial points that was holding him back. At times a three-dart average above 100 papered over a doubles percentage of less than 20.
From one-set apiece, Sherrock regained her lead for 2-1, but ultimately Dobey's big scoring told. With a hefty 23 140s and 11 180s during the match, he steadily improved his ability to close out legs and shut the door on his rival. A 4-2 win was a deserved scoreline.
Next up for Dobey is the formidable prospect of Glen Durrant, the winner of the last three BDO world titles, which renders his debutant status at these PDC World Championships a moot point. He overcame sixth seed Daryl Gurney 4-2 on Friday afternoon before admitting: "I don't think I want to play Fallon in front of this crowd." Luckily for him, he will not need to.