PAUL Williams was unofficially crowned at the Embassy World Darts Championship last night, and after surviving an epic first round struggle he reckons he can be King of the Lakeside on Sunday. Bolton ace Williams, was taken to the wire by Kent's Matt Clark in one of the ties of the first round, before scraping through 3-2.

Two maximum 180s in what turned out to be the last two legs finally knocked the stuffing out of the resilient Clark, who had fought back from two sets down to take Williams to the brink.

The hour long drama was brought to an end when the 34 year old engineer checked out on 64, to send a packed house and wife Joanne wild.

And just moments after leaving the stage to a standing ovation, Williams had borrowed Bobby George's trade mark crown and said: "It fits nicely - I fancy wearing this on Sunday."

George, the great showman of darts, who is working for the BBC at this year's finals, was certainly impressed by Williams fighting spirit.

And Williams said: "I have been here before, and played in five set matches, so I know I need to be tough. Against Matt I found something extra when I needed it most."

World number 25 Williams, who plays for the Greyhound pub and also Lancashire and England, went off like a train against Clark, dropping just one leg in the first two sets.

But with the match at his mercy, Clark roared back taking the next two sets and the first leg in the deciding fifth.

That, though, was as close as Williams let him get, and he ran off the next three legs to set up a second round clash with Andy Fordham in a repeat of their 1995 quarter final which the Londoner won.

Williams added; "If I can recreate my form of the first couple of sets on Wednesday, then I must have a good chance. This time, though, I can't afford to go to sleep for a couple of sets." The two favourites for the competition, Dutchman Raymond Barneveld, the defending champion, and Scotland's Les Wallace, title winner two years ago, meet tonight.

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