Isle of Man darts star Kevin Lane was back in action last weekend aiming to seal a place on the PDC pro tour.

The sound of tungsten on sisal filled the air at the MK Arena in Milton Keynes on Saturday and Sunday as pro tour darts hopefuls toed the oche.

After narrowly missing out at qualifying school recently (as reported in last week’s Examiner), Kirk Michael resident Lane travelled back to the scene of his heart-breaking defeat for another shot at a coveted spot on the tour.

In total, 24 secondary Challenge Tour events take place between January and October over five weekends and the player who tops the table wins a tour card and a place in next year’s William Hill World Championship.

Lane was joined by fellow Manx residents Mark Venables and Robbie Nelson and a field of more than 300 top class players from all over the globe.

In event one Lane had a bye through the first round. Starting in the last 256, he shot out of the blocks hitting a 15 and a 12-dart leg to go 2-0 against Dutch prodigy Patrick Van Den Boogaard.

Averaging 125 in the second leg, Lane looked unbeatable but stray darts saw Van Den Boogaard level the scores at 2-2 before Lane took the fifth in 16 darts and his opponent levelled the score at 3-3 in a race to five legs.

A 14-darter and 107 average saw Van den Boogaard pull ahead but Lane dug deep to make it 4-4. With the tension running high, Lane kicked off with a 140 score followed by a 180 and 97, before he missed double 16 for the win.

After a few more exchanges, Lane finally showed his class and stole double eight for a 16-dart leg and clinched the match 5-4 with a 89.05 average.

Unfortunately though, his run was stopped short in the second round by England’s Rob Collins 5-3, with Lane showing only small glimpses of the class shown in his opener.

Points are awarded from the last 64 onwards, therefore Lane ended event one with nothing on the board.

Fellow local Venables showed form, also making the last 128 with a 5-3 win over Wales’ Jonny Kinsella when averaging 81.28 before bowing out 5-1.

Douglas resident Nelson won his first match 5-3 with a 80.35, only to be taken out in the last 128 by an in-form Michael Flynn, the Irish man hitting a 101.68 average to beat him 5-2.

The second event saw the Isle of Man contingent struggle as Lane lost in the last 256 to former tour card holder Matthew Dennant 5-3. Averaging 89.90, Lane couldn’t do much against Dennant’s 97.04, hitting sub 15-dart legs to pull back three legs.

Venables lost the same round to Welshman Jamie Lewis, only mustering a 68 average over a 5-1 defeat, and Nelson went out the round before with a 5-0 defeat, averaging 76.07.

In event three, Lane showed some form again, storming past Scotland’s Derek Maclean 5-2. Averaging 88.58, Lane looked hard to beat but former pro tour player Steve Hine put paid to his hopes of getting onto the leaderboard with a 5-4 defeat in the last 128.

Venables was taken out in the first game by Canadian Jacob Taylor 5-3 and Nelson fell at the same stage to German player Kai Gotthart 5-2 with a 69.48.

Luck was not on Lane’s side as he went out in the first round of event four, losing 5-2 with an unbelievable 94.73 average as an 11-dart leg and 15-dart leg were not enough to make up for missed doubles.

Venables picked up his first win and moved into the last 128 by beating his opponent 5-3 with a 68.52, but was then narrowly defeated in the next round 5-4.

Nelson found some form when running into ex-pat Shaun Moughtin, winning 5-2 with a 79.89 average to his opponent’s 67.18. Another win with a cracking 90 average put Nelson into the points, before eventually losing to French player Jacques Labres in the last 64.

The final event of the weekend saw Lane again show some early promise, cruising past Italian Sergio Krassen and looking relaxed as he threw a 92.60 three-dart average - the hopes were that he could maintain this standard.

Lane needed points and, despite dropping in form for the second game, he made light work of England’s Andrew Hyland, winning 5-2.

Into the last 64 and in the points, but his luck looked to be fading as he drew veteran professional player Alan Tabern. Lane lost the bull and, despite kicking off with a 140 and 134, Tabern held his throw and took the first leg.

Lane held his throw, starting with a 180 and closing the leg in 16 darts, chalking up a 93.94 average, then two more legs went with throw to leave it at 2-2.

In a nail-biting performance, Lane finally broke Tabern with a 14-dart leg and 100 average, checking out 84 to steal his opponent’s leg. In the sixth leg Lane threw first as the pressure began to tell with both players dropping off, but Lane held his throw and made it 4-2.

Tabern threw with all his might in the seventh leg to make it 4-3 but, with the advantage of the break of throw, Lane couldn’t be stopped and pegged a 64 finish to win 5-3, averaging 86.89 over the match.

More points were not to be as fatigue was showing and an uncomfortable 5-0 defeat stopped Lane’s run in the last 32. But the points acquired under pressure mean the Kirk Michael man is currently placed 92nd on the overall leaderboard after the opening event.

Darting comrades Venables and Nelson lost both their first games, Nelson in the last 256 and Venables benefitting from a walkover in the last 128. Both failed to put points on the board in the final round, but Nelson’s run in event four means he is sat in 139th place.

The next five events are scheduled to take place in Hildesheim, Germany this April when Lane will be hoping to build upon his recent performances to climb the order of merit with the goal of securing that golden ticket onto the PDC pro tour.