KENDAL's Tony Newell admits he was delighted to get back to the oche after a three month PDC Pro Tour break.

Newell - competing in his maiden Player's Championship - beat Colin Osborne and number 32 seed Jamie Lewis on his way to the Third Round in round 13 at the K2 Centre in Crawley but was met by stiff and illustrious competition in the final 32.

The 32-year-old, a former caretaker at Windermere School, picked up £500 prize money after he was defeated 6-3 by eventual winner and number one seed Gary Anderson.

Sunday's exploits were not as impressive as Newell was dumped out in the first round by Ronny Huybrecht but the 106th seed moved up two places over the weekend and insists he was more than content with his weekend's work.

"I've never been in this position having the summer break so I was bit nervous about how I would throw but I was happy with the weekend's work," said Newell, who broke into the top 100 earlier this year after reaching the quarter-finals at Crawley in May.

"Sunday could have gone a little bit better but I didn't play particularly bad. Ronny played really well and I was just millimetres away."

After a s

"During the three month break I spent a lot of time practising. I had only just got my investment before the break so I've been playing darts full-time and going to lots of competitions to keep my eye in."

With a date in Dublin on the horizon next month, Newell hopes he can produce his best form in the following six rounds to secure a World Championship place.

"I am £3,500 off a World Championship place so if I can have a good couple of months and get a few results under my belt hopefully I can qualify for that," said Newell, who has picked up £4,750 prize money so far.

Leading the way in the PDC Order of Merit is Michael van Gerwen, who at aged 24 became the youngest winner of the championship, with £870,200 prize money.

He is followed by Phil 'The Power' Taylor, who is widely regarded as the best darts player of all time and Adrian 'Jackpot' Lewis, who won the championship in consecutive years in 2011 and 2012.

However first-timer Newell, who secured a full-time two year spot on the PDC Pro Tour earlier this year, insists he is not phased by the presence of the world's leading players and believes he is now settled in after months of competing.

"To begin with it was very daunting but now I've got to know many of them and already knew a few from playing county with them so it's just one big happy family," he said.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Newell as he continues his quest should email awnew@live.co.uk.