Hampshire’s Sam Head is knocking on the door of a place in the Lakeside World Darts Championships.

Head, who took part in this year’s competition, picked up precious ranking points last weekend when he came runner-up in the French Open, losing out to Remco van Eijden of Holland in the final.

Former World Teenage champion Head also claimed the scalp of highly-ranked Welshman Martin Phillips and England’s Brian Dawson on the way.

Southampton’s Gary Stafford reached the quarter-finals.