TERRY Jenkins lost a see-saw battle with Mervyn King 9-7 in the Players Championship Finals last eight.

King allowed a 5-1 advantage to slip as Ledbury’s Jenkins wrestled himself into a 7-6 lead, only for the 2010 runner-up to win the final three legs and progress.

The Norfolk thrower made a sensational start to leave The Bull reeling, hitting a 180 and double 16 to take the opening leg before producing finishes of 83, 119 and 88 as he moved 4-0 up.

He also missed the bull for a 170 check-out in the fifth leg, as his Herefordshire opponent followed an earlier 180 with double 10 to stem the tide.

King finished 56 in two darts to take a 5-1 lead, before Jenkins took the next three legs, including check-outs of 100 and 86, to pull back to 5-4.

His opponent edged the 10th leg on tops, but missed double 11 for a 124 finish in the next as The Bull took out 81 and then 76 to level.

The Ledbury ace then posted a 180 for a third successive leg before double 10 put him ahead for the first time at 7-6.

Double eight from King saw him level before he hit the same bed to lead 8-7.

Jenkins could have forced a decider but missed the bullseye and double four to give King the chance to win, which he took on double top.

Jenkins earlier knocked out Vincent van der Voort 6-4 and Steve Beaton 8-6.