PHIL ‘The Power’ Taylor last night lined up a revenge bid in the PDC Ladbrokes.com world championship.

His 4-1 thumping of Kevin Painter at Alexandra Palace took him through to the quarter-finals and a clash with the winner of today’s battle between Wayne ‘Hawaii 501’ Mardle and Co Stompe.

At the same stage last year, Mardle inflicted one of only five defeats Taylor has suffered in the 15-year history of the PDC event, and the 13-time world champion could meet him again on New Year’s Day.

Bradwell ace Taylor said: “I would love to play Wayne. I think he believes he can win the world championship and I’m here to win my 14th.”

Taylor looks in the mood to do just that. He lost his first set in this year’s championship to Painter ... but then dropped only one more leg on his way through to the last eight.

Taylor finished with an average of 101.63 and hit five maximum 180s.

“After the first set I knew I had to watch out,” said Taylor. “He started brilliantly and if he had hit his doubles, he would have pushed me even harder. But he missed a few and that put him under pressure.

“If he played every set like the first set last night he would be world champion, but there was a lapse in his game and I took advantage of that.”

Painter took Taylor to a sudden death shoot-out in the 2004 final and the way he started last night’s game suggested another hard-fought duel.

But Taylor held his throw in the opening leg of the second set, before gaining the crucial break after Painter missed four darts at a double and pulling clear.

The Power won the opening leg of the fourth set with a 124 check-out and Painter had to wait until the second leg of the fifth set to end Taylor’s 10-leg winning run.

It came too late to stop Taylor’s march towards the last eight, however, and he went on to win the match with an 80 check-out in the fourth leg of the fifth set.

Andy ‘The Hammer’ Hamilton tonight bids to join Taylor in the in the last eight.

He meets 2006 BDO world champion Jelle Klaasen in a third-round clash as the Talke Pits publican aims to stay on course for a final showdown with ‘The Power.’

They are seeded to meet in Sunday’s final.

YESTERDAY’S RESULTS

Second round: Paul Nicholson (Aus) 4, Adrian Lewis (Eng) 3; Dennis Priestley (Eng) 4, John MaGowan (N Ireland) 1; Vincent van der Voort (Ned) 4, Colin Osborne (Eng) 1; James Wade (Eng) 4, Tony Eccles (Eng) 2.

Third round: Phil Taylor (Eng) 4, Kevin Painter (Eng) 1; Barrie Bates (Wal) 4, Mark Dudbridge (ENG) 0.

TODAY

Afternoon Session: Paul Nicholson v Dennis Priestley (1.10pm), Dennis Smith v Mervyn King (2.40pm), Wayne Mardle v Co Stompe (4.10pm)

Evening Session: Andy Hamilton v Jelle Klaasen (7.10pm), Raymond van Barneveld v Ronnie Baxter (8.40pm), James Wade v Vincent van der Voort (10.10pm)

Television: Sky Sports 1: 1pm; Sky Sports 2: 7pm.