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DAVE Chisnall faces a tough test in not becoming the latest seed to fall at the first hurdle in the William Hill World Darts Championship.

The 39-year-old squares up with Dutchman Vincent Van der Voort in the second round at Alexandra Palace tonight, Thursday, aiming not to bow out in the same way as fellow St Helens thrower Michael Smith.

Number four seed Smith crashed out to Luke Woodhouse on Sunday, while further upsets in the opening week saw Raymond van Barneveld, Rob Cross and Ian White exit the sport’s biggest competition.

Their departures will serve to remind 10th seed Chizzy there is no respect for names in the World Championship and that you need to be on top of your game with every visit to the oche.

Chisnall, who revealed in the Star last week how he is feeling confident in his performances at the moment, has had a long wait since Friday to watch the tournament unfold before getting his first taste.

His opponent Van der Voort has already bagged one win for the right to play him.

He whitewashed young Irishman Keane Barry on Monday, showing his experience to hit crucial doubles at key moments after both the first sets went to a deciding leg.

“It wasn’t a comfortable game to play in, I’m so happy to win,” said Van der Voort.

“Dave is a great player, he’s in the top ten in the world so I will be giving everything I have to win that one.”

The winner will play again in the third round on Monday night.

Smith, last year’s runner-up, never got going against emerging talent Woodhouse.

Woodhouse won the first two sets 3-1 before coming back from two legs behind in the third, only to squander half-a-dozen match darts.

Smith missed two darts to take the match to a deciding set and Woodhouse denied him that chance when he cleaned up 80 to seal victory.

A third St Helens thrower, Stephen Bunting, booked his place in the third round yesterday after a thrilling match with Jose Justicia.

He came through a 3-2 epic, winning the deciding set on a tie-break.

After losing the opening set, Bunting hit back in fine style to lead 2-1 but the Spaniard responded to level matters.

Bunting had Justicia rocking at 2-0 in legs in the fifth, but he missed double six for the match as Justicia pulled a leg back.

And then two match darts went begging for the St Helens man as the contest was squared again.

Legs went to 3-3 and 4-4 in the tie break before Bunting held his nerve at the death.

He will be back at the oche on Sunday afternoon when he will face either Jonny Clayton, Ryan Joyce or Jan Dekker.

Joyce and Dekker square up in the first round this afternoon, with the winner meeting Clayton on Friday night.