Darts star astonished and makes sad admission as Luke Littler suffers major blow - 'I didn't expect this'
WATCH NOW: Sports round-up as Luke Littler loses to Andrew Gilding
Darts star Andrew Gilding has admitted he was stunned after beating Luke Littler at the European Championship on Friday night.
Littler lost 6-4 in Dortmund, with the youngster losing in the first round for the third major tournament in a row in the process.
The 17-year-old also lost to Gilding, nicknamed Goldfinger, for the first time.
And Gilding was astonished by his victory, with the former butcher delighted after coming out on top, while also sadly admitting that he's short on self confidence.
Darts star Luke Littler lost to Andrew Gilding at the European Championship on Friday night
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"I didn’t expect this, watching how Luke had played lately," he admitted.
"I am always short on self-belief. I never expect to win a game.
"Especially against Luke and especially as I had an awful cold as well. I am on the tail end of that.
"I felt awful coming up to this. I did say beforehand I wanted to cross him off the list. It was the third time I’d played him. So it’s third time lucky.
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"It's a huge win. The last thing I had expected. Nobody expected this.
"I was thinking about the flights home on Saturday. The way he had played lately was exceptional. I was resigned to losing.
"In practice, I was awful until the last hour but it came together."
Gilding will now face home favourite Ricardo Pietreczko in the next round of the competition.
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As for Littler, the teenager will lick his wounds and go again.
There's no denying he's an exceptional talent, particularly given the impressive way he won the Premier League at the first time of asking earlier in the year.
But losing in the first round of three major tournaments in a row is a cause for concern, especially with the World Darts Championship creeping closer.
Meanwhile, world No 1 Luke Humphries was able to beat Nathan Aspinall.
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Darts star Andrew Gilding was stunned after beating Luke Littler on Friday
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The 29-year-old was dominant and won 6-2 to go through to the next round.
Humphries threw seven 180s and finished with a 46 per cent checkout rate as he sailed through.
Next up for the Leeds United superfan is a clash with Welshman Jonny Clayton.
Clayton beat Chris Dobey 6-4 to go through.
Darts star Andrew Gilding admits he struggles with confidence after beating Luke Littler at the European Championship
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Scottish defending champion Peter Wright's tournament is over, however.
He struggled during his emphatic 6-0 defeat to Jermaine Wattimena.
Wattimena will go up against James Wade in the second round.
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