Pipe had caused a storm by coughing when his first round opponent Bernie Smith was on match darts and as he entered the arena he was booed by the 3000-strong crowd with some of them calling him a 'cheat'.

And though Pipe started well, Taylor, 57, flexed his darting muscles to take control and eased into a third round clash with Keegan Brown.

It is The Power's final tournament before he retires and he is determined to go as far as he can in his bid to win a 17th world title and last night he looked calm and composed.

Of the noise, Taylor said: "I felt sorry for Justin's family, because they were here supporting him.

"It was very difficult to concentrate with the noise.

"I am really looking forward to finishing but I want to win it. 

“But I am not playing good enough to win it. It is about resting now for me."

At first Pipe, 47, was making the most of the atmosphere, turning to the crowd to respond to them. Yet as he was wearing earplugs, the noise could actually have troubled Taylor more. 

Pipe led 2-1 and missed double eight to take the first set before Taylor's double top levelled it at 2-2 and then The Power hit another to take it.

The crowd had quietened down by the second set and Taylor was in total charge, winning it on double four without dropping leg. 

It was the same as he moved 3-0 up with a sensational finish of 119 on the bull.

Now the chants became 'easy, easy' and 'You're not coughing any more'.

Taylor was steadily edging closer to victory, hitting 96 to go 2-0 up in the fourth set and then in the next leg he wrapped up victory on a checkout of 66.

Scotland's John Henderson produced one of the best performances of his career to knock out No 4 seed Daryl Gurney 4-2.