Video: Jamie Hughes reaches Lakeside semis
Tipton's Jamie Hughes turned on the style to book his place in the BDO World Championship semi-final and seal his place at Lakeside for the next two years.
The Black Country darter will take on 2013 world champion Scott Waites tomorrow for a spot in Sunday's final,
The fourth seed is now the highest-ranked player left in the competition, with Waites coming from 4-2 down to stun BDO No 1 Glen Durrant 5-4 immediately after Hughes' tie.
Regardless of the result, reaching the last four will ensure Hughes' place at the next two world competitions at Frimley Green.
The 29-year-old comfortably defeated the man ranked just behind him, fifth seed Wesley Harms, 5-1 in sets with an imperious performance, live on BBC2.
'Yozza' came from 2-0 down to take the first set and doubled his advantage before Harms, twice a Lakeside semi-finalist, halved the deficit.
The break only brought the Dutchman brief respite before Hughes cranked up the pressure, dropping just one leg in the next three sets to secure victory in emphatic fashion.
He said: "That's the real 'Yozza!' I did tell people that, when my form clicked, I was going to give someone a hiding.
"I'd won two games here before this and I've been so frustrated, even though I've won, because I'm so much better than I've been playing.
"You saw the real me up there this time, I felt relaxed and that's when I'm at my best. I was hitting 180s and my checkouts for fun.
"I'll take this result all day and it's given me a massive boost. I put my foot on the gas and didn't let up. I'm chuffed to bits."
He hit nine 180s, posted two 11 darters and landed a 136 check-out and was even on for a nine-dart finish at one stage.
His match average shot up to 94.11, a vast improvement on his 82.92 in a 4-1 second round victory over Madars Razma and 83.76 in a 3-0 first tie whitewash of Ross Montgomery.
Both players flew out of the blocks in one of the more high-quality affairs of Lakeside 2016, as Hughes finally performed to the levels he's capable of.
But it was Harms who enjoyed the better of the early exchanges in the first set, taking the opening leg with a splendid 122 on the bullseye.
'Sparky' followed up with the match's first 180, setting up to immediately land double 20 and go 2-0 up for the set.
The Hughes fightback began after he landed his first maximum, pinning double eight at the second attempt to halve the deficit. Another 180 followed, before tops first up straight after levelled the set.
A third maximum put Hughes on his way to turning the first set completely around, settling it again on tops for 81.
'Yozza' slung in another 180 come the first leg of the second set, which he took again on tops for 52 with his second dart, before double 18 at the first go doubled his lead.
Harms then missed the bull for what would have been a fabulous 161 in response, with Hughes way back on 270, restoring parity in the second set with his second try at double two.
Notions of a first BDO World Championship perfect leg in 25 years - which would glean a £52,000 bonus - came Hughes' way after two successive 180s in the next leg.
It came and went when the following dart at the 20 hit the single rather than the treble, erasing 76 in his next visit on double eight to go 2-0 up in sets.
Harms battled his way back into the match during the third set and he did so from behind, after Hughes took the lead with his second dart at double 16 for 64.
The determined Dutchman scored out-shots of 41 and 20, the latter on double two, before Hughes fired again with another 180 and an 88 checkout on the bull.
Harms did pull a set back on double eight with his first dart at a good time, with the break, but time off the oche didn't knock Hughes out of his stride.
He whitewashed his European opponent in the next two sets, starting on double 10 after wiring tops and finishing the same way in set four, with an 82 out-shot in between.
Set five began on double 12 before a fine 136, set up by two treble 20s for double eight. Double two for eight settled the set.
A ninth and final maximum came in the first leg of the sixth set for Hughes, who again struck first on double eight for 25. Harms' lone reply after the interval came on double 16.
Hughes got over the line in the next leg, again on double 10, and could not contain his delight as he celebrated the result before draping himself in the Black Country flag.
