BOTH Dennis Smith and Chris Aubrey missed out on the chance to compete at the German Darts Championship next month after failing to qualify in Crawley last night.

More than 60 players descended on the K2 centre in a bid to make it through to the second European Tour event of the season in Berlin, with 20 qualifying spaces up for grabs to join the world’s top 32 and qualifiers from across Europe.

Aubrey was given a bye in the first round, but Smith faced of against tour regular Kevin McDine and claimed an impressive 6-5 victory.

Smith faced Keegan Brown in round two, but lost out 6-3, while Aubrey also lost his second round match, going down by the same score to Daniel Starkey.

Speaking after the game Smith had no complaints about his defeat, on a night when his opponant consistently took out 100+ finishes, including in the fourth leg when the Swindon player had darts for a nine dart finish.

“I can not knock the way he played at all, he was in superb form,” Smith said.

“It wasn’t so much I was beaten by the better player, but more the fact I was beaten by a player who could get out.

“His finishing was faultless and at times it was like I was running into a brick wall.”

Both Smith and Aubrey are playing in the two Players Championship events at the same venue today and Sunday, and Smith is looking forward to getting back on the board as soon as possible.

“That is the beauty of these events I suppose,” he said.

“I will lick my wounds and then get back on the board to put things right.

“I will look to do somedamage during both days, and if I can do that and pick up some good prize money it will not matter what the players do in Berlin when I am not there.”