DENNIS Smith suffered a sense of déjà vu as he was knocked out by Dave Chisnall in the Players Championship event in Birmingham yesterday.

Fresh from being knocked out of the UK Open by the man from St Helens, Smith suffered the same fate in the Midlands as he went down 6-2 to Chisnall in round three.

Smith had beaten James Richardson and Steve Grubb to set up the clash having made the second round the previous day, and was pleased with his weekend’s work.

“I suppose it was a bit strange to be playing Dave again so soon, but I had done well to make it to the board final so I have to be pleased with what I did.

“I think I matched him all the way through the game apart from finishing, because he was taking out anything under 120.

“I scored well but I just couldn’t touch him with his finishing and he deserved to win I think.

“Ronnie Baxter beat me in the first event and he went on to win the whole thing, so I can’t be too down about that.”

But far from wanting to avoid Chisnall, the Swindon thrower is keen to get back on the board with him as soon as possible.

“I would love it if I could draw him again at the next event, and then I would like to beat him and show him what I am really capable of.

“I want to get back at him as soon as possible and make sure he doesn’t get overly confident.”

While Smith has been progressing well in this year’s Players Championship events, he has been enjoying less successive in the European Tour qualifiers.

Smith missed out again on Friday night as his attempt to qualify for the European Darts Championship in Berlin was ended by Mick Todd.

The Swindon thrower lost 6-4 in his opening match, and he can’t understand why he has failed to make the final stages of any of the three events so far this year.

“I just can’t seem to win them,” he said.

“It is really starting to bother me because there is not really a reason for it.

“It is a different style event because you do not know how many matches you are going to need to win, but that is no excuse.

“I lost to Mick because I missed so many doubles, and I suppose that shows that I might just be trying too hard.

“I want to get into these events and it is just getting so frustrating now.”

Smith’s fellow Swindonian Johnny Haines was more successful, and reached the finals of the event in Germany next month as he beat Daniel Starkey and Steve Evans.

“I am really pleased for Johnny,” Smith said.

“But he is a strange case as well because he is doing really well in all the European Tour stuff but not so well in the Players Championship.

“It is just all a bit odd.”

Haines ran in to two of the biggest names in darts during the two Players Championship events, and fell 6-1 to Andy Hamilton on day one, before pushing Kevin Painter all the way only to lose 6-5 yesterday.

Youngster Chris Aubrey failed to make the European Darts Championship on Friday, but quickly made amends on Saturday with a 6-4 victory over Josh Jones on Saturday.

But Aubrey lost his second round game to Jamie Caven before being knocked out by Darren Webster in yesterday’s event.