SCOTTY ‘Dog’ Mitchell believes he can do what good friend Nigel Heydon couldn’t and complete a darts giant-killing act.

Bransgore darter Mitchell goes head-to-head with BDO title holder Martin Adams when the Lakeside World Darts Championships get under way at Frimley Green tomorrow.

Adams is aiming to win his third straight title after victories in 2010 and 2011 and has not been knocked out at the first round stage since 2004.

Mitchell, meanwhile, has fallen at the first hurdle on both of his previous visits to Frimley Green – to Daryl Gurney in 2010 and Jan Dekker last year.

The 41-year-old, though, watched close pal Heydon, the world number 46, come within a whisker of knocking out PDC champion Adrian Lewis in the first round at Alexandra Palace before Christmas.

The ‘Undertaker’ had three darts to take a 2-0 lead in the final set against Lewis but missed them all. Lewis went on to win the match and retain his title.

Mitchell told the Echo: “Nigel is a friend of mine and he was gutted about what happened. I have to hope that, if I get that kind of chance, I can take it. I look at Nigel’s performance and it gives me hope. Phil Taylor went out to Dave Chisnall as well and that turned the tournament into a bit of an anti-climax in my opinion. But I feel there is a chance I could cause an upset like that.

“I had one dart to knock Martin out of the British International Open a few years ago and I never got another dart after I missed.

“But I will beat him at some point and I think he knows it will happen one day. I just hope it happens tomorrow.”

Mitchell gave Adams an almighty scare at the Zuiderduin Masters in Holland a month ago, losing 3-2 to the world number one at the quarter-final stage.

Mitchell added: “It’s the biggest game of my career on the biggest stage and the reality is Martin has played there 18 times. I have played there twice and my track record is not good.

“But I am another year wiser in the game and as we saw with the PDC championships, shocks are possible. Martin’s average game is at a level where most of us have to play our absolute best to stay with him. But he will give you chances – especially at Lakeside in the first round.

“I would rather have him now over the short format than later in the tournament, but you have to get out of the traps early and I have been guilty of being a slow starter in the past.

“I have been working on that and I am going to get the odd dart at double. It’s whether I can take out 117 or 98 because you have to take out those numbers against Martin.”

• Mitchell, who is sponsored by Motor-Vation Garage, Designs by Sazz and Red Dragon Darts, is second on stage at Lakeside tomorrow (approx 2.30pm). Coverage is live on BBC Sport.