A HOST of early missed chances cost Scotty 'Dog' Mitchell dearly as he crashed out of the Lakeside world championships at the first hurdle for the third successive year this afternoon.

The Dorset thrower succumbed 3-0 to defending champion Martin Adams in Frimley Green, but did have opportunities to peg back the Lincolnshire man early on.

Mitchell missed a 100 checkout to break Adams in the very first leg, before wasting three more darts at double 19 as the world champion opened the door with some uncharacteristic poor finishing.

Adams then missed three more darts at double to allow Mitchell to hold his throw and make it 1-1.

And as Adams’s doubles continued to desert him, Mitchell missed one dart at the bullseye and two at double eight as another opportunity to break came and went.

The 41-year-old’s scoring then faltered at the key moment as Adams broke the throw to clinch the first set.

Mitchell was hit by a sucker punch in legs two and three of the second set as he battled to stay in the clash.

Having held his throw at the start of the set, Mitchell could only look on as Adams checked out on 136 to restore parity.

The champion then buried the first 180 of the contest, before a 104 finish put him 2-1 in front.

And a sublime 81 finish on the bull completed a dominant spell by the number one seed, leaving Mitchell with a mountain to climb.

Mitchell held his throw at the start of the third set, despite missing five darts at double.

But Adams dealt the Dorset man another blow when he shot out 132 on the bull in leg three to go within one leg of the match.

Mitchell, though, held his nerve on double two to make it 2-2 after Adams missed three darts at double top for the match.

A valiant attempt at a 136 checkout to save the match saw Mitchell miss the key double 18, before Adams coolly took out 56 to move into the second round.