BRANSGORE’S Scott Mitchell had his hopes of a winning finale to his long weekend in West Sussex ended by the big-scoring Wesley Harms.

The 44-year-old number three seed was in flying form heading into the final of the England Open at Bunn Leisure in Selsey but ran into a Dutchman at the top of his game.

Relishing the limelight provided by the Eurosport cameras, Harms raced into a 3-1 lead as missed efforts at double 16 cost Mitchell on two occasions.

Harms reeled off three more legs and although Mitchell managed a second of his own, his Alkmaar-born opponent cruised to a 7-2 win.

In fine fettle throughout the weekend, Mitchell saw off Chris Stevens, Alan Brown, Alfie Smith, Peter Mitchell and Geert De Vos on his way to the quarter-finals.

Facing Paul Hogan, the man he beat in the first round of the BDO World Championships in January, Mitchell came under pressure on his own throw early on.

However, he held on to lead 3-2 and when the experienced Hogan misfired on 120 in the sixth leg, Mitchell pounced to take out 36 and secure a 4-2 win.

In the semi, the Dorset thrower was 3-2 up on world number nine Glen Durrant when he pinched the sixth leg against the throw, after his fellow countryman blew three visits to win it.

With both men seemingly tying up in the eighth, Mitchell inched over the line with double four, before holding his nerve to wrap up a 6-3 victory.