BRANSGORE’S Scott Mitchell suffered final-leg heartache as England were beaten by the finest of margins in the semi-finals of the Six Nations Cup.

The Dorset county star and national team captain stepped up to the oche against Netherlands thrower Willem Mandigers in the five-man team event, with the scores delicately poised at 12-12 in the race to 13.

Despite winning the throw for the bull, the 48-year-old missed out as the Dutchman rattled off a 14-dart leg to send home England and prevent them claiming a fifth straight title.

The Netherlands went on to overcome Northern Ireland 13-11 in the final at Bunn Leisure Selsey.

Assessing the one-leg shootout, Scotty Dog told the Daily Echo: “I was the captain and it was time to stand up and accept that responsibility, it just didn’t quite happen this time. I just couldn’t hit a treble 20. They were nicely-thrown darts and I wasn’t nervous.

“Even if I hadn’t been drawn out last, I’d have wanted to do it. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to do what I would expect to do as captain.

“The Dutch went on to win it all and I felt we would have done that, had we won that game. We had won it for the past four years and our plan is to make sure we get it back next year.”