Gerwyn Price kept alive his hopes of World Championship glory despite letting a three-set lead slip through his fingers.
The Welsh star held a commanding lead and looked dead-set to progress into the quarter finals of the tournament before third round opponent Joe Cullen came roaring back to make it 3-3.
With the clash level at three sets each, the contest moved into a decisive seventh set with the winner needing to win by two clear sets to progress.
As a result, the final set went to five legs apiece before Price emerged as the winner by way of a sudden death leg.
The Welshman cut an emotional figure as his win was confirmed while wife Bethan Palmer was seen in tears.
Reflecting on the win to Sky Sports, Price said: “That was tough. I just wanted to get over the wining line, every single set he kept coming back into it. The crowd were behind him. I actually thought I was going to lose it but I stayed in it and got over the line.
“He played some good darts at the right times. I don’t know honestly, I was missing doubles and I’m just looking round thinking ‘wow, how am I in this position?’. I put myself in them positions but I got myself out of it and thankfully got the win.
“I kept breaking in the final set and couldn’t hold on my throw. I probably wanted it too much and was trying too hard.
“I’ve got a lot more in the tank. I can play a lot better than I have tonight.
“I didn’t play brilliantly but I did enough to win in the end.
“Alexandra Palace is not the best of places for me but to get a win any day of the week means a lot to me.”
Price had been hoping to improve on last year’s performance where he was eliminated in the third round of the competition to Brendan Dolan.
Meanwhile, it’s more heartbreak for Cullen, who almost defeated eventual winner Luke Humphries at the same stage of last season’s tournament.