BOLTON darts ace Joe Murnan has vowed to learn from the experience of his televised debut at the BetVictor World Matchplay, after being defeated 10-7 by world number four Adrian Lewis on Saturday.

Murnan's victory in the PDC Players Championship in May thrust him into the spotlight as one of the 32 qualifiers for the prestigious World Matchplay in Blackpool.

The 31-year-old led Lewis 2-1 early on before the two-time World Champion surged into a 7-2 lead.

Murnan hit back to close the gap to a single leg at one stage, but Lewis took three of the next four to claim victory, ending the debutant's hopes of causing a major upset at the Winter Gardens.

"World Champions come out and do the business and it was his night," said Murnan, who still works for darts supplies company Darts Corner alongside competing on the circuit.

"You always go into the game believing you can win but Adrian's a fantastic player and he's been up there a lot more than me, so I've got to take experience from this.

"That was my first time on TV so there was extra pressure. If I'd played my natural game from the off then I reckon I'd have put him under more pressure."

Murnan is now likely to compete in the William Hill World Championship in December and is in line to win back his PDC Tour Card for 2016.

"I'm ecstatic with how my year's going," he added. "I'm still working but I'm a bit more dedicated now, practice a lot more and things are going well at the minute.

"I can go as far as I want in the game – I never set myself a target because if you do that you can fail, but I go out and do my best."