Lisa Ashton suffered a first-round exit from the UK Open at Minehead with a 6-2 defeat against Mike De Decker.

Ashton, pictured with De Decker, had qualified automatically for the event through her PDC tour card, but soon trailed 3-0 as the Belgian produced some consistent scoring matched by clinical finishes.

A double 12 saw Ashton get a leg on the board, before De Decker then moved back 4-2 in front.

Ashton hit her first maximum in the next leg, but De Decker took out double 16 to move within sight of victory, which he delivered by landing double top.

Elsewhere, Kyle McKinstry – who reached the quarter-final of the 2019 BDO World Championship – showed little signs of letting the occasion get to him as he accounted for the other breakout female star Fallon Sherrock.

The Northern Irishman broke Sherrock’s throw early on to move 3-0 ahead.

The 25-year-old from Milton Keynes, who came through qualifying to reach the UK Open main draw, took out 36 to get her first leg on the board, which lifted the Minehead crowd.

McKinstry, though, remained clinical on his own finishes, going around the board to move 4-1 ahead.

The Village Man continued an impressive display when capitalising on Sherrock missing two doubles to take out 112 and move within one leg of victory.

McKinstry wrapped up a place in round two with a stunning 128 check-out – finishing on the bullseye – to end Sherrock’s hopes at the first hurdle to deliver a 6-1 victory.