JOHNNY Haines has insisted there are no longer any easy games on the PDC circuit as he prepares to get his UK Open campaign underway today.

The High Street club player begins his campaign in round one against Steve Douglas in Minehead, a player with vast experience in the BDO.

Haines could have drawn a player who made it through the Rileys qualifiers, which give pub players the chance to mix it with the best in the game, but even if he had drawn a player lacking in professional experience the former world championship player would not have expected an easy ride.

“The first thing is it was really good to qualify because that is getting harder and harder to do now,” Haines said.

“The standard is good now, even in the qualifiers and on the ProTour, and there is never an easy game out there anymore.

“We used to think that if you drew a Rileys qualifier you would have a bit of a an easy game and should go through, but that isn’t the case anymore because there are so many good players out there.

“Steve is a decent player and has done some good stuff in the BDO so I know I am in for a tough one first up.”

Haines ended last year in a tough patch of form, particularly on his doubles, but the Punk is now finding his feet again and is initially targeting a place in day two at Minehead.

“I’ve started playing well now and the doubles are going in and that can happen sometimes,” he said.

“I know I can do it and sometimes it just happens for you and sometimes it doesn’t, darts is s silly game like that.

“The money starts after three games so the first target is to get through those and try and pick up some good money, but my target is always to simply win as many games as I can.”

Dennis Smith, Chris Aubrey and Mark Cox are also representing Swindon at the event known as the FA Cup of Darts, with the trio all beginning their campaigns in round one.

Smith takes on Mark Hylton on stage two while Aubrey will take on the winner of the preliminary round contest between Carl Green and Lionel Sams. Cox’s opponent is Shaun Narain.