Luke Littler has competition for the hottest young star in darts after 10-year-old Owen Bryceland enjoyed an astonishing weekend on the junior tour.

Bryceland, who makes 17-year-old Littler look like a seasoned professional, won back-to-back tournaments on the Foundation Tour in Coventry.

The Scot beat Mitchell Lawrie 5-1 in the Event 11 final and then Jack Howarth in the Event 12 showpiece to put himself in a strong position to qualify for the JDC Advanced Tour.

Bryceland highlighted the incredible level he is already able to play at as he produced the Foundation Tour’s highest ever average of 104.86 in his last-16 win over Joshua Machin.

As barometer for his standard, world number one Luke Humphries won the World Championship final against Littler with an average of 103.67.

Littler, who has won back-to-back Junior World Championships in 2022 and 2023, has taken the darting world by storm since his breakthrough at Alexandra Palace over Christmas.

He got to the final of the tournament on debut, won his debut events in the World Series, Player Championships and European Tour and currently sits on top of the Premier League table after back-to-back nightly wins in Belfast and Manchester.

Coventry manager Mark Robins has urged his side to build on their second-half showing against Preston despite going down 3-2 at Deepdale for a fourth straight loss.

The Sky Blues missed out on promotion a year ago in extra-time of the play-off final against Luton but have found life tougher this season, sitting 20th in the Sky Bet Championship.

Defeat to Preston, who ended a run of seven without a win, will not help, but they almost salvaged something thanks to Haji Wright’s double.

It was not enough though, with Coventry now winless at Deepdale on their last 21 visits in the league.

Robins said: “I think there was definitely nervousness. What happened was the first half we were pretty poor, couldn’t really get out and they had a lot of the ball and their intent was clear.

“Ours wasn’t, we couldn’t move it, we turned the ball over too much, but then we took the lead probably against the run of play.

“The second half was chalk and cheese really, it was a proverbial game of two halves, and we showed the intent that our team shows generally and has done for years and we’ve got to hold on to that.

“The second-half performance was pretty good, apart from the goal that we conceded.

“The three goals we conceded were soft, they were poor, so that’s got to improve, but we looked better.

“We’ve broken that duck of not scoring away from home and then we’ve ended up with two from Haji which is good for him and his confidence.”

Coventry hit the front against the run of play when Wright opened the scoring after 33 minutes, but they were 2-1 down by half-time.

Duane Holmes levelled for Preston before Alan Browne fired home from the spot after Kyle McFadzean was adjudged to have brought down Milutin Osmajic.

Osmajic then gave Preston breathing room after 71 minutes, but Wright got his second seven minutes from time, leaving the home side sweating.

Preston boss Ryan Lowe believes that on this form, Coventry will turn things around.

He said: “What I will say about Coventry is they’re well coached and have got a fantastic manager and they’ve got some fantastic players and they’re in a false position as we speak.

“I said that to Mark at the end, ‘keep going because you’ve got some players and a good team’.

“Of course it’s a bit of a relief when you get that third goal but they’re never going to lie down, they were play-off finalists last year and they’re not just going to roll over and say take the three points.

“They’re going to keep fighting and that’s what they did so we had to show a different side to us again.

“Their second goal I’m disappointed with because it shouldn’t get to that, but I said to the group about management in-game and what we need to do and how we do it, and they know, they take it on board.

“A two-goal cushion is fine for a while and then they get one back. But I’m just pleased for the lads, they’ve been working hard.

“The performances have been good but the results just haven’t been, so to take three points off a good team in Coventry is pleasing.”

Rotherham boss Matt Taylor said even a fire alarm after his side’s 2-0 win at the New York Stadium over Coventry could not dampen the mood.

The Millers registered just their second victory of the season as second-half goals from Lee Peltier and Ollie Rathbone secured a vital three points.

But there was drama at the end as a small fire in the East Stand of the New York Stadium led to an evacuation, with fans in the hospitality areas and members of the press forced to gather outside.

Taylor revealed his players were also initially asked to leave, but were eventually allowed to stay in the dressing room once the situation was contained.

The boss said: “It was a strange course of events at the end. You know Rotherham United, nothing ever is straightforward, being told that we had to leave the stadium on a high.

“We were on our way out and then told to get come back in. The truth of the matter is that not many players left the dressing room.

“There was a bit of confusion so if this happens again, we have to do better.

“I don’t think anyone is surprised with what happened. Things don’t surprise us here.

“Hopefully that doesn’t take anything away from the win.

“My main message after the game was that I have stood there hurt and they have listened to me being hurt enough times to make sure we enjoy these moments. That was a big three points.”

Coventry boss Mark Robins said he has not felt as disappointed over a defeat for some time.

The Sky Blues had several opportunities to both take the lead and then draw level, but could not find a way past Millers goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.

“It was disappointing, I can’t remember being as disappointed for a long time,” Robins said.

“I don’t think we have done enough any way. We were in control in the first half, but we were missing 10 per cent and were sloppy. But we created some decent opportunities, the keeper has made some good saves.

“This is what happens in Championship football. Unless you can muster more intent and more energy to go and make it happen you get hurt. What we did was the opposite.

“Despite all those things I have spoken about, we still had enough chances to win the game.

“I think we got what we deserved in the end. We have lost because we have not made the most of the opportunities. We have given them hope and they took their opportunities.

“If you’re a little bit off it you get punished.”

A fine second-half performance saw Rotherham earn just their second victory of the Championship season as they beat Coventry 2-0.

Lee Peltier glanced in shortly after the interval and then Ollie Rathbone lashed home in stoppage time to give the depleted Millers’ season a much-needed shot in the arm.

This was one of their best performances of the campaign and it sees them cut the gap to safety to five points with a game in hand.

Coventry had chances to get back into the game when they were trailing 1-0, but their inconsistent start to the season continues.

The Sky Blues made an assured start and almost took a 13th-minute lead when Kyle McFadzean found Ellis Simms in space 12 yards out, but his instinctive first-time shot was well saved by Sweden goalkeeper Viktor Johansson.

The Millers settled down and also had a fine chance to go ahead seven minutes later.

Cafu played Jordan Hugill in down the left and his cross was perfect for Fred Onyedinma at the near post and the net seemed destined to bulge, but the on-loan Luton man planted his header wide.

Neither side could get a grip on the match as promising positions for both were let down by poor final passes.

The second half immediately brought more entertainment as the Millers went ahead in the 51st minute.

Cafu whipped in a delicious corner to the near post and Peltier sent a glancing header into the far corner.

Coventry’s response was strong and they created a raft of chances to equalise.

Simms had a fine double opportunity as he met Jay Dasilva’s cross with a powering head that saw Johansson pull off a miraculous one-handed save, with the Everton loanee firing the rebound into the side netting.

Ben Sheaf then forced Johansson into another save with a shot from distance before Matt Godden could not make sufficient contact with a cross when the goal was gaping.

The game was suddenly alive and Rotherham had two great chances of their own to extend their lead.

First, Seb Revan’s cross fell to Rathbone and he looked primed to score but Ben Wilson got down to make a fine stop and then Hugill sent a header against the post from Dexter Lembikisa’s cross.

The Millers kept on pushing as Christ Tiehi sent a looping header just wide, Onyedinma shot straight at Wilson when through on goal and then the Sky Blues goalkeeper made a flying save to keep out Rathbone’s vicious strike.

Milan van Ewijk had a shot blocked and then Tatsuhiro Sakamoto put a glancing header inches wide as Coventry pushed for an equaliser.

But Rotherham deservedly made the game safe in the third minute of added time when Rathbone lashed home Georgie Kelly’s knockdown.