The 16-year-old has set the Alexandra Palace tournament alight on debut and is the youngest player ever to reach the last eight after a stunning 4-1 win.

He showed maturity and talent way beyond his tender years to get past the five-time world champion, who he used to imitate in front of the television as a three-year-old.

He peppered the treble 20 nine times and finished with an emphatic average of 105.01.

Luke Humphries 4-3 Joe Cullen

Luke Humphries 4-3 (6-5) Joe Cullen

Cullen starts with a 100 but Humphries responds with a 180. Both players nail 140s next up. Cullen leaves 121 and will have a shot at the match.

Humphries leaves 100. Cullen can’t finish.

Humphries hits treble 20, he hits 20, he hits double 10. That’s the match. The closest of knockout games goes the way of Luke Humphries!

It’s an Ally Pally classic and Joe Cullen is heartbroken. He was immense and just couldn’t get over the line. Humphries has nerves of steel.

Luke Humphries 3-3 (5-5) Joe Cullen

Humphries, with a maximum, leaves himself 89 to win the match and he needs to take it. He doesn’t he misses double 5.

Cullen hits two bullseyes but misses out on double 16.

Humphries busts going for double 5.

Cullen hits 16, he hits 8, he misses double 4.

Humphries misses three darts at double 5!

Cullen busts.

Humphries hits 5.

Cullen needs 8, he hits double 4! It’s a sudden death leg. Oh my days!

Luke Humphries 3-3 (5-4) Joe Cullen

Humphries nudges ahead leaves 121. He hits treble 20, hits treble 11 but undershoots double 14. Cullen doesn’t hit his own three figure checkout and Humphries gets it.

He tidies up double 2 to break the throw and will throw himself for the match!

Luke Humphries 3-3 (4-4) Joe Cullen

Oh my days. Luke Humphries will not go down. He cleans out 86 in two darts with Cullen left with 56. The match is level again and it’s now a three leg shootout.

Who will win it?

Luke Humphries 3-3 (3-4) Joe Cullen

A 140 from Cullen leaves him with six darts to take out 87. He sets up by leaving 32 and takes two darts, one into 16 and the next into double 8 to move ahead again.

Luke Humphries 3-3 (3-3) Joe Cullen

Joe Cullen moves ahead with a 140 and a 143. This is the opportunity. A 60 sees the chance slip away and Humphries leaves himself 100 for the first checkout.

He needs it.

He takes it!

In doing so he saves the match.

Luke Humphries 3-3 (2-3) Joe Cullen

Cullen is throwing first and every hold will give him the chance to win the match. Boom!

Cullen hits 19, then the treble and leaves double 20 to take out 116 and nails it!

Luke Humphries 3-3 (2-2) Joe Cullen

180! From 344 Humphries hits the maximum and leaves a finish as Joe Cullen continues to struggle. Is the match slipping away from him here?

On 72, Humphries has a dart at tops but misses. A 180 from Cullen puts him on a finish. He has two shots at double 18 but misses both of them!

You can not believe it.

Humphries drills double 20 and forces the match to continue.