JOE Cullen's world darts championship nightmare continued with another immediate exit this afternoon.

The Wyke pro has enjoyed his best year on the full-time circuit to break into the world's top 16.

But his Ally Pally demons returned with a 3-0 defeat to Brendan Dolan in the last 32 - winning just one leg.

Even a wedding proposal in the crowd failed to spark the Bradford man, who had ambitions to go deep into the competition.

Dolan rattled off the first six legs as Cullen struggled to gain a foothold. He did hit a couple of maximums but missed a double-top finish and then saw Dolan take out a 170 to seal the second set.

Cullen, who has only ever won one match at the tournament in nine years of trying, missed his first 10 shots at a double before finally getting a leg on the board at the start of the third.

But he failed to take chances to claw his way back and Dolan saw the match through.