Littler beats Price to win back-to-back Premier League nights
Final
Littler 6 - 3 Price
Littler started with six perfect darts in the first leg. A perfect seventh unfortunately stayed out, but after nine darts there was only 24 left on the board. That did not go out, but Price was still far away and in 13 darts, Littler made it 1-0. Price had 100 left and needed to throw that out, but didn't, and Littler threw another 13-darter to grab the break via double 16. Littler wasted a chance at 3-0 to give Price an opportunity at the break on 93, but he missed double 10.
Littler, however, did throw out and made it 3-0. Price threw a 180 in the fourth leg and left double 14. That went out and so Price was on the board at 3-1 down. Price then threw little at all and seemed to let everything run its course - Littler very easily made it 4-1 via tops.
Price made it 4-2 by hitting double 5 but Littler continued to throw well as he threw 180 in the seventh leg. Price did the same, and though Littler left 25, he did not throw that out. Price had 75 left and also did not throw out, leaving Littler to make it 5-2 via double 5. Littler had a chance from 120 but did not throw out. Double 10 made it 5-3 and Price had the chance for the break via 132, but missed the bullseye. Littler finished the match to take the win 6-3 and top the overall standings.
Semi-finals
Smith 3 - 6 Price
Price continued his form from the quarter-finals and shot out of the starting blocks. With a 180 in the first leg, he finally threw out 92 via double 6 for the 1-0. Price also threw 180 in the second leg and so had break chances early in the match. He had six arrows for 81, and eventually threw out double 10 in 14 arrows: 2-0. He banged on with two 180s in his leg and was allowed to dock for the perfect nine darter and threw it - a great lay by the Welshman.
It then turned into 11 perfect darts as Price opened with two triple 20s. Smith missed the chance for the 3-1 by missing tops twice, but he was lucky that Price did not get the 118 out. Smith then threw tops to make it 3-1 and Price opened with another 180. The fifth leg was also a breeze for Price, with tops making it 4-1.
Price finishes it off
Smith stayed in the match by hitting double 10 to make it 4-2. He even had a chance for the break at 170, but missed the bullseye. However, Price did throw out 56 to make it 5-2. Smith did not throw out 100, but neither did Price 101 for the match. Smith then hit double 10 for the 5-3 and stayed in the match. Price was not in trouble again as 72 went out to make it 6-3.
Aspinall 4 - 6 Littler
Aspinall had an easy first leg, where both men needed to warm up. Via double 10 it became 1-0 to Aspinall. Littler threw the first 180 of the match in the second leg, leaving 43. That did not go out and so Aspinall on 131 had the chance for the break, but did not find it. However, Littler again failed to get 40 out and so Aspinall had the chance on 76, but he too failed to throw out.
Littler threw out on double 2 and so the first two legs both went out in 20 arrows only: 1-1. Littler threw 180 again in the third leg, but Aspinall also did so. Littler did throw 131 for the break via two tops in a handsome finish. Aspinall had an immediate chance to break back via 87, but missed double 18 twice. Littler hit via double 10 to make it 3-1.
Aspinall threw his second 180 of the match in the fifth leg and easily worked to 3-2. Via double 8 it became 3-2. Littler held the break lead as 90 also went out via double 10.
Aspinall still comes back
Littler also had every chance of the break with 136 against 188. But the young Englishman had enough with three arrows and threw another fine finish. That made it 5-2. Aspinall did not give up and had a good eighth leg, including a 180. He left 52 after nine arrows and 12 darts to make it 5-3. Littler had a matchdart on 112 but missed tops. Aspinall had to throw out 89 and did so in two darts to make it 5-4.
Littler opened with a 180 and was allowed to throw for the match again with 70 left. His second match-dart also went wrong as tops did not go in. Aspinall had 76 left and also got one dart. Tops just went wrong and so Littler now had three more matchdarts - double 10 went in for a 6-4 win.
Quarter-finals
Aspinall 6 -3 Cross
Aspinall clearly had some nerves before the match in front of his own Manchester crowd, but he started sharply with a 180 and left 91 after nine darts. He got two break darts, but missed tops twice. Cross left 90 and threw that out by throwing double 18 twice. Aspinall started right back with a 180 in his leg. He threw that again moments later, leaving 41. In 11 darts the leg finally went out and so he shot out of the starting blocks.
In the third leg the match struggled to get going. Cross had three visits without a triple, giving Aspinall the chance to take the initiative, but Aspinall also threw poorly. Cross had enough to leave double 8 and threw that too for the 2-1 lead. Cross threw his first 180 in the fourth leg but Aspinall still took the leg - 85 went out handsomely in two darts via tops, while Cross faced 82: 2-2.
Aspinall had chances for the break again in the fifth leg; 49 was left and that went out in two darts via double 16, securing the first break and making it 3-2. Cross did open with 180 in Aspinall's leg. But the break back did not come. Cross was waiting on 32, but Aspinall threw out 108 via double 16.
Double break
He also opened with a 180 in Cross' leg but failed to grab the break as a result. Cross was out in five visits via 52 to make it 4-3. Cross had to break back to get into the match, but threw a poor leg. That allowed Aspinall to eject from 133.
Double 8 went wrong, but he was allowed to come back for it. He only wasted two chances, giving Cross a break arrow on double 8, which wasn't utilised and Aspinall made it 5-3 via double 1. Aspinall threw 180 in the ninth leg and left 124 for the match. Triple 20 and 14 were hit, but double 11 did not. Cross failed to throw out 110 and so Aspinall was allowed to come back and threw out double 4 to win the match 6-3.
Littler 6 - 3 Van Gerwen
The match struggled to ignite in the first leg as Littler made it 1-0 via double 5 in seven visits. In the second leg, Littler had a chance for the break via 96 and threw it out in two darts: 2-0, and 90 also went out again via double 5.
The fourth leg started with two 180s and Van Gerwen got on the board by throwing out tops: 3-1. Van Gerwen threw his second 180 in the fifth leg and grabbed the break by throwing out 84: 3-2. The Dutchman then had two darts at double 8 to make it 3-3, but missed. He was allowed to come back for it, though, as Littler failed to throw out 70. This time Van Gerwen did not fail and it became 3-3.
Van Gerwen almost grabbed the break as 167 failed to go out via bullseye, but Littler failed to throw out 74 and so Van Gerwen was allowed to come back for 25. That too failed to go out and so it was still 4-3 via double 10.
Van Gerwen needed 136 to make it 4-4. Twice triple 19 was hit, but double 11 did not and Littler made it 5-3 through double 8. Littler threw out through double 10 to win the match 6-3.
Smith 6 - 3 Humphries
Smith immediately dropped three chances on tops in the first leg, but Humphries failed to get 116 out. Smith came back and this time did hit for the 1-0. Humphries started the match badly and easily surrendered his leg - Smith again went out via tops: 2-0.
Smith was much better and threw 180 in the third leg. Smith got to an easy 3-0 via double 16 and Humphries threw only 80 average but out of nowhere came a 167 finish for the 3-1. However, Smith continued to throw well and Humphries erratically, and it soon became 4-1 via tops. Humphries failed to finish 75 in his own leg and Smith took advantage by hitting double 10 for a 5-1 lead.
Smith outclasses Humphries
Humphries threw another 180 and eventually took the break by hitting double 12. Smith was allowed to throw for the match on 96, but missed two match-darts. Humphries threw out 52 and made it 5-3, but Smith won the match 6-3 as 117 went out.
Price 6-4 Wright
Price impressively got to 1-0 in his own leg - 115 went out under pressure and it needed to as Wright was waiting for 65. Price had a chance for the break from 113 via bullseye, but missed it.
Wright did throw 58 out and equalised. Price threw 180 in the third leg and left tops. That went out to make it 2-1, despite Wright also throwing 180. Price threw 180 in Wright's leg, but a good leg from the Scot did just make it 2-2 via tops.
Both men threw 180 in the fifth leg, but Price was finishing neatly. Price threw out 60 to make it 3-2. The first break came in the sixth leg - double 10 went out for the 4-2.
Wright grabbed the rebreak as 111 went out handsomely via double 16. Wright opened with a 180 and immediately took the initiative. With another 180 in that leg, he left 55. That went out in two arrows and meant an 11 darter for 4-4.
Price then had 124 left, and Wright 121. Neither went out and so Price came back for tops and he hit it: 5-4. Price then threw 180 in the 10th leg and that allowed him to throw for the match on 60. That went out via double 10 to end a fantastic duel with averages of 107 and 109.
