Luke Littler wins night five of Premier League Darts in Brighton with 6-3 win over Nathan Aspinall
Two nine-darters in one night - Rob Cross and Luke Humphries
Semi-finals: Van Gerwen 2-6 Littler, Cross 5-6 Aspinall
Quarter-finals: Price 3-6 Van Gerwen, Littler 6-5 Dobey, Cross 6-4 Humphries, Bunting 2-6 Aspinall
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Image source, Getty ImagesRight darts fans, that's enough tungsten tossing capers for one night!
Eight players, two nine-darters but ultimately only one winner - and that was Luke Littler yet again.
The 18-year-old faces Luke Humphries next week in a battle of the big two in Nottingham as the Premier League pressure really starts to ramp up.
So make sure you join us next week for what should be another epic night of arrows.
Nottingham, Thu 13 March, 19:00 GMT
Image source, Getty ImagesWhile we digest what's happened this evening, our attention has already turned to next week in Nottingham - where the top two in the Premier League table and the two best players on planet darts collide.
Luke Humphries v Luke Littler is the huge opener to next week's darting roadshow - we can't wait for that one!
Image source, Kieran Cleeves/PDCWhat more could you want from a night of darts? Not one, but TWO nine-darters, some top ton-plus finishes and some hefty averages as well in Brighton.
Both our nine-dart heroes lost, Nathan Aspinall battled his way into the final but Luke Littler's class just gave him the edge and a second win of the season.
A great night for Luke Littler, who has cut a seven-point gap at the top of the table down to just two points thanks to his win and Luke Humphries' early exit.
And as luck would have it they face each other in next week's quarter-finals!
Elsewhere, Nathan Aspinall was a big mover and Stephen Bunting remains rooted to the foot of the table without a point to his name.
He's eight points behind Michael van Gerwen in fourth so it's already looking like a big ask for him from here.
Image source, Michael Cooper/PDCAfter Brighton this week, the action moves on to Nottingham. Here's all the remaining fixtures:
Image source, PDC/Kieran CleevesA fabulous UK Open victory at the weekend and now a second Premier League victory of the season for Luke Littler, who says he's playing some of his very best darts.
"I've always been confident in my own ability, but the way my darts are going at the minute, it's probably the best I've ever played on a consistent basis," Littler told Sky Sports.
That's quite some statement for a man who won the World Championship in January.
Image source, Getty ImagesLuke Littler is now just two points behind Luke Humphries at the top of the table, but all he is interested in is making the final top four and making the Premier League finals at the O2 Arena.
"With Luke losing I was just concentrating on my own game - coming off the back of the UK Open win I was playing well and I thought I played really well again to win another trophy here," Littler told Sky Sports.
"My main goal is obviously the top four - whether first, second, third or fourth, just make it to the O2 and that's when the proper title defence takes place."
Littler 6-3 Aspinall
Image source, Getty ImagesNathan Aspinall has to hit tops to take out 104 and save the match, but when he misses Luke Littler makes no mistake on double 12 to win his second weekly prize.
That was a lot closer than the scoreline suggests as Aspinall was well in that final until the seventh leg break took the game away from him.
Littler always looked to be on a different level though and even though Aspinall can take a lot away from a sound run to the final, he's still a way off challenging Littler.
Littler 5-3 Aspinall
I swear Luke Littler has hit the very same hole in the double 10 that he hit last time - right in the middle of the bed - to win the eighth leg.
He's now just one away from victory.
Littler 4-3 Aspinall
Nathan Aspinall can't finish 99 when he misses double 16 - but Luke Littler steps in and hits that same bed to grab a crucial break of throw - and the lead.
Aspinall is well in this final so far but that was a huge leg to lose on his own throw.
Littler 3-3 Aspinall
Wayne Mardle
Former World Championship semi-finalist on Sky Sports
That was an exhibition shot that Luke Littler tried to pull off against Nathan Aspinall.
The look on Nathan's face was 'seriously, pal'.
Littler 3-3 Aspinall
Nathan Aspinall looks to be on a nine-darter but as his sixth dart hits the treble 20 one of the arrows already in there falls out!
Luke Littler then tries a fancy exhibition shot to finish and when he misses, Aspinall hits double four to take the leg and level the match.
Littler 3-2 Aspinall
There's a theme here, if Luke Littler hits top gear then Nathan Aspinall can;t live with him, but if the legs stretch out and it becomes a scrap, the Asp will absolutely take his chances if he gets them.
His 50 checkout here keeps him in the final.
Littler 3-1 Aspinall
Luke Littler hits two 180s in the leg, Nathan Aspinall responds with one of his own - even after dropping his third dart and having the crowd egg him on for the maximum.
Littler then shows the natural darting ability he has flowing through him, with a bad miss straying into single seven but quick as a flash he switches up to hit treble 20 before nailing double 16 for a 99 checkout.
Pure class.
Littler 2-1 Aspinall
First break of throw of the match comes from Luke Littler thanks to his old friend double 10.
That's a 13-darter for the world champion.
Littler 1-1 Aspinall
Much like his opening match tonight, Luke Littler recovers from a dodgy doubling start with his first effort at tops settling right in the heart of the bed to level the match.
A 134-180 start to the leg will aways help - especially on your own throw.
Littler 0-1 Aspinall
Luke Littler won 6-2 when these two met last week in Exeter, but Nathan Aspinall wins the first leg tonight courtesy of some more dodgy doubling by the world champion.
It's a 20-dart leg in the end - pretty shoddy considering we've seen two nine-darts won in less - but the Asp will take it for starters.
Littler v Aspinall
Image source, Getty ImagesRight then, the players are on the oche, who wins the final?
Thumbs up for Littler, down for Aspinall...
Littler v Aspinall
Image source, Getty ImagesNathan Aspinall has clawed his way into the final - withstanding a barrage from Rob Cross but managing to make it through.
Luke Littler hasn't been perfect, especially in the first game, but he blew Michael van Gerwen away in the semis and will be tough to beat here - even for a scrapper like The Asp.
Cross 5-6 Aspinall
Rob Cross produced a stellar performance during that game, where he averaged 106.91 and hit four 180s along with that incredible nine-darter of course.
It's about getting the job done though, and so despite Cross' superb stats he didn't manage to see Nathan Aspinall off, as he hung around and took his chances when he got them.
Aspinall averaged 96.49 and hit two maximums but it's all about moments in this sport, and he won those crucial moments and hitting six doubles out of 11 ultimately proved the difference.