Frustration for Luke Littler as he misses four darts to win the set.

Nathan Aspinall had gifted him the last two with a pair of misses of his own but is not so generous the next time.

Double 16 hit to break back. Can he hold to send the set to a deciding leg?

Another ton-plus out for Luke Littler as he closes in on another set.

He needed it with Nathan Aspinall requiring just 32 after the pair had exchanged 180s.

It's been that kind of night for Aspinall so far.

Nathan Aspinall is still smiling but it's more of a wry smile as he shakes his head after a couple of wayward darts going for a 134 out.

Luke Littler had given him half a chance in that leg but eventually closes it out on double 10 with his 18th dart.

Image source, PA Media

• Last year was Littler's first as a professional
• He reached the world championship final in January 2024 aged 16, where he lost to Luke Humphries
• The teenager won 10 titles in his debut year including the Premier League
• Littler rose from 164 to four in the world rankings
• He was named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and was runner-up in the main award to athlete Keely Hodgkinson
• His prize money topped £1m

Fantastic from Luke Littler!

Not the leg Nathan Aspinall wanted but it's brilliant from his teenage opponent.

He starts with a 140, adds another 180 and then gets the 82 out for an 11-darter.

Littler is two sets away from the semi-final.

Nathan Aspinall misses a dart for the set!

Luke Littler had just missed the bull to hold and force a decider but Aspinall then follows suit when looking to take out 83.

That means Littler is able to come back, hit double 10 and give himself a chance of breaking Aspinall to win the set.

This match is being played in an ultra-competitive, but friendly spirit.

The pair are pals, and it shows.

Image source, Taylor Lanning/PDC

As comfortable a hold as Nathan Aspinall will have in this match as Luke Littler has a rare off leg.

The Asp is able to miss a couple of darts at double and still not be worried about the teenager nipping in.

Double 10 puts Aspinall a leg away from making it 2-2.

Boos from the crowd as Luke Littler gets back-to-back 180s but isn't able to complete the nine-darter.

Nathan Aspinall had matched his 180 to start but then fell away in the leg and Littler - perhaps handily for future nine-darter attempts - finishes on double 12 to tie it up in the fourth set.

Oh dear, neither play looked like they wanted to win this leg for a while!

Both pass up multiple chances to take it before Aspinall eventually hits double four.

It's just a hold but given how close he was to losing the leg, it's a big one for The Asp.

Rod Studd
Commentator on Sky Sports

Nathan Aspinall feels he can outscrap anybody.

Three trebleless visits from Luke Littler give Nathan Aspinall an opening but it's only on the third occasion that he takes advantage.

But his 140 is matched by Littler and another trebleless visit from The Asp gives the teenager the advantage again.

Another 140 helps Aspinall and when Littler can't take out 89, he fires one into double 16 to get a set back.

Superb from Nathan Aspinall.

He's been excellent in this set and forces a deciding leg with a double eight.

That's even after making a bit of a mess of things on his previous visit.

Luke Littler has the darts for a 3-0 lead, though...

Image source, PA Media

It's a 180 off!

Luke Littler hits a maximum, Nathan Aspinall responds in kind, only for Littler to get another.

Aspinall then hits two more treble 20s but he's on 181 so, after a bit of toying with the crowd, goes for the 15.

He knows the chance of him getting another visit in the leg are slim and so it proves, Littler hits double 10 for a 12-dart hold.

Luke Littler fills up the treble 20 bed once again - not once but twice and breaks straight back.

It wasn't a bad leg from Nathan Aspinall but it's a 12-darter from Littler, who seals it on his favoured double 10.

Nathan Aspinall comes out fighting.

He hits another 180 on his way to a 13-dart break of throw.

The man from Stockport needed to up his level to give himself any chance and that's a good way to start.

Luke Littler averaged 'just' 106.29 in that set so his match average is down to 111.29.

Still... you'd take it.

John Part
Former PDC world champion on Sky Sports

Nathan Aspinall is two down and in a world of trouble against Luke Littler.

Luke Littler has a little smile to himself as he walks off for the break with a two-set lead.

There's no stopping him in this form.

Nathan Aspinall did his best to up the intensity by hitting his first 180 of the match to leave 63.

But Littler, on 65, recovers from accidently hitting the bull when going for 25 and wins the set on double six.

There's the 180 for Luke Littler and there is the break of throw.

Nathan Aspinall is being blown away so far in this one.

He can't take out 104 and Littler hits double five. He'll have the darts with the chance to go up 2-0.