McCoy’s Premier League Darts Night 14

JAMES WADE claimed the final place in the McCoy’s Premier League Darts Play-Offs as he drew with Phil Taylor in Newcastle on Thursday, while Michael van Gerwen ensured he would top the league table with a thrilling display at the Metro Radio Arena.

2009 Premier League champion Wade entered the 14th and final league night holding fourth place but knowing that Robert Thornton and Simon Whitlock could overtake him depending on their results.

After Thornton lost his opening game in Newcastle with a 7-4 defeat to Raymond van Barneveld and Whitlock drew with Adrian Lewis, Wade went into his clash with Taylor knowing that his fate was in his own hands.

The world number four produced a typically determined performance with some key finishes as he held his nerve to claim a draw with Taylor, and the point proved to be enough when Thornton was defeated 7-1 by van Gerwen later in the evening.

Wade will now face van Gerwen in the semi-finals at The O2 next Thursday, while Taylor plays van Barneveld in the other last four clash as the quartet battle for the £150,000 prize and to lift the prestigious trophy in London.

“It was nervy but I did enough and that draw was bigger than any win I’ve had all season,” said Wade. “I feel fresh now and I’m ready for the Play-Offs.

“Michael’s a brilliant player, but I’m also pretty good myself and I think it’s the most even Premier League ever. I don’t think anybody could pick a player to win it.

“I still haven’t played great, and apart probably from five games where I played well and in other games I rode my luck and got through them. I’ll prepare right for the Play-Offs and I’m looking forward to it.”

Van Gerwen ensured that he would end his debut Premier League season at the head of the table with a sensational display to defeat Robert Thornton 7-1 in a game which took less than 15 minutes.

Thornton could still have ousted Wade from fourth had he whitewashed the Dutchman, but that prospect was ended inside 90 seconds as van Gerwen took the opening leg.

He also won the next five legs – hitting four 180s in the process – to lead 6-0 and then had a dart at tops for a 113 finish as Thornton hit tops to get himself off the mark.

Van Gerwen, though, opened the next leg with scores of 180 and 177, and though he missed out on a nine-dart finish he went on to seal victory with a 105.35 average to confirm that he would become the first player other than Taylor to top the Premier League table following the weekly rounds.

“It was a big target for me and it’s a very special moment for me,” said van Gerwen. “It means a lot to me and you can see how difficult it is to finish top because nobody has ever done it other than Phil.

“It was important to win tonight with a very good game, and I can look forward to playing James in the semi-finals now. He’s a quality player who knows exactly how to win games, but I just want to play my own game, like I did tonight.

“I think I’ve done very well in the last 14 weeks but we have one big week left and I’ve got two more games to win – and I want to win them both.”

Van Barneveld finished a point behind his fellow countryman on 23 league points as he secured a return to the Play-Offs in style with a brace of 7-4 victories against Thornton and Whitlock.

“I couldn’t do any more than win both games,” said van Barneveld, who was cheered on by Newcastle United’s Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul. “I’ll congratulate Michael on finishing top because he’s deserved it over 14 weeks.

“To have the number one and two in the league from Holland is a good result but I have to focus on the Play-Offs now. It’s a totally different game now but all four players in the semi-finals deserve to be there.

“I’ve had many years where I’ve been in the Premier League semi-finals and not reached the final, so my first target is Phil Taylor. It’s a really hard task and it seems he always plays his best game against me, but if I play my best game I can beat anyone I want.

“Hopefully next week it will be a good battle and I’ll practice hard for it. I’m battling, my head is right and I believe in myself again, and if you believe in yourself then anything is possible.”

Reigning champion Taylor, meanwhile, finished third in the final league table and will face van Barneveld in the semi-finals as he bids to claim a seventh McCoy’s Premier League Darts title.

After hitting back from 2-0 down to lead 3-2 against Wade, Taylor went on to grab a point as he showed his versatility around the board by hitting five scores of above 170 in the contest.

“It was an exciting match to be involved in and I knew what it meant for James,” said Taylor. “I could feel the tension in that last leg because he needed the draw.

“It was different for me because I’d already qualified, but it’s a different mindset next week because you either win, or you’re out.

“I’m still picking my form up and I’ve got a few days now to finalise everything for the Play-Offs and I’ll be there or thereabouts. It’s been a tough 14 weeks so I’m pleased just to get through, and anyone who has qualified for the semi-finals deserves it.”

Two-time World Champion Lewis, meanwhile, ended the season with a flourish by defeating Andy Hamilton and drawing with Whitlock, although he still ended the season in eighth place, two points adrift of Hamilton.

“It’s been a really disappointing season but I’m delighted to get a win against Andy and to draw with Simon,” said Lewis, who hit a 170 finish in his clash with Whitlock.

“I wanted to end the season on a high and my form’s starting to come back – but it’s just too late and I wish I could start the season again now to be honest. I can look forward now to the UK Open and I think I’ll be hard to beat there.”

Thursday’s results in Newcastle brought the league phase of the McCoy’s Premier League Darts season to a close, with the revamped format having seen Gary Anderson and Wes Newton relegated following nine weeks before the battle for Play-Off places went all the way to the 14th night.

Van Barneveld and Taylor will open the Play-Offs at The O2 next week, before van Gerwen faces Wade as the quartet contest repeats of the World Championship semi-finals held less than six months ago.

The winners will then contest the final for the right to leave The O2 carrying the prestigious trophy and a £150,000 first prize.

Van Gerwen is the 11/10 favourite to win the McCoy’s Premier League Darts title with Coral, the official bookmaker of the event, with Taylor priced at 7/4, van Barneveld 11/2 and Wade the 8/1 outsider.

Van Gerwen is priced at 3/10 by Coral to defeat Wade, who is 5/2 to reach the final, while Taylor is the 4/9 favourite to defeat van Barneveld, who is 7/4 to win through to his first Premier League Darts final.

The night at The O2 will also feature the PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship final between St Helens’ Michael Smith and Kettering’s Ricky Evans, who will be playing for a £10,000 first prize as the Under-21’s event concludes with the best-of-11 leg decider between the Premier League’s semi-finals and final.

Tickets for the McCoy’s Premier League Darts Play-Offs at The O2 in London on Thursday May 16 are still available by calling 0844 856 0202 or by visiting www.axs.com.

Watch Live
All McCoy’s Premier League Darts nights will be shown live on Sky Sports HD from 7pm.
Coverage is also live through RTL7 in the Netherlands, Sport1 in Germany, OSN across the Middle East and Fox Sports in Australia.
LIVEPDC.TV International Pass subscribers can also watch live coverage at LIVEPDC.TV, along with highlights on a 24-hour delay.

Get Involved
Stay in touch with the McCoy’s Premier League Darts through the PDC’s official Facebook and Twitter page, and join the conversation using the #McCoysPLD hashtag.

McCoy’s Premier League Darts
Week 14
May 9 – Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
Andy Hamilton 5-7 Adrian Lewis
Robert Thornton 4-7 Raymond van Barneveld
Adrian Lewis 6-6 Simon Whitlock
Phil Taylor 6-6 James Wade
Michael van Gerwen 7-1 Robert Thornton
Simon Whitlock 4-7 Raymond van Barneveld

Play-Offs
May 16 – The O2, London
McCoy’s Premier League Darts Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen v James Wade
Best of 15 legs

PDC Unicorn World Youth Championship Final
Ricky Evans v Michael Smith
Best of 11 legs

McCoy’s Premier League Darts Final
van Gerwen/Wade v van Barneveld/Taylor
Best of 19 legs

Final League Table

	P	W	D	L	+/-	LWAT	Pts
Michael van Gerwen – Q	16	11	2	3	+34	39	24
Phil Taylor – Q	16	8	4	4	+22	40	20
Raymond van Barneveld – Q	16	10	3	3	+24	41	23
James Wade	16	7	3	6	+6	31	17
Robert Thornton	16	6	3	7	-7	31	15
Simon Whitlock	16	7	1	8	-9	33	15
Andy Hamilton	16	6	0	10	-11	30	12
Adrian Lewis	16	4	2	10	-27	25	10
Relegated
Wes Newton	9	2	1	6	-14		5
Gary Anderson	9	2	1	6	-18		5

McCoy’s Premier League Darts Night 11

PHIL TAYLOR got his McCoy’s Premier League Darts Play-Off challenge back on track by picking up three points as the tournament visited Dublin on Thursday night, as Michael van Gerwen moved four points clear of his rivals with two wins at a sold-out O2.

Reigning champion Taylor crossed the Irish Sea having lost his last two matches and slipped to fifth in the league table ahead of a key night in Dublin.

However, he averaged 105 in a fine display to open the six games in front of 9,000 fans at The O2 in style with a 7-3 win over Andy Hamilton, getting back to winning ways with a strong display.

He later took on Dutch rival Raymond van Barneveld, who picked up his first point against Taylor in the Premier League since 2006 but was punished for missing five darts to claim his first-ever win over the Stoke ace in the tournament.

Van Barneveld hit six 180s as he took command of the game at 3-1 and 6-4, but missed darts to claim both points as Taylor finished 111 to grab a draw and complete a successful night in Dublin.

Van Gerwen, meanwhile, moved four points clear in the league table after picking up a double victory for the second successive week.

He firstly averaged 106 as he completed a Premier League double over van Barneveld in their all-Dutch clash, before edging out Adrian Lewis 7-5 in the night’s final contest.

He found himself 3-1 down to the two-time World Champion, but turned the game on its head with four successive legs to take command before finishing 108 in the game’s deciding leg to secure both points.

2009 Premier League champion James Wade moved second in the league table, jumping above van Barneveld with a 7-4 victory over Scottish ace Robert Thornton.

The pair shared the game’s opening eight legs, with Thornton finishing 140 and 118, but Wade secured a crucial break of throw in the ninth leg by taking out 68 before winning the next two legs to seal his seventh win of the season.

Australian ace Simon Whitlock’s challenge to win a Play-Off place continues after he won a second successive game by defeating Hamilton 7-3 in their clash.

The win takes Whitlock level on ten points with Hamilton, who lost twice on the night, with both now three points adrift of fourth-placed Taylor.

The McCoy’s Premier League Darts continues next Thursday at The NIA in Birmingham, when a further six games will take place. Tickets are still available by calling 0844 338 8000 or visiting http://www.theticketfactory.com.

Watch Live
All McCoy’s Premier League Darts nights will be shown live on Sky Sports HD from 7pm.
Coverage is also live through RTL7 in the Netherlands, Sport1 in Germany, OSN across the Middle East and Fox Sports in Australia.
LIVEPDC.TV International Pass subscribers can also watch live coverage at LIVEPDC.TV, along with highlights on a 24-hour delay.

Get Involved
Stay in touch with the McCoy’s Premier League Darts through the PDC’s official Facebook and Twitter page, and join the conversation using the #McCoysPLD hashtag.

McCoy’s Premier League Darts
Week 11
April 18 – The O2, Dublin
Andy Hamilton 3-7 Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld 4-7 Michael van Gerwen
Robert Thornton 4-7 James Wade
Simon Whitlock 7-3 Andy Hamilton
Raymond van Barneveld 6-6 Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen 7-5 Adrian Lewis

Latest League Table

After Week 11	P	W	D	L	+/-	LWAT	Pts
Michael van Gerwen	13	9	2	2	+27	32	20
James Wade	12	7	2	3	+19	28	16
Raymond van Barneveld	12	6	3	3	+10	31	15
Phil Taylor	12	5	3	4	+9	30	13
Robert Thornton	11	4	3	4	+2	25	11
Andy Hamilton	12	5	0	7	-8	23	10
Simon Whitlock	11	5	0	6	-8	23	10
Adrian Lewis	11	3	1	7	-19	18	7
Relegated
Wes Newton	9	2	1	6	-14	15	5
Gary Anderson	9	2	1	6	-18	13	5

McCoy’s Premier League Darts Night Eight Results

NEWTON BLOWS McCOY’S PREMIER LEAGUE RELEGATION RACE OPEN AS THORNTON DELIGHTS GLASGOW CROWD

A DRAMATIC win for Wes Newton over Gary Anderson in Glasgow on Thursday night means that four players will battle to avoid relegation from the McCoy’s Premier League Darts on Judgement Night.

The bottom two players in the Premier League table following next week’s ninth league night in Brighton will be eliminated from the tournament – and wins for Newton and Adrian Lewis at the SECC blew the relegation race wide open.

Newton came from 5-4 down to take a 7-5 win over 2011 Premier League champion Anderson, who missed 24 darts at doubles during the game as he slipped to the foot of the table.

Newton jumped above the Scot on Leg Difference, with Simon Whitlock’s defeat to in-form Robert Thornton leaving the Australian only a point above the pair.

“I rode my luck a bit tonight,” admitted Newton. “Gary scored well but he didn’t finish well and he let me in, and I took my chances.

“I’ll take the two points because I’ve lost games which I should have won this season and I’m still in the hunt – it’s all to play for next week now!”

Newton had received a cortisone injection in a long-standing shoulder problem on Tuesday and admitted: “This was the best it’s been since October and I was pain-free for the first time in a long time, and hopefully I can get back to my best now.”

Anderson conceded: “I was hitting trebles for fun and couldn’t buy a double, and I’m as sick as a pig!

“I’m playing well in practice but I can’t hit a double on stage and it’s been the story of my season, and the more I’m missing, the more I panic.”

Whitlock went down 7-1 to a sensational performance by Ayrshire’s Robert Thornton, who averaged 107.65 in ensuring that he cannot be eliminated as he picked up a third victory in his debut season.

The Scot won the first four legs without reply in front of his home fans at a sold-out SECC – hitting 180s in the first three and a 157 checkout in the process.

Whitlock took out 114 to hit back, but Thornton landed a maximum in moving 5-1 up, a 121 finish to pull clear and double 12 to seal the win.

“There’s not many people who will beat Simon 7-1 because he’s one of the hardest and steadiest players you’ll come up against, and I had to put in a performance like that to do it,” said Thornton.

“I’m absolutely loving the Premier League and it seems to be bringing the best out of me, so long may it continue!”

The UK Open champion added: “To be safe from relegation and to play in front of a crowd like this makes everything worthwhile – it was amazing. It’s brilliant, one of the most memorable nights I’ve ever had.

“I wanted to go up there and not let the Scottish fans down, so it’s great to play so well. I was pretty focused and I’m chuffed to bits with how I played.

“I’ve had loads of family and friends here watching and it’s the first time my mum’s seen me play live, so I’m very proud.”

World number two Adrian Lewis moved up to seventh place by extending his unbeaten run to four matches with a 7-4 win over Andy Hamilton.

Lewis had lost his first four games but is now unbeaten since, as he came from 2-0 down to claim a fine win – which featured a key 124 bullseye finish in the penultimate leg.

“After four weeks I didn’t think I’d make it to the latter stages but I’ve got a great chance now,” said Lewis. “As soon as I had to fight for my life, I’ve been pulling something out of the bag.

“It was a really tough game tonight but I’m delighted to get the win. Seven points isn’t enough yet to avoid relegation, though, so I’ll focus on playing Raymond van Barneveld next week in Brighton.”

Van Barneveld, meanwhile, was defeated 7-3 by Phil Taylor as the reigning champion continued his return to form with a second successive victory as he ended a four-week trial with a new design of darts by going back to the style with which he won the World Championship in January.

Taylor took the game’s first three legs – twice punishing missed doubles from the Dutchman – and led 6-2 before van Barneveld took out a superb 144 finish to stay in the contest.

However, two further misses from the Dutchman allowed Taylor in to secure the victory with a 72 finish, ending any slim chance of him being dragged into the relegation dogfight as he became one of four players locked on ten points at the top of the table.

“I tried the new darts but they didn’t quite work for me,” said Taylor. “They were great in practice but not on stage and I went back to what I’m comfortable with tonight, and it worked.

“I was really nervous before the game and there was a lot of pressure on us both. Barney’s a brilliant player and he hit the 180s at the right time, but he couldn’t quite hit his finishes tonight – apart from the 144, which was brilliant!”

James Wade’s fine 7-4 win over Michael van Gerwen in a high-scoring contest saw him join the Dutchman, Taylor and van Barneveld on ten points in the league table.

After van Gerwen took the game’s opening leg in 12 darts, Wade hit two 180s in a 12-darter to level and hit legs of 11 and 12 darts in moving 3-1 up, also hitting a 134 checkout.

The 2009 champion also led 4-1 before van Gerwen hit back to within a leg, but Wade took out finishes of 135 and 130 as he swept to victory by hitting seven doubles from 11 attempts in the game.

“It was a good win for me,” said Wade. “Everyone knows the form that Michael’s been in but mine has been picking up and nobody scares me.

“I’m putting the work in this year and it’s showing in my performances. This game is all about finishing and that’s been my strength again.”

The McCoy’s Premier League Darts will continue next Thursday with Judgement night at the Brighton Centre, which will see the final five games played before the ten-player event sees the bottom two relegated.

Lewis will open up against van Barneveld before Taylor faces Thornton in the only game which cannot affect the elimination battle.

Newton then meets Hamilton and Anderson takes on Wade, before Whitlock faces van Gerwen in the night’s final clash.C

Click here to see an exclusive Robert Thornton interview at the OfficialPDC YouTube Page

Watch Live
All McCoy’s Premier League Darts nights will be shown live on Sky Sports HD from 7pm.
Coverage is also live through RTL7 in the Netherlands, Sport1 in Germany, OSN across the Middle East and Fox Sports in Australia.
LIVEPDC.TV International Pass subscribers can also watch live coverage at LIVEPDC.TV, along with highlights on a 24-hour delay.

Get Involved
Stay in touch with the McCoy’s Premier League Darts through the PDC’s official Facebook and Twitter page, and join the conversation using the #McCoysPLD hashtag.

McCoy’s Premier League Darts
Week Seven
March 28 – SECC, Glasgow
Adrian Lewis 7-4 Andy Hamilton
Simon Whitlock 1-7 Robert Thornton
Phil Taylor 7-3 Raymond van Barneveld
Gary Anderson 5-7 Wes Newton
Michael van Gerwen 4-7 James WadeL

Latest League Table

	P	W	D	L	+/-	Pts
Phil Taylor	8	4	2	2	+12	10
Michael van Gerwen	8	4	2	2	+12	10
James Wade	8	4	2	2	+9	10
Raymond van Barneveld	8	4	2	2	+6	10
Robert Thornton	8	3	3	2	+5	9
Andy Hamilton	8	4	0	4	0	8
Adrian Lewis	8	3	1	4	-7	7
Simon Whitlock	8	3	0	5	-11	6
Wes Newton	8	2	1	5	-12	5
Gary Anderson	8	2	1	5	-14	5

Match Information
Adrian Lewis v Andy Hamilton
0-0 – Adrian Lewis will throw first
0-1 – Hamilton lands a 180 with his second throw but the leg ends in dispair for both players as they miss a total of 17 darts at doubles – ten from Hamilton and seven from Lewis – before Hamilton posts double one to break throw in the opener.
0-2 – Hamilton doubles his lead by hitting double eight.
1-2 – Hamilton misses double 18 to finish 150, and Lewis steps in to finish 56 on tops to get off the mark.
2-2 – Lewis fires in a 180 and posts tops again to level the game with a break of throw.
3-2 – Another 180 for Lewis leaves him 38 and he hits double 19 at the first time of asking to move ahead.
4-2 – Hamilton misses the bull and two further darts to win the leg, and Lewis hits tops to move two legs clear with another break.
4-3 – Hamilton misses the bullseye again, but Lewis is off-target with two darts at tops to allow him back to land double eight.
5-3 – Lewis regains his two-leg cushion in a bizarre twist, with Hamilton initially needing 164 but bursting his score to allow the two-time World Champion back, hitting double eight after missing the bull for a 170 checkout.
5-4 – Hamilton regains his composure with a superb 100 checkout to hit back.
6-4 – Hamilton hits a 180 to leave 50, but Lewis hits the bull to complete a 124 finish to ensure a point from the game.
7-4 – Lewis misses double nine for a 138 finish, but Hamilton is unable to take out 88 and the world number two returns to seal a key win.

Match Stats

Adrian Lewis	7-4	Andy Hamilton
18	100+	13
4	140+	9
1	170+	0
2	180	2
88.70	Average	87.85
124	High Finish	100
4	Breaks of Throw	3
7/20 – 35%	Checkout %	4/22 – 18%

Simon Whitlock v Robert Thornton
0-0 – Simon Whitlock will throw first
0-1 – Thornton delights the Scottish crowd with a 180 and double 19 to break throw in the opening leg.
0-2 – Thornton adds a second maximum as he doubles his lead.
0-3 – The Scot’s stunning start continues with a third 180 of the game before he powers in a 157 checkout, maintaining a 128 average!
0-4 – Double top sees Thornton move four legs clear.
1-4 – Whitlock finishes 114 on tops to get off the mark.
1-5 – Thornton takes out 76 on tops to move further clear.
1-6 – Thornton finishes 121 on double 14 to ensure at least a draw – and the possibility of a record Premier League average!
1-7 – Thornton completes a superb win on double 12 – after Whitlock misses the bull for a 170 finish and two further darts at double eight. Thornton’s end average is 107.65 – two points below his superb 109 of earlier in the season as he misses out on a personal best on TV.

Click here to see an exclusive Robert Thornton interview at the OfficialPDC YouTube Page

Match Stats

Simon Whitlock	1-7	Robert Thornton
9	100+	12
5	140+	7
0	170+	0
0	180	4
90.77	Average	107.65
114	High Finish	157,121
0	Breaks of Throw	3
1/4 – 25%	Checkout %	7/16 – 44%

Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
0-0 – Phil Taylor will throw first
1-0 – van Barneveld hits a 180, but Taylor – who has gone back to using the design of darts with which he won the World Championship in January after four games with a new design  – hits double 16 to get off the mark.
2-0 – van Barneveld hits another maximum, but misses darts at double 16, 12 and six to allow Taylor in on tops.
3-0 – The Dutchman misses the bull for a 124 finish, and Taylor again lands tops to win a third leg.
3-1 – van Barneveld gets off the mark by finishing double eight.
4-1 – Taylor hits a 180 and posts double 16 to regain his cushion.
4-2 – Double 16 sees van Barneveld hit back again.
5-2 – van Barneveld opens with 180 and 140 in hitting five successive treble 20s, but he misses four darts to break throw and Taylor lands a third-dart double five to avert a break of throw.
6-2 – Taylor opens with 140 and 180 before hitting double eight to ensure at least a point.
6-3 – Taylor misses two match darts at double 16, and van Barneveld takes out 144 to keep in the game.
7-3 – Two misses at double top from van Barneveld allow Taylor to seal victory with a 72 finish.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	7-3	R v Barneveld
15	100+	9
5	140+	10
1	170+	0
2	180	4
102.94	Average	102.96
72	High Finish	144
3	Breaks of Throw	1
7/16 – 44%	Checkout %	3/13 – 23%

Gary Anderson v Wes Newton
0-0 – Gary Anderson will throw first
0-1 – Anderson misses eight doubles to win the opening leg, and Newton punishes him – eventually – on double four.
0-2 – Three further misses from Anderson allow the Fleetwood ace in to double his lead.
1-2 – Anderson hits a 180 and lands double five to get off the mark.
2-2 – The Scot delights the home crowd with double 11 to break throw and level.
3-2 – Anderson posts a 180 and tops to move ahead.
3-3 – Newton takes out 132 on the bull to level.
4-3 – Newton hits a 180, but misses two darts at double eight, and Anderson hits tops to edge ahead.
4-4 – Anderson posts a maximum but misses tops for a 160 finish, and Newton takes out 84 on double 11 to square the game again.
5-4 – Anderson this time takes out 84 on the bull to regain the lead.
5-5 – Anderson misses double top, and Newton takes out 120 to level.
5-6 – Anderson crucially misses five darts at doubles, and Newton breaks throw on double eight.
5-7 – Newton secures a huge victory by taking out 72 to keep his McCoy’s Premier League hopes alive.

Match Stats

Gary Anderson	5-7	Wes Newton
16	100+	17
11	140+	4
0	170+	0
4	180	3
95.31	Average	87.53
84	High Finish	132,120
1	Breaks of Throw	2
5/29 – 17%	Checkout %	7/20 – 35%

Michael van Gerwen v James Wade
0-0 – Michael van Gerwen will throw first1-0 – van Gerwen posts a 180 in a superb opening leg, as he finishes double eight for a 13-darter.
1-1 – Wade kicks off with two 180s, and although a possible nine-darter goes begging, he finishes 90 for a 12-darter to level.
1-2 – The left-hander breaks throw with a sparkling 11-darter, finishing with an 86 checkout.
1-3 – van Gerwen kicks off with a maximum, but Wade finishes 134 for a 12-darter to move two legs up.
1-4 – Wade’s charge continues as he wins a fourth successive leg, punishing missed doubles from van Gerwen across two visits by pinning tops.
2-4 – van Gerwen htis back by finishing double eight for a 14-dart finish
3-4 – The Dutchman reduces the gap to one leg by taking out tops for a 13-darter.
3-5 – Wade checks out a sensational 135 finish of bullseye, treble 15 and double top to regain his cushion.
3-6 – van Gerwen misses further doubles as Wade finishes 52 on tops to ensure a minimum of a point.
4-6 – Wade misses three match darts at tops as the Dutchman hits the same bed to stay in the hunt.
4-7 – The pair trade 180s before Wade finishes 130 on double five for a 12-darter which seals a superb win, ending the game with seven doubles from 11 attempts.
Match Stats

M v Gerwen	4-7	James Wade
9	100+	20
12	140+	4
0	170+	0
4	180	3
104.43	Average	98.51
65	High Finish	135,134,130
2	Breaks of Throw	4
7/15 – 27%	Checkout %	7/11 – 64%

McCoy’s PLD Week Seven Preview

REIGNING McCoy’s Premier League Darts champion Phil Taylor is looking to avoid an unwanted record when he meets Wes Newton at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on Thursday, as his rivals continue their challenges to avoid relegation next month.

Taylor suffered a second successive defeat last week when Andy Hamilton took a 7-3 victory in their clash at the Manchester Arena, which followed up the World Champion’s narrow loss to Gary Anderson in Nottingham.

The Stoke great has never lost three successive matches since the Premier League was introduced in 2005, and taking his week four draw with James Wade into account, has only previously gone three weeks without victory on one occasion, with a run of two draws and a defeat in 2009.

He opened the 2008 season with three defeats in his opening four games before going on to take the title, and admitted: “I’ve had tough spells in the Premier League before and come through them and there’s no reason why I can’t do that again.

“Gary and Andy have played superbly in the last couple of weeks against me and deserved to win, and I know Wes will be on top of his game this week too. Every week’s massive now and I’ll be doing everything I can to get back winning again.”

The game in Cardiff is also a crucial one for Newton, who knows that a defeat could prove a hammer blow to his hopes of escaping relegation after week nine.

Newton sits alongside Adrian Lewis on three points at the foot of the table with three games remaining before the bottom two are eliminated, but said: “I’ll approach it with no pressure.

“I am where I am in the league table, and everyone expects Phil to win. Everybody wants to beat Phil – he’s the best player there’s ever been so hopefully I can do something.

“Every week I’m putting myself under pressure to get a result because I don’t want to be where I am, but the standard in darts at the minute is unbelievable and the best ten players are here in the Premier League.

“I’m playing well and I’m just not getting the results, but I’ll keep coming every week and trying my heart out.”

World number two Lewis will play UK Open champion Robert Thornton in Cardiff, having kick-started his challenge with a win and a draw in the past fortnight.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” said Lewis. “Robert’s obviously on form and it will be interesting because I’m feeling confident in my game.

“In the past few years I’ve tended to start slowly and get better as it gradually goes on, but this year you haven’t got that chance because of relegation, and you’ve got to punish players as soon as you have the chance.

“I haven’t been doing that, but I’m on the way up now. I’m two weeks unbeaten and I’m happy with that.”

Thornton, who is fourth in the league table after an impressive start to his debut season, won a UK Open Qualifier in Wigan on Sunday and knows that he can ensure his survival in the event by taking a result in Cardiff.

“The bookies had me as one of the odds-on favourites to be eliminated and I think I’ve proved them wrong week after week,” said Thornton.

“I’m going up there thinking I can win every game but I just want to enjoy each game and whatever happens will happen.

“Adrian’s coming back into a bit of form but he’s still letting a few darts slip, and I’ve got to try and keep my concentration and jump on that when he misses. He’s got more to prove than I have and he’s under pressure.”

Third-bottom Gary Anderson, who has five points, will play second-placed Michael van Gerwen in Cardiff, with the 2011 Premier League champion having also picked up a win and a draw over the past fortnight.

“You take every point you can get, but you want to win every game and I’m excited about playing Michael,” said Anderson, who hit a nine-dart finish in a Speedy Services UK Open Qualifier on Saturday.

“We played a couple of weeks ago and I was 3-1 up before he came back to win, and I know I can out-score him so it’s just about when it comes down to the finishes, and if my doubles go in then I can walk away the winner.”

Van Gerwen went on to win that UK Open Qualifier on Saturday – his third ProTour triumph of the year so far – and has picked up three victories and two draws from his opening six Premier League games during a brilliant start to his debut season.

“I’ve put myself in a good position because I’m on eight points and the pressure is on Gary this week, not me,” said van Gerwen. “I want to win every game though and keep this going.

“I think I can do even better and I’ll be working hard to do better, but I’m doing well at the moment and I’ll be ready for Gary.”

League leader Raymond van Barneveld is in confident mood as he prepares to play 2009 champion James Wade, who sits third in the league table despite his defeat to Simon Whitlock in Manchester.

“After six weeks I’m still top of the group and everything’s good!” said van Barneveld. “At the moment I’m confident but it’s a very open Premier League.

“Every week’s tough, like a final, and you saw James lost last week to Simon Whitlock. It shows how well every player is playing.”

The night’s other game sees Andy Hamilton and Simon Whitlock, two players who are both on six points, looking to secure survival when they clash, with the Australian chasing a third successive victory.

“Andy’s always tough and I’m going to have to play my best game again,” said Whitlock. “Every single week you have to play at the top of your game, otherwise you’ll get beaten.

“Last week’s win was huge for me but there’s no easy matches and it’s tough every week.”

Thursday’s event at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff is a 4,000 sell-out as fans flock to the Welsh leg of the tournament, which will be screened live on Sky Sports 2HD.

McCoy’s Premier League Darts
Week Seven
March 21 – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Andy Hamilton v Simon Whitlock
Gary Anderson v Michael van Gerwen
Robert Thornton v Adrian Lewis
Wes Newton v Phil Taylor
James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
Best of 12 legs

Coral Match Odds – Week Seven
Andy Hamilton v Simon Whitlock
13/8 – Andy Hamilton
7/2 – Draw
11/10 – Simon Whitlock

Gary Anderson v Michael van Gerwen
7/2 – Gary Anderson
4/1 – Draw
1/2 – Michael van Gerwen

Robert Thornton v Adrian Lewis
7/5 – Robert Thornton
10/3 – Draw
13/10 – Adrian Lewis

Wes Newton v Phil Taylor
9/2 – Wes Newton
9/2 – Draw
2/5 – Phil Taylor

James Wade v Raymond van Barneveld
7/4 – James Wade
7/2 – Draw
EVS – Raymond van Barneveld
Coral are the official betting partner of the McCoy’s Premier League Darts. All odds correct at 10am March 19 and courtesy of www.coral.co.uk.