Robert Thronton threw the Betway Premier League elimination battle wide open by defeating Michael Smith and drawing with Michael van Gerwen in Liverpool on Thursday, as Gary Anderson joined a three-way tie at the top of the table.
World Grand Prix champion Thornton doubled up at the Echo Arena to play his game in hand after missing the league night in Newcastle last month through illness.
The Scot entered the night two points adrift at the foot of the table, but after defeating Michael Smith 7-5 in his opening game – his first victory of the season – he claimed a hard-fought draw with world number one Michael van Gerwen.
The three points move Thornton above Smith and Dave Chisnall at the foot of the league table, with the bottom two players after next Thursday’s Judgement Night being eliminated from the £725,000 tournament.
“It was a really good night for me,” said Thornton. “People know I’m a fighter and I’m not going to be knocked out without a battle.
“To get the win over Michael Smith was really good because he didn’t give in, and I knew I had to give it everything I had in my second match against Michael van Gerwen, so to get a draw against him is good too.
“This has been a big boost to my confidence going into Judgement Night and the big thing is that it’s in my hands now. I’m using new darts – with longer points and a better grip – and I think I proved I’m almost back to my best.”
Chisnall has found himself drawn into the elimination battle with five successive defeats, as reigning Premier League champion Gary Anderson saw off the St Helens-born ace 7-4 in their game.
Chisnall forced some nervous moments for the World Champion as he hit back from 4-1 down, but Anderson held on to claim his sixth successive victory as he moved onto 12 points at the top of the table.
“It’s good and I’m happy with how things are going at the moment,” said Anderson. “I was fine early in the game but then I made a few stupid mistakes and Dave came back at me, but I stuck in had a good last leg.”
Anderson now sits level with van Gerwen and Phil Taylor at the head of the standings, with the Dutchman conceding his disappointment after drawing for a second successive week.
“It’s a point dropped,” said van Gerwen. “I’ve not been well this week but if you still come here you want to win the game and you think you can win, but I made too many mistakes.”
Peter Wright hit back from 6-4 down to claim a draw with Taylor, who took out 141 earlier in the game but paid for three missed match darts as the Scot followed a 111 checkout with a 13-darter to snatch a point.
“I’m happy to get the draw but I wasn’t totally happy with my performance,” admitted Wright. “It was my birthday the other week and Phil gave me a present today – he gave me a shot at the 111 and I had to take it.
“In the past couple of weeks I’ve played Michael van Gerwen, Adrian Lewis and Gary Anderson at their best, so it was nice to get a break tonight and I took it.”
Taylor, who claimed a second successive draw, said: “I’m gutted not to have taken both points but the draw was probably the right score. His 111 finish was brilliant and the league’s a scrap at the moment and I’m enjoying it.
“It’s another point in the league and it’s all about pushing towards the Play-Offs but I should have had two points – last week I was pleased that I got a point but this week I’m not pleased with just one and it wasn’t good enough.”
Adrian Lewis picked up his fifth victory of the season with a narrow 7-5 win over Raymond van Barneveld, who traded 104 checkouts with the Stoke ace before the 2011 runner-up claimed the deciding leg against the throw for the points.
“Raymond scored better than me and his 104 was superb but I hit the right shots at the right time and I’m glad to have got the job done,” said Lewis. “I finished well and I’m happy with that but my scoring was terrible so I’ve still got something to work on.”
Next Thursday’s Judgement Night in Cardiff will see the bottom two players eliminated, with Smith facing Taylor before Chisnall meets Wright, and Thornton then plays Lewis in a game which may decide his fate.
The night also sees Dutch rivals van Gerwen and van Barneveld face off, while Anderson plays James Wade – the 2009 Premier League champion who sat out the night in Liverpool after doubling up in Thornton’s absence earlier this season.
Betway Premier League
Night Eight – March 24
Echo Arena, Liverpool
Michael Smith 5-7 Robert Thornton
Gary Anderson 7-4 Dave Chisnall
Adrian Lewis 7-5 Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor 6-6 Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen 6-6 Robert Thornton
Judgement Night – March 31
Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Revised Order of Play
James Wade v Gary Anderson
Michael Smith v Phil Taylor
Dave Chisnall v Peter Wright
Robert Thornton v Adrian Lewis
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen
MATCH INFORMATION
Michael Smith v Robert Thornton
1-0 – Smith takes out 122 on the bull to win the opening leg.
1-1 – Smith opens with a 180 but tops sees Thornton level.
2-1 – Thornton lands a maximum, but misses two darts at doubles to allow Smith in on double ten to edge back ahead.
2-2 – The Scot finishes 112 to level in style.
2-3 – Smith lands a second maximum, but misses three darts at tops to allow Thornton to break with a 78 checkout.
2-4 – Thornton takes out 58 on tops to move two legs clear.
2-5 – Thornton lands a 180 to leave four, and when Smith misses double four he steps in to land double one for another break of throw.
3-5 – Smith takes out 90 on tops to respond.
4-5 – Smith hits his third maximum before missing two darts for the leg, but three misses from Thornton allow him back in on double five to cut the gap to one leg.
5-5 – Local star Smith posts a fourth 180, and when Thornton wires the bull to take out 84, a tops finish sees the youngster level.
5-6 – Thornton produces a superb leg, scoring 140, 180 and 127 before landing tops to secure a minimum of point.
5-7 – Smith misses double ten for a spectacular 140 checkout to claim a draw, and Thornton hits tops to claim his first win of the season.
Gary Anderson v Dave Chisnall
1-0 – Tops gives Anderson the game’s opening leg.
2-0 – The reigning champion takes out 91 to break throw and double his advantage.
2-1 – Four missed doubles from Anderson allow Chisnall in on double eight for his first leg.
3-1 – Chisnall misses three darts to level as Anderson returns from a missed bull to hit double 12.
4-1 – Chisnall fires in a 180, but it comes too late to prevent Anderson landing double nine to move three legs clear.
4-2 – Anderson opens with 180 and 140 but is left waiting on 40 as Chisnall finishes 116 to respond.
5-2 – The pair trade 180s before Anderson powers home a brilliant 144 checkout to regain his cushion.
5-3 – Anderson fires in his third 180, but misses the bull and two darts at double 12 to close out the leg as Chisnall posts double ten to hit back.
6-3 – Chisnall kicks off with a maximum, but two missed doubles allow Anderson back in to land double 16 and seal himself a minimum of a point.
6-4 – Anderson misses a match dart at double 11, to finish 84, and Chisnall returns from three misses to take out double five as he stays alive.
7-4 – Anderson’s 171 is followed by a 180 from Chisnall, but the Scot is first to a finish as double ten seals his win and leaves Chisnall in the elimination battle.
Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
0-1 – van Barneveld lands a 180 before capitalising on two misses from Lewis to break throw on double eight.
1-1 – A miss at tops from the Dutchman allows Lewis to take out 87 on double five.
2-1 – Lewis moves ahead by finishing double five.
2-2 – van Barneveld lands a second 180 before finishing 64 to level.
2-3 – Lewis misses tops, allowing van Barneveld to take out 64 once again as he breaks throw.
3-3 – Lewis takes out 83 on double nine as he breaks back once again.
4-3 – van Barneveld hits his third 180, but pays for five missed doubles as Lewis returns on double 18 to regain the lead.
5-3 – Lewis breaks throw on tops to move two legs clear for the first time.
6-3 – Lewis fires in his first 180 before taking out 104 on double 12 to secure at least a point.
6-4 – van Barneveld posts his fourth 180 of the game before taking out 69 on tops to hit back.
6-5 – van Barneveld holds his nerve to force a deciding leg, with Lewis hitting a 180 to leave 24 only to see the Dutchman finish 104 with a superb checkout.
7-5 – Lewis finally seals victory with a fine final leg, hitting his third 180 before taking out double eight.
Phil Taylor v Peter Wright
1-0 – Double four sees Taylor win the opening leg.
1-1 – Wright takes out 18 to level.
2-1 – Wright misses tops to allow Taylor back to hit the same bed.
2-2 – Wright finishes 130 on the bull as he hits back again.
3-2 – Wright lands a 180 but misses two darts to break throw, and Taylor punishes him with a classy 141 checkout.
3-3 – Wright scores 180,100 and 180 before finishing double 16 for a 13-darter to level once more.
4-3 – Taylor finishes 62 as he moves back ahead.
4-4 – Wright’s 180 inspires a 171 response from Taylor, who is unable to finish 130 as the Scot returns on double eight to avoid a possible break.
5-4 – Taylor regains the edge by holding throw.
6-4 – Taylor hits his first 180 before punishing a missed bull from Wright, for a 124 finish, by taking out double 16 for brilliant 11-darter to break throw and seal a minimum of a point.
6-5 – Taylor misses three match darts, and Wright takes out 111 on double 16 to save the game.
6-6 – Wright is first to a finish and lands double 18 to secure a draw from the contest.
Michael van Gerwen v Robert Thornton
1-0 – van Gerwen takes out 84 for a 14-darter to win the opening leg.
1-1 – van Gerwen leaves 16, but can only watch on as Thornton takes out a brilliant 140 checkout.
1-2 – Double 12 sees Thornton break throw to move ahead.
1-3 – Thornton sets up a possible nine-darter by opening with two 180s, but after missing out on a perfect leg he eventually lands double ten to move two legs up.
2-3 – Double 16 sees van Gerwen hit back.
3-3 – The world number one levels by breaking throw on double 16.
4-3 – van Gerwen takes out 130 to regain the lead.
4-4 – Double nine sees Thornton respond to level.
5-4 – van Gerwen lands a 180 and double eight to regain the edge.
5-5 – Double ten for Thornton sees him hit back to square the game.
6-5 – van Gerwen takes out 96 in two darts to seal at least a draw from the game.
6-6 – Thornton is first to a finish before hitting tops to seal a point.
