2024 Premier League: Luke Littler Wins Night 14 in Aberdeen

In the electric atmosphere of P&J Live in Aberdeen, darting enthusiasts were treated to a thrilling night of Premier League action. Among the star-studded line-up, world number one Luke Humphries and the emerging talent Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler made their maiden appearance in the Granite city, promising an evening of intense competition. 

With 17-year-old prodigy Littler commanding a five-point lead atop the table after a stellar performance in Liverpool, the stakes were high as seasoned contenders like Humphries and seven-time champion Michael van Gerwen aimed to dethrone the young sensation. As the battle for supremacy unfolded on the stage, fans eagerly anticipated the outcome of this pivotal night in the Premier League darts saga.

The evening's opening match saw Scottish favourite Peter Wright facing off against Michael Smith, setting the stage for a crucial showdown. As the match unfolded, Wright found himself in a position where a victory wouldn't alter his playoff prospects at London’s O2 Academy but would serve to reignite his season. Conversely, Smith was in dire need of a win to reclaim his position in the tournament's top four, making the outcome pivotal for him.

Despite a sluggish start, Wright soon found his rhythm in front of his devoted Scottish supporters, highlighted by a remarkable 10-dart leg in the fifth frame, propelling him to a 3-2 lead. Smith mounted a resilient comeback in the ensuing legs, yet Wright's scoring prowess remained evident, even outpacing Smith in 180s with a 4-3 lead heading into the eighth leg.

However, as the match levelled at 4-4, the momentum shifted decisively in the ninth leg as Smith successfully broke Wright's throw with a solid 14-dart leg, placing him within striking distance of the semi-finals. Smith then clinched victory in style, executing the sole three-dart finish of the game with a spectacular 146 checkout on double 13, ultimately securing a 6-4 triumph. Despite a valiant effort from Wright, it proved insufficient, echoing the recurring theme of his season thus far.

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Nathan Aspinall entered the arena with a mission to amend the previous encounter's bitter outcome against Luke Littler in Liverpool, where despite holding a commanding 5-2 lead, he succumbed to defeat as Littler surged ahead.

The match unfolded with Littler missing seven darts to break Aspinall’s throw in the opening leg, granting Aspinall an early advantage. However, the 17-year-old swiftly recovered, ensuring he held his own throw. The ensuing four legs witnessed a closely contested battle, with both Target teammates deadlocked at 3-3.

The turning point arrived in the seventh leg as The Asp faltered, missing a crucial dart at double 18, allowing Littler to capitalise and secure a vital break of throw with a clinical 64 checkout in three darts. Littler followed up with a dazzling 13-dart leg, extending his lead to 5-3.

Aspinall then clawed back another leg, and Littler's missed match darts in the subsequent leg shifted the match's narrative once more. Aspinall jumped at the opening, hitting double 12 to level the score at 5-5.

In a tense final leg showdown, Littler maintained his composure amidst crowd heckles, eventually sealing victory with a composed double 10 finish, as Aspinall narrowly missed a match dart at double 20.

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Heading into Aberdeen, Rob Cross harboured a slim possibility of securing a play-off berth, though it would require nothing short of a miraculous turn of events. Nonetheless, Voltage commenced the match with an electrifying display, claiming the first two legs with an impressive three-dart average exceeding 107.

Michael van Gerwen, however, remained close in terms of averages and swiftly retaliated with a break of throw, followed by a hold to level the game at 2-2. As the match progressed with four consecutive holds of throw, a standout moment emerged in the seventh leg as Cross delivered a resounding 116 three-dart finish, levelling the score at 4-4.

Despite the Dutchman managing to secure another crucial break of throw to seize a 5-4 lead, Cross showcased his resilience, promptly responding with a break of throw of his own to force the game into another tense one-leg shootout at 5-5.

In a nerve-wracking finale, Cross overcame the pressure, despite missing four match darts, to clinch victory against van Gerwen for the third consecutive encounter in the Premier League. Both players demonstrated remarkable scoring prowess throughout the match, with van Gerwen maintaining an average of 108, yet ultimately falling short in securing the win.

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Gerwyn Price's struggle with a back injury led to his withdrawal from the Aberdeen event. Unfortunately following surgery last Friday, the Welshman's recovery did not progress sufficiently for him to participate in Scotland. Consequently, this development granted world number one Luke Humphries an automatic advancement into the semi-finals, in accordance with tournament regulations.

As per the rules, Humphries, initially set to face Price in the quarterfinals, secured a bye into the semi-finals. Additionally, he earned two crucial league points along with a +1-leg difference. Meanwhile, Price's absence results in a penalty of -6 leg difference on the league table.

This setback in Aberdeen follows Price's recent inability to compete in the Austrian Darts Open due to a trapped nerve in his back, highlighting the persistent challenges he faces with his injury.

Michael Smith's remarkable head-to-head record against Luke Littler, boasting four previous victories compared to Littler's one, set the stage for an intriguing clash with revenge on the latter's mind.

The match commenced with Smith and Littler sharing the first two legs, signalling a tightly contested start. However, from that point onwards, the teenage sensation proved unstoppable. Littler proceeded to dominate, claiming victory in the subsequent five legs, punctuated by three impressive ton-plus finishes of 144, 124, and 105, respectively.

Displaying exceptional form, Littler maintained a stunning 110.1 three-dart average and remarkably missed only one dart at double throughout the encounter. This commanding performance not only secured him victory but also solidified his position in the play-offs, achieving it mathematically.

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After securing a bye into the semi-finals, Luke Humphries entered the match as the heavy favourite. However, the opening leg saw him uncharacteristically failing to hit a single treble. Nonetheless, he swiftly rebounded with a remarkable 10-dart leg to level the match at one leg apiece.

The momentum then shifted in favour of Rob Cross, who surged ahead in the next two legs, breaking Humphries' throw and displaying precision on doubles to establish a 3-1 lead.

Undeterred, Humphries managed to claw back in the following two legs, equalising the score at 3-3. Nevertheless, Cross responded emphatically, securing the next two legs to edge closer to the semi-finals.

Humphries then mounted another comeback, surviving three match darts from Cross to knot the game once more at 5-5.

In the decisive one-leg shootout, Cross narrowly missed another match dart at double six. However, he maintained his composure, hitting double six to clinch victory and secure back-to-back nightly finals against Luke Littler.

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