Glen Durrant and Michael van Gerwen drew 7-7 on a dramatic night 14 in the Unibet Premier League.

van Gerwen led 7-5, but Durrant showed why he has been so hard to beat in this tournament, finding a D1 outshot to keep his unbeaten record against The Green Machine.

Elsewhere on night 14 of the Premier League:

  • Gary Anderson moved a point away from the Play-Offs with victory over Michael Smith
  • Peter Wright won against Nathan Aspinall to move third
  • Gerwyn Price missed an opportunity to go fourth as he drew with Daryl Gurney
Glen Durrant came back from a losing position again to grab a draw on night 14 of the Premier League. Credit: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Duzza draws again

For the third night in four games, Glen Durrant found a way to get a draw out of nowhere. Having pulled off comebacks against Gary Anderson and Michael Smith, he did so again against van Gerwen.

After both holding throw in their opening legs, van Gerwen got the first break, hitting an 85 outshot on the bullseye to lead 2-1. Durrant would answer straight back though, punishing a missed bull attempt from the Green Machine to hit a brilliant 105 checkout for 2-2.

The roles were reversed in the fifth leg. Durrant missed darts to take a 3-2 lead, leaving van Gerwen to hit double eight and go back in front 3-2. The sixth leg also saw drama, as Duzza had three darts to win the leg and level straight back. He could not find them, leaving the world number one to hit a double double finish to lead 4-2, letting out a massive roar in the process.

Duzza stayed in the game though, as both players continued to hold throw. A 108 checkout in the 12th leg guaranteed MvG a point, but he missed two to win the game in the next leg. Durrant would then find a D18 to hold his throw again and trail 7-6 going into the final leg. Duzza hit 180 to start that leg, and showed nerves of steel to find a double one with van Gerwen left on 40, to earn another point from nowhere and keep his undefeated record against the world number one.

It means Durrant moves onto 21 points, and is two clear of Gary Anderson in second. For Van Gerwen, it means he stays in fifth, still outside the top four on leg difference.

Third straight win for Anderson against Smith

Gary Anderson moved closer to securing his Premier League Play-Off place. He beat Michael Smith 8-2 for his third straight win against Bully Boy.

The start of the match saw both players come out firing. After the opening two legs were shared, Smith got the first break of throw, finding double 10 for a 10 darter to lead 2-1.

Sadly for the Bully Boy, that would be the last leg he won in the contest. Anderson found a 12 darter of his own to level up at 2-2, followed by a magnificent 154 checkout to take the lead at 3-2 once again.

The crucial point of the match came in the sixth leg. Smith missed five darts at a double to take the game back to 3-3, and Anderson found double two for a 16 dart break of throw to lead 4-2.

That seemed to take the wind out of Smith, who could not find big trebles often enough in the remainder of the game. His average was 113 after three legs, but finished with an 89.7. This drop in scoring allowed Anderson to comfortably take the remaining four legs he required for victory.

The Flying Scotsman remains second, and needs a win tomorrow against Michael van Gerwen to guarantee his Play-Off spot. For Smith though, it all but ends his Premier League. He is in seventh place, three points off the Play-Offs and with an awful leg difference compared to those around him.

Two straight wins see Wright third

Peter Wright fought back from 5-3 down to win 8-5 against Nathan Aspinall and go third on night 14 of the Premier League.

The Asp came out of the blocks quicker, hitting a 66 outshot to get a break of throw in the first leg to lead 1-0. He consolidated the break in the second leg, and looked in good touch.

Wright though hung in the game, showing the grit and desire that won him the World Championship on New Year’s Day. He hit some crucial outshots, including a brilliant 119, to continue to hold throw, but couldn’t find the break back as Aspinall took a 5-3 lead in the eighth leg.

After Wright hit an 81 outshot to trail 5-4, the match turned in the 10th leg. Aspinall missed two darts at a double to hold his throw, which allowed Wright to hit double top and level the game at 5-5. At that point, he was 5/5 on the checkouts.

This seemed to fire up the world champion. He hit back to back 180s to leave 56 after nine darts thrown. Despite missing a dart at a double for the first time in the match, he still found tops again to go ahead for the first time in the game 6-5. It was a lead that Wright would not relinquish, as he won the next two legs, finishing the match with a D6 to end the night 8/10 on checkouts.

That win sees Wright move onto 16 points and go third in the table. He can qualify for The O2 if he wins and other results go his way. For Aspinall he remains inside the top four on leg difference.

Price misses chance to go fourth

Gerwyn Price dropped what could be a crucial point of night 14 of the Premier League. He drew 7-7 with Daryl Gurney.

In what was an absolute scrap, Gurney started off the better. After breaking in the first leg, he punished five missed darts at a double from Price in the next, somehow holding his throw to go 2-0 up.

Price would come back into the game, taking the next two legs to level up at 2-2. However, the Welshman missed at double top to hold his throw in the fifth, allowing Gurney to find double 16 and go 3-2 ahead. Gurney then held his throw again to lead 4-2.

Just when it looked like the Northern Irishman had a grip on the contest, he got it taken away yet again by Price. A brilliant 121 checkout on the bullseye saw him hold throw, before finding double 5 to level up at 4-4.

Both players broke each other’s throw once again in the next two legs, before Price found double 8 to go in front for the first time in the match at 6-5. Gurney then found the same double to level up at 6-6, and both players held their throw once more to each take a point and bring a classic contest to an end.

Gurney can still finish seventh this year, while Price moves onto 14 points, one point away from a potential Play-Off spot but crucially with an excellent leg difference.

Night Fourteen Results

Gerwyn Price 7-7 Daryl Gurney
Gary Anderson 8-2 Michael Smith
Peter Wright 8-5 Nathan Aspinall
Glen Durrant 7-7 Michael van Gerwen

The 2020 Unibet Premier League table after night 14. Credit: PDC

Night Fifteen Fixtures

Friday September 4 (19.00 BST)

Daryl Gurney v Nathan Aspinall

Glen Durrant v Peter Wright

Gary Anderson v Michael van Gerwen

Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price

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