Nathan Aspinall delivered a commanding performance to win Night 15 of the Premier League in Aberdeen, defeating Chris Dobey 6-1 in the final to significantly strengthen his playoff prospects. While Aspinall closed the gap in the race for the top four, teenage sensation Luke Littler secured the No 1 seed for the playoffs with a comeback win over Luke Humphries in the quarter-finals.
Aspinall began his night with a 6-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen, maintaining a strong pace throughout the match. He then brushed aside Stephen Bunting 6-1 in the semi-finals before producing another composed and clinical display in the final. Taking early control against Dobey, Aspinall broke throw twice to build a firm lead. When Dobey faltered again in the sixth leg and missed crucial darts at a double in the next, Aspinall took full advantage by landing double 10 to seal a dominant win.
With this result, Aspinall now sits four points clear in fourth place heading into the final night in Sheffield, eliminating Dobey from contention. Only Van Gerwen can overtake him, and he must win the final weekly event to do so.
Reflecting on his performance, Aspinall said he felt confident going into the night and managed to stay focused throughout. Despite admitting he wasn’t at his absolute best, he highlighted his composure and accurate finishing as key factors in his success.
Littler had earlier shown why he is this year’s breakout star by fighting back to defeat world No 1 Luke Humphries 6-3 in their high-octane quarter-final encounter. After trailing 3-1, Littler reeled off five consecutive legs, averaging nearly 116 in the process. Humphries, despite hitting nine 180s and averaging 110 himself, had no answer to Littler’s explosive finish.
That win ensured Littler would finish top of the regular season standings and be seeded No 1 for the playoffs at London’s O2 Arena on 29 May. His run in Aberdeen, however, was halted in the semi-finals by Dobey, who built a 4-2 lead. Littler again mounted a late rally to force a decider but missed a match dart at double six, allowing Dobey to check out 32 and advance to the final.
Gerwyn Price also made headlines on the night with a spectacular nine-dart finish in his quarter-final clash against Bunting. The Welshman, who has already booked his playoff place, produced the perfect leg to reduce the deficit to 5-4. However, it wasn’t enough to stop Bunting, who closed out a 6-4 victory to progress to the semi-finals. It was Price’s second nine-darter of the campaign and a bright moment in an otherwise disappointing result.
Bunting, despite his victory over Price, had already been eliminated from playoff contention following a poor start to the season. His run to the semi-finals in Aberdeen was a late flourish, offering a glimpse of his capabilities heading into the off-season.
Elsewhere, Dobey impressed throughout the evening, hitting five 180s and averaging 107 in his 6-2 quarter-final win over Rob Cross. The result ended any hopes Cross had of reaching the top four and cemented Dobey’s reputation as one of the most dangerous players on his day, even though his playoff dream ended with Aspinall’s win.
With one more night remaining in Sheffield, the Premier League playoff picture is almost complete. Littler leads the way, with Price and Humphries safely through, and Aspinall in pole position to claim the final spot.
