Michael Smith produces masterclass in Manchester to claim back-to-back Premier League triumphs
Michael Smith clinched a Premier League Play-Off place thanks to third weekly title of the season as he turned on the style to defeat Jonny Clayton 6-3 in the final in Manchester.
World Champion Smith saw off Nathan Aspinall, Michael van Gerwen and Clayton to complete back-to-back weekly wins with a remarkable display at the AO Arena, which saw him secure a top four finish in the process.
After defeating Aspinall 6-3 in their Quarter-Final, he then landed six doubles from 11 attempts to overcame Van Gerwen 6-4 in a repeat of January’s World Championship final.
The world number one then raced to glory in the final to seal the £10,000 bonus, saving his best display of the night for the final as he missed double 12 for a nine-darter and landed five 180s in a majestic performance.
Clayton took out 72 and 121 to establish an early 2-1 lead, but Smith turned on the style in a mesmerising four-leg burst to take command.
He firstly missed double 12 to complete a nine-dart finish, sealing leg four in ten darts, before landing six perfect darts in the next as a 12-darter moved him ahead.
Smith also took the next two legs on double ten to lead 5-2, and though Clayton punished a missed match dart to hit back in the eighth leg, the St Helens man sealed his second successive nightly triumph in the next on double 13.
Smith ended the final with a season’s best average of 110, and the five league points crucially secured his Play-Off place at The O2 in London later this month.
“I think I’ve proved before, if I’m in that mood, no one can touch me,” said Smith. “I had to play well once tonight and I felt good.
“That’s back-to-back wins now and hopefully I can go to Sheffield now and win four [for the season]. I did my job.
“I’ve qualified for the top four, I’m safe now and guaranteed through. It’s a nice feeling.”
Clayton’s run to the final moved him back into the top four in the race for Finals Night, as he defeated Peter Wright and Chris Dobey to ensure that a clash with Aspinall in Aberdeen is a shoot-out for a Semi-Final spot.
The 2021 Premier League champion took out 102 in the deciding leg of his Quarter-Final, and led throughout as he emerged a 6-3 winner over Masters champion Dobey in the Semi-Finals.
Van Gerwen ended a run of five straight defeats against Price with a superb 6-2 success in a high-quality Quarter-Final, with both players averaging above 103 and the Dutchman converting six doubles from ten attempts.
Defeats in the Last Eight for both Wright and Van den Bergh saw their hopes of gate-crashing the Play-Offs ended, as both relinquished a 2-0 lead before losing out to Clayton and Dobey respectively.
Dobey also cannot now reach the Play-Offs in his debut season, sitting ten points adrift of the top four with two league nights remaining with Clayton and Aspinall certain to meet on Night 16 in Aberdeen.
Premier League Darts 2023 Night 14 Results
Thursday May 4
Quarter-Finals
Peter Wright 5-6 Jonny Clayton
Chris Dobey 6-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Michael Smith 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
Gerwyn Price 2-6 Michael van Gerwen
Semi-Finals
Jonny Clayton 6-3 Chris Dobey
Michael Smith 6-4 Michael van Gerwen
Final
Michael Smith 6-3 Jonny Clayton
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