Monthly Archives: March 2018

Gary Anderson and Michael Smith both tasted success as the Premier League hit Belfast.

For Smith, it is a 6th win so far and a semi-final appearance is very much within his grasp.

His 7-2 win over Gerwyn Price means the Welshman is eliminated from the competition, but Smith stays second in the table hot on the heels of leader Michael van Gerwen.

“I wasn’t really at my best but I keep getting away with it and I haven’t yet played anywhere near my best. Hopefully that’s to come now we are getting to the business end,” Smith said.

And it’s now three wins on the spin for a rejuvenated Anderson as his bid to reach the top four gathers pace. A crucial 7-5 victory over Mensur Suljovic to strengthen the Scot’s position.

“It has taken me a bit of time to get things going this year in the Premier League. My scoring was a bit iffy but in the main, my finishing was spot on,” he said.

He started with

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Image courtesy Getty Images

James Wade’s quest to find top form is gathering pace.

The Unicorn man is desperate to put a disappointing 2017 behind him and has been working very hard to find that golden touch.

Wade reached the semi-finals of the European Darts Open in Leverkusen - the first Euro Tour event of the year.

He was beaten 7-4 by Peter Wright, who then lost a thrilling final to Michael van Gerwen. Wright led 5-1 and 7-5 but Van Gerwen came back to win 8-7 in dramatic fashion.

Wade won a superb all Unicorn clash with Michael Smith in the last 16. Both players averaged around 106 but Wade prevailed 6-4. He then took care of Mervyn King 6-4 in the last eight.

In the semi-finals Wade came from 2-6 down to reduce the deficit to two legs but Wright’s finishing was superb, as he hit seven doubles from eight attempts.

Elsewhere in Leverkusen on Sunday, Joe Cullen had a good run through to the quarter-finals before losing 6-3 to Wright. Cullen had earlier

The hometown hero brought 10,000 fans to their feet at the SECC in Glasgow on Thursday night.

Team Unicorn star Gary Anderson came up with a virtuoso performance to beat Simon Whitlock 7-4. It was his fifth straight Premier League win in Glasgow.

“It is always a thrill for me to play here. Of course there is pressure to perform in front of such a passionate crowd, but I was really up for it and I am delighted with the way I played” Anderson said.

And so he should be!

He is now looking up rather than down as he steps up his Premier League bid. The Scot raced into a 4-1 lead courtesy of back-to-back 12 dart legs, taking out 101 and then 81 on D13.

The Aussie wasn’t playing badly, but Anderson was too good. Four more 180s in four legs, a 102 finish and then a clinical 74 two dart check-out to wrap it up.

Anderson averaged nearly 103 and the man for the big occasion came good when it really mattered. He has to keep it going now.

It’s always a big night for the Premier League when Unicorn’s Gary Anderson plays on the Glasgow stage, which will also see his Unicorn teammate Michael Smith take on Michael van Gerwen in a top of the table clash.

Smith won his opening four Premier League matches and bounced back to winning ways with a 7-1 demolition of Wright last week - but insists that facing the world number one will be a true test of his form.

"This game and the game against Gary Anderson were the two I was looking forward to when I got back in the Premier League," said Smith. "I love playing Michael.

"He's one of the nice lads, we have a laugh but when we're playing he gets on with the game. He believes in his ability, the way I do, and hopefully there will be some fireworks this week.

"It could go six-all and be over in ten minutes with how quick it is, but I'm really looking forward to that game.

"I know I'm playing okay, and you want to play the best players

It’s an 8th PDC title for Ian White.

The Unicorn man tasted victory for the first time in nearly two years in Milton Keynes on Sunday as he took the honours in Players Championship 6.

He won a thrilling final, edging out Dave Chisnall in a last leg shoot-out. It was a dominant day for White, as he dropped only 12 legs in six matches in his way to the final.

He started with a 6-3 win over Luke Woodhouse, then demolished Maik Langendorf 6-0, before back-to-back successes against Team Unicorn stablemates.

First there was a 6-3 victory over Keegan Brown, followed by a 6-1 win against James Wade in the last 16.

John Henderson (6-2) and Mervyn King (6-3) were dispatched in the quarter and semi-finals.

It was a terrific final.

White kept his cool and punished Chisnall for a series of missed chances. Chizzy blew five darts to win the opening leg and two more to make it 3-3 and the Unicorn man calmly went about his business.

He

Chris Dobey produced a brilliant display to make only his second senior PDC Final.

The Team Unicorn starlet lost in the final of Players Championship 5 in Milton Keynes on Saturday as he was beaten 6-2 by Michael van Gerwen, but it was a lot closer than the scoreline perhaps suggests.

Dobey’s return to form continued in style. He has worked very hard at his game and is reaping the rewards. His only other final was way back in October 2016.

Van Gerwen beat four Unicorn players on his way to his latest success.....Dobey in the final, James Wade in the semi-finals 6-2, Gary Anderson 6-1 in the quarter-finals and Keegan Brown 6-3 in the last 32.

But Dobey enjoyed a terrific day and thoroughly deserved his run to the final. The 27-year-old beat Bradley Brooks (6-0), James Wilson (6-4), Dave Chisnall (6-2) and Stephen Burton (6-4).

In the quarter-Finals, the Unicorn man saw off German Gabriel Clemens 6-2 before a stunning 112 check-out saw Dobey win

Gary Anderson talks to Stuart Pyke just after winning the UK Open and reflects on his victory, his recent back problems and his desire to win more majors.

'The Flying Scotsman' is in breathtaking form right now, claiming the UK Open title, followed by back-to-back Players Championship titles in Barnsley, within the last 10 days.

Anderson is next in action later, as the Premier League roadshow heads to Nottingham.

Listen to the full interview below: