Sensational Smith lands Dublin 9-darter!

Team Unicorn star Michael Smith celebrated his first televised nine-dart finish in Dublin on Thursday.

Smith followed two 180s with a sublime 141 checkout to bring 9,000 fans to their feet at a sell-out 3Arena, hitting the Premier League's first perfect leg for almost three years.

The moment of magic came in the fourth leg of a tight contest as he levelled, with Gurney then leading 5-4 before seeing Smith claim the game's final three legs to take victory.

"It's a feeling you can't explain - it's amazing," said Smith. "I've never hit a nine-darter on TV before and this was special. I've never felt my heart beat so fast in my life!

"It's something on my list that I've ticked off now and I'm over the moon, but even more pleased to get the win too. I could have played better but I'm chuffed to get the win."

Smith has now put himself in pole position in the race to claim a £50,000 bonus from sponsors Unibet should a player achieve two nine-darters during the 2020 season, with his perfect leg being the first in the event since Adrian Lewis in April 2017.

Smith is one of five players sat on five points in a congested league table, one behind reigning champion Michael Van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall.

Meanwhile, two-time Premier League Champion Gary Anderson picked up his second victory of the season by seeing off Rob Cross 7-5 in their Dublin contest, jumping above the 2019 Premier League finalist in the process.

Team Unicorn talisman Anderson took out finishes of 109 and 106 as he shared the opening eight legs before taking out 85 to move ahead, while a 14-darter secured at least a draw.

Cross took out a superb 128 bull finish to hit back, but was unable to check out 124 in the decider as Anderson returned to land double ten for the triumph.

"Some of it was pretty and some of it was awful, but it's nice to scrape a win there. I'm still making mistakes but there's times that the throw is working and it will come good.

"It's going well on the practice board and I want to take it up on stage. My darts are getting a bit better week by week - tonight wasn't quite as good but that was down to the person throwing them!"

The Unibet Premier League season continues on Thursday March 5 with Night Five at Westpoint Exeter, where Van Gerwen will meet Smith and Anderson plays Challenger Luke Humphries, the reigning Unicorn World Youth Champion.