Premier League 2014 - Fourth League Day
Barney wins Dutch battle
Peter Wright scored a famous 7-1 win over Adrian Lewis to top the Betway Premier League Darts table after a fantastic night of action at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, as Raymond van Barneveld took the points in the all-Dutch battle and Phil Taylor claimed his first win this season.
Wright thrilled the 11,000 fans in the brand new arena with six consecutive legs to take his third win from four games, with two-time World Champion Lewis having no answer to the Scot, who prompted an unbeaten night for the three home players.
Snakebite remains unbeaten in his debut season and says he is full of confidence as he prepares to face Robert Thornton at the Westpoint Arena in Exeter next Thursday.
"To beat Adrian 7-1 is fantastic," said Wright. "We usually have really close battles but that crowd lifted me and it brought extra out of my game. It was a little bit scary, I didn't want to let Scotland or myself down, when I started 180 then hit 5 with my fourth dart I thought 'now, now; come on' - I composed myself and I really built on it well. It's all about the top eight, then top four, then top one - it's a pretty simple target for me. I want to go to the O2 and I want to win it. I think my game and my mental state means I can win a major title this year - at least one."
Gary Anderson won the final game of the evening 7-5 against Dave Chisnall, with a 170 checkout for the Flying Scotsman to level matters at three-apiece nearly taking the roof off. Anderson's break of throw in the seventh leg proved to be the difference as he earned his second win of the Premier League, while Robert Thornton dug in for a draw in the second match of the night against Wes Newton.
Raymond van Barneveld broke the throw of table-topping World king Michael van Gerwen in the opening leg of their all-Dutch clash and held the defending Premier League champion at bay with a 107.31 average.
Phil Taylor registered his first points of the season with a commanding 7-3 win over Simon Whitlock, who remains rooted to the bottom of the pile still searching for his first point in the league. Taylor was only behind once as he showed signs he was close to a return to his brilliant best and The Power said his timing was just right with the UK Open defence on the horizon.
"It's starting to come together now," said the six-time Premier League champion, who meets Gary Anderson next week. "I don't know what is to come but I am feeling better, practicing better and I know that it's going in the right direction. It's harder now I am older but now I know I am doing the right things. My start hasn't worried me at all. I am a good and bad loser at the same time really, I hate losing but there are nine World class opponents here and it's going to happen. It wasn't my best tonight, when I hit 112 and 115 averages consistently that's when I am back. It's a busy period now with the tournaments coming thick and fast and that could really suit me."
Statistics
| Ave | 180s | Doubles | Player | v | Player | Ave | 180s | Doubles |
| 93.32 | 2 | 7/15 | Wright | 7:1 | Lewis | 90.85 | 1 | 1/5 |
| 82.66 | 1 | 6/16 | Thornton | 6:6 | Newton | 88.45 | 3 | 6/14 |
| 94.35 | 2 | 3/8 | Whitlock | 3:7 | Taylor | 104.82 | 3 | 7/9 |
| 98.25 | 4 | 5/21 | v. Gerwen | 5:7 | v. Barneveld | 107.31 | 5 | 7/12 |
| 103.16 | 3 | 5/11 | Chisnall | 5:7 | Anderson | 106.22 | 3 | 7/10 |