Betway Premier League Night Seven

PHIL TAYLOR hit back from 5-1 down to claim a draw against Michael van Gerwen in the Betway Premier League on Thursday, as Gary Anderson picked up a Glasgow double with wins over Adrian Lewis and Peter Wright.

World number one van Gerwen and 16-time World Champion Taylor both travelled to Scotland with five successive victories under their belts, and remained locked at the top of the league table after a thrilling stalemate at The SSE Hydro.

Van Gerwen capitalised on four missed doubles from Taylor to win the opening leg, before taking four in a row as he opened up a 5-1 lead over the Stoke legend.

An 84 bull finish from Taylor fired his challenge and he followed a 14-darter with a 120 finish as he cut the gap to 5-4 - only for van Gerwen to produce a show-stopping 170 checkout as he secured a minimum of a point.

Taylor, though, refused to buckle and punished van Gerwen for missing three match darts by completing a 14-darter to force a deciding leg, which he won with a brilliant 12-darter to snatch a draw.

"I gave a point away today," said van Gerwen. "I was the better player but I missed darts for the match and I can only blame myself because I wasn't focused enough for some reason and Phil came back really well.

"I'm still happy with a point but I'll try even harder next week because I can do loads better than this."

Taylor admitted: "I loving every minute of it at the moment. Michael's a fantastic player and he's inspiring me at the moment, so to get a draw against him is like winning the lottery.

"The first leg blew it for me but I'm after him and it's exciting for me. We'll have a lot more battles and it's brilliant."

Reigning Premier League champion Anderson, meanwhile, picked up four points to delight a sell-out 10,000 crowd in Glasgow as he saw off Lewis 7-4 and then edged out Wright 7-5 in a thriller.

The double saw the World Champion extend his winning streak to five straight matches as he moved into third place, a point behind van Gerwen and Taylor.

"I would have been happy just to pick up two points from the two games tonight so four's a bonus," said Anderson. "I'm up there in the table now so I'm happy, and to walk out and hear a reception like I got tonight was fantastic.

"I played well and that's what you want to do in front of your home crowd. It always puts extra pressure on me but I'm happy I gave them plenty to cheer."

James Wade, the 2009 champion, picked up his third successive victory, and a fifth of the season, as he defeated Robert Thornton 7-4, averaging over 100 and taking out a 124 finish as he left the Scot two points adrift at the foot of the league table.

Wade is now fourth in the league table, and he said: "It was a good win but Robert didn't get going and I made the most of my opportunities early on.

"The game came alive towards the end and we both played really well, and I'm really happy."

Five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld took out finishes of 121, 161 and 152 as he defeated Dave Chisnall 7-4 in a key game for both players, with the Dutchman pulling three points clear of the battle to avoid elimination on Judgement Night in two weeks' time as he averaged 104.90.

"I'm really happy with this performance and it's a really big result," said van Barneveld. "I'm on six points now and this could be a really important two points.

"I'm extremely happy with the 105 average and I know what I can do. My set-up is right and I believe in myself, and if you do that then anything can happen."

Michael Smith missed the night in Glasgow after he doubled up in Leeds to cover for Anderson's absence, while next week's visit to the Echo Arena in Liverpool sees Wade sit out as Thornton plays twice on the night following his absence through illness in Newcastle earlier this season.

Betway Premier League
Night Seven - March 17
The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Gary Anderson 7-4 Adrian Lewis
James Wade 7-4 Robert Thornton
Michael van Gerwen 6-6 Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld 7-4 Dave Chisnall
Gary Anderson 7-5 Peter Wright

League Table

Following Night Seven	P	W	D	L	+/-	LWAT	Pts
Michael van Gerwen	7	5	1	1	+20	20	11
Phil Taylor	7	5	1	1	+19	17	11
Gary Anderson	7	5	0	2	+9	14	10
James Wade	8	5	0	3	+3	16	10
Adrian Lewis	7	4	0	3	+3	15	8
Peter Wright	7	3	1	3	-1	11	7
Raymond van Barneveld	7	3	0	4	0	13	6
Dave Chisnall	7	1	1	5	-9	14	3
Michael Smith	7	1	1	5	-22	12	3
Robert Thornton	6	0	1	5	-22	2	1

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MATCH INFORMATION
Gary Anderson v Adrian Lewis
1-0 - Lewis fires in the game's first 180, but can only watch on as Anderson lands tops to complete an excellent 13-darter to kick off in front of a capacity crowd.
2-0 - Lewis is first to a double, but misses five darts at doubles 12 and six to level before the reigning champion finishes 87 on double 18 to break throw and move two legs up.
3-0 - Lewis lands another maximum but Anderson hits tops to continue his brilliant start.
3-1 - Lewis posts his third 180 before hitting tops to get off the mark.
4-1 - Anderson lands his first maximum of the game before landing double five to claim his fourth leg.
4-2 - Lewis initially misses tops for a 160 checkout, but Anderson is off-target with three darts at the same bed before the Stoke ace returns to claim the leg.
5-2 - Double four sees Anderson continue his charge towards claiming a result.
5-3 - Anderson misses tops for a 76 finish as Lewis hits the same bed to respond - but he remains a break of throw behind his rival.
6-3 - The reigning World Champion finishes 48 on tops to secure a minimum of a point.
6-4 - The pair trade 180s, with Lewis earning a reprieve from two missed doubles when Anderson misses match darts at double top and ten, allowing the Stoke thrower back to hit double two and keep his hopes alive.
7-4 - Anderson fires home double 12 to secure victory from his first of two games on the night - his fourth straight Betway Premier League victory.

Match Stats

Gary Anderson	7-4	Adrian Lewis
15	100+	9
12	140+	8
0	170+	0
2	180	4
99.39	Average	93.00
87	High Finish	40
1	Breaks of Throw	0
7/20 - 35%	Checkout %	4/13 - 31%

James Wade v Robert Thornton
1-0 - Wade kicks off the game with a 180 before finishing 124 for a superb opening leg.
1-1 - Thornton lands double ten to level and settle any nerves in front of his home crowd.
2-1 - Wade finishes 56 on tops to hold throw and regain the edge.
2-2 - Thornton brings the crowd to their feet with two 180s before hitting a seventh treble 20, only to miss the treble 19 in his bid for a nine-darter - but he returns to claim the leg.
3-2 - Wade misses the bull to finish 161, but returns to land double ten as he regains the edge.
3-3 - Thornton kicks off with 140 and a 180 before finishing 54 on tops to level.
4-3 - Thornton fires in a 168 score to leave 134, but Wade takes out 71 on tops to avert a possible break of throw.
5-3 - Wade misses tops for a 154 finish, but returns to take out double ten as he breaks throw to establish a two-leg lead.
6-3 - Double nine sees Wade secure a minimum of a point from the game.
6-4 - Wade misses the bull to finish 161, and Thornton hits the middle double to complete a 95 finish to keep his hopes alive.
7-4 - Thornton lands his fourth 180 of the game, but it proves to be his final visit as Wade posts tops to claim his fifth win of the season.

Match Stats

James Wade	7-4	Robert Thornton
22	100+	13
9	140+	10
0	170+	0
1	180	4
100.81	Average	101/35
124	High Finish	95
1	Breaks of Throw	0
7/13 - 54%	Checkout %	4/11 - 36%

Michael van Gerwen v Phil Taylor
1-0 - Taylor is first to a finish, scoring two 140s and a 180, but four missed doubles allow van Gerwen in to take out 92 to avert a possible break of throw.
1-1 - Taylor takes out a clinical 114 on tops to level.
2-1 - van Gerwen pins double top at the first time of asking to regain the edge.
3-1 - van Gerwen lands his first 180 before breaking throw by hitting double ten.
4-1 - Taylor responds with a 180, but van Gerwen lands tops to take a third successive leg as he pulls clear.
5-1 - van Gerwen pulls clear with a 177 score before returning from two missed doubles by landing double nine to claim a four-leg lead.
5-2 - van Gerwen misses a dart at tops to win a fifth successive leg, and Taylor finishes 84 on the bull to hit back with a break of throw.
5-3 - van Gerwen lands his second 180, but Taylor finishes 62 with a 14-darter to cut the gap to two legs.
5-4 - Taylor opens with a 177 before taking out a brilliant 120 to break throw again and claim a third straight leg.
6-4 - Taylor leaves 64 as he bids to level, but van Gerwen takes out a stunning 170 checkout to halt his rival's comeback and secure at least a draw.
6-5 - van Gerwen lands his third 180, but misses three match darts at double 18 to allow Taylor in as he takes out double four to send the game into a decider.
6-6 - Taylor scores three 140s before van Gerwen hits a 180, but the six-time Premier League winner takes out 81 on treble 13 to snatch a point from 5-1 down.

Match Stats

Michael van Gerwen	6-6	Phil Taylor
11	100+	16
7	140+	12
2	170+	1
4	180	2
107.35	Average	103.12
170	High Finish	120
3	Breaks of Throw	3
6/13 - 46%	Checkout %	6/10 - 60%

Raymond van Barneveld v Dave Chisnall
1-0 - Double ten sees van Barneveld win the opening leg.
2-0 - van Barneveld returns from two misses at tops to land double ten for a second leg.
2-1 - Chisnall finishes 60 on tops to hit back with a break of throw in reply.
2-2 - Chisnall fires in a 180 before finishing a 12-darter on double ten.
2-3 - van Barneveld kicks off the leg with two 180s before Chisnall lands a maximum, and when the Dutchman misses two darts at doubles his rival steps in to finish a 12-darter on double ten to move ahead.
3-3 - van Barneveld opens the leg with his third maximum in five visits to the oche, before taking out 64 on double eight to break back and level.
4-3 - Chisnall fires in his fourth 180, but van Barneveld finishes 121 on the bull as he moves back ahead, lifting his in-running average to 109 in the process.
5-3 - van Barneveld takes out 161 for a second successive week as he breaks throw to move two legs clear.
6-3 - The Dutchman takes out 76 on double 18 to seal at least a point from the contest.
6-4 - van Barneveld lands a 180 but misses a dart at double 16 to punish three misses at tops from Chisnall, who returns on double ten to keep his hopes alive.
7-4 - van Barneveld seals victory in style with a brilliant 152 finish, his third ton-plus checkout.

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	7-4	Dave Chisnall
13	100+	12
12	140+	5
0	170+	0
4	180	5
104.90	Average	96.27
161	High Finish	85
3	Breaks of Throw	2
7/16 - 44%	Checkout %	4/12 - 33%

Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
0-1 - Double ten sees Wright claim the opening leg against the throw.
1-1 - Three missed doubles from Wright are punished as Anderson takes out tops.
2-1 - Anderson finishes 101 on double eight to edge in front.
2-2 - Wright produces an outstanding ten-dart finish, scoring 180, 140 and 149 before finishing double 16 to level.
3-2 - Anderson fires in a superb 168 score to leave 80 before finishing the combination with two double tops to regain the lead.
3-3 - Wright takes out 60 on tops to square the game once again.
3-4 - Another 60 checkout, ending on double ten, sees Wright break throw to move back ahead.
4-4 - Wright hits a 180, but Anderson replies with a maximum before taking out 81 in two darts on double 12 as he breaks back to level.
5-4 - Wright misses double 16 for a 64 finish, allowing Anderson back in on double ten to regain the lead.
5-5 - Anderson hits a 180 but misses two darts - at double 12 and six - to allow Wright in to level a see-saw contest.
6-5 - Anderson finishes 100 with two double tops as he secures at least a draw from the game.
7-5 - The pair trade 180s before the game ends in drama, with Anderson's three missed doubles followed by three misses by Wright at double four to claim a point before the World Champion hits double five to claim the win and four points on the evening.

Match Stats