Nathan Aspinall took a major step towards sealing his BetMGM Premier League Play-Off qualification after increasing his lead on Night 15 in Aberdeen.
Aspinall came into Thursday’s action one point adrift of Michael van Gerwen in fourth position, but the Stockport star produced a hat-trick of stellar displays to triumph on Scottish soil.
The 33-year-old recorded a crucial 6-3 victory over Van Gerwen in the evening’s opener, before defeating Stephen Bunting and Chris Dobey to put himself in pole position for a spot in the season-ending Play-Offs at The O2 in London.
Aspinall now leads Van Gerwen by four points ahead of the final night of league phase action in Sheffield, where the pair will meet again in the evening’s second quarter-final.
The former World Matchplay champion can confirm his qualification with victory over Van Gerwen, while the Dutchman must clinch his first nightly win of the campaign to snatch a Play-Off place.
“I felt really confident coming into tonight,” insisted Aspinall, a Premier League runner-up in 2020.
“Last week I should have beaten Luke [Littler], but tonight was a new night.
“I thought I was really composed in that game against Michael, although for me it meant nothing unless I won my next game, and I believe the game against Stephen was the big one.
“It’s in my hands now. The pressure is on Michael next week, but I will prepare like it’s a do-or-die game.
“If I beat Michael, I know I’m through and I’m going to The O2, which has always been a dream of mine.”
Aspinall defied a mid-game fightback from Van Gerwen to prevail in Thursday’s opener, converting a crucial 140 checkout along the way.
This was followed by successive 6-1 wins against Bunting and Dobey, which also draws Aspinall level on points with Gerwyn Price in third position.
Dobey, meanwhile, performed magnificently to reach his third nightly final of the season, averaging 107 in his thumping 6-2 win against Rob Cross in the last eight.
The Bedlington star then defied a 101 average and eight maximums from Luke Littler to win through a high-quality semi-final, but his defeat against Aspinall officially ends his top four dreams.
Despite spurning four match darts against Dobey, Littler ensured he will top the league phase for a second consecutive year, courtesy of his astonishing 6-3 success against Luke Humphries.
The pair produced one of the greatest games the Premier League has ever seen, with Littler averaging almost 116 to topple the world number one, who hit nine 180s in as many legs.
Elsewhere, Bunting ran out a 6-4 winner in his quarter-final clash against Price, who conjured up his record-extending fifth Premier League nine-darter in defeat.
Price – who also achieved perfection on Night Ten in Manchester – delivered the goods in the closing stages of the contest to record the fifth perfect leg in this year’s event.
Following an epic night in Aberdeen, the final night of league phase action will take place at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena on Thursday May 22.
Littler will play Bunting in the evening’s opener, before Aspinall and Van Gerwen renew their rivalry in a pivotal showdown.
Humphries will play Cross for a place in the semi-finals, while Price and Dobey go head-to-head in the Steel City.
Click here for match stats and results.
2025 BetMGM Premier League
Night 15 – Thursday May 15
P&J Live, Aberdeen
Quarter-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Michael van Gerwen
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Gerwyn Price
Chris Dobey 6-2 Rob Cross
Luke Littler 6-3 Luke Humphries
Semi-Finals
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Stephen Bunting
Chris Dobey 6-5 Luke Littler
Final
Nathan Aspinall 6-1 Chris Dobey
Night 16 – Thursday May 22
Utilita Arena, Sheffield
Quarter-Finals
Luke Littler v Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall v Michael van Gerwen
Luke Humphries v Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price v Chris Dobey
Semi-Finals
Littler/Bunting v Aspinall/Van Gerwen
Humphries/Cross v Price/Dobey
Final
v
All matches best of 11 legs
——ENDS—–
Images: PDC
