Michael Smith beat Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton, and Dimitri Van den Bergh to win in Glasgow I The 3Arena, Dublin hosts the fourth of 17 individual venues on Thursday February 23 with the Play-Offs returning to The O2 in London on Thursday, May 25
Friday 17 February 2023 10:45, UK
Michael Smith laid down a marker in Glasgow as he defeated Dimitri Van den Bergh to win on Night Three of the Premier League.
Smith, who took 16 weeks to register a Premier League win in 2022, romped past Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton, and Van den Bergh to become the third winner in three weeks in 2023, joining Chris Dobey and Price with a victory to his name.
The world champion held off a spirited Van den Bergh as the Belgian continuously fought back every time Smith took the lead, Bullyboy eventually finding a crucial 13-dart leg and sublime 144 finish to keep himself in control.
With the game at 5-4, Smith found an extra gear and showed his ability to grind out games, taking out the D10 finish for a 6-4 victory.
"I felt really good tonight," Smith said on Sky Sports. "Even when I missed a nine (dart finish), I said to myself to just keep believing in what you are doing.
"I want to make the top four (of the Premier League) and be in finals night and keep winning. I know when I am playing well I can win matches. When I am playing bad, it is about turning up the week after and playing better.
"I expect more of myself, but I need to go back to the drawing board and to the fight I showed before I won the Grand Slam. I showed that tonight, the fighter that is inside me."
Earlier in the night, Smith showed his class in a quarter-final victory over last week's winner Price, three breaks of throw plus a 115 finish helping the world No 1 over the line.
The St Helens man then had to show the same fight to get past Clayton, a crucial break of throw and 122 finish bringing the World Champion back in front before he sealed his final spot on D18 in a final leg decider.
Van den Bergh got his night in Glasgow going with a big win over hometown hero Peter Wright, some big finishing on the trebles and a late break of throw helping him seal a 6-4 victory.
He then backed that up with a dominant semi-final display against Aspinall, two sensational 11-dart legs proving too much for the Stockport man to handle as Van den Bergh clearly enjoyed himself on the stage.
In Thursday's other quarter-finals, Aspinall held off a mid-match Michael van Gerwen fightback, including two 12-dart legs and a Big Fish finish, to eliminate the favourite, with Clayton's hunt for some Premier League points finally up and running as he romped to an emphatic 6-1 victory in his match with Chris Dobey.
The Premier League roadshow heads to the 3Arena, Dublin on Thursday, February 23 for Night Four of the league phase.
Smith and Wright lock horns in a repeat of the 2022 world championship final.
Elsewhere, Price takes on Van den Bergh, Dobey and six-time winner Van Gerwen collide, while Clayton and Aspinall in front of a sell-out Irish crowd.
We're back for more Premier League Darts action from the 3Arena, Dublin on Thursday, February 23 - live on Sky Sports Action & Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm.
