Peter Wright suffers fifth-straight loss to start 2024 Premier League Darts with 6-4 defeat to Nathan Aspinall in Exeter; watch the Premier League Darts every Thursday night live on Sky Sports
Friday 1 March 2024 13:51, UK
Sky Sports' Wayne Mardle described Peter Wright's latest defeat - a fifth in a row - to start the 2024 Premier League Darts as a "bitter blow".
Snakebite put in an improved showing against Luke Littler in Newcastle last week, averaging over 100 for the first time in the tournament as he was pipped in a last-leg decider. This week, he averaged only 91.13 as he went down to eventual nightly winner Nathan Aspinall in Exeter.
"Not only did he not win points, that was a poor performance," Mardle told Sky Sports.
"Was last week a false dawn? He has gone back to his old faithful darts. But, like we've said, it's not the darts, it's the person throwing them.
"Tonight was a biter blow for him. Not only to lose, but in the manner in which he lost. He didn't play well at all."
Wright's latest loss continues a torrid run of form for the two-time world champion, who was knocked out in the second round at Alexandra Palace in December.
"It's going to be difficult for him now," Mark Webster added on the latest Sky Sports' Love The Darts Podcast.
"He lost the last three of last year's Premier League and is having to wait to Week Six, like last year, to try and get his first points on the board.
"He will be hurting but he has to regroup. He's off to the UK Open and has to try and get his head straight - he's won that event before [in 2017] - before focusing back on the Premier League."
On his hopes at the UK Open, Wright himself had said defiantly on the podcast last week, "I think I will win it".
The 53-year-old added: "I am getting better, I am happy with what I am playing with at the moment.
"I'm confident now. The wins will come, even if they don't come this Thursday [in Exeter]. I can win five on the trot!
"It's not like the Premier League before where halfway through you get chucked out. Hopefully the form of [others] drops off a bit for me to sneak up and get into the top four."
Wright also spoke of his admiration for 17-year-old darting sensation Luke Littler after his rapid rise following a runners-up finish at his first World Championships.
"Good on him. It is making us all better, inspiring me to be better," Wright said.
"I could quite easily have retired after the World Championships with all the stuff I have won but I have not finished with all these guys yet and there is a little man [Littler] inspiring all the darts players."
Littler has impressed in his debut Premier League Darts campaign since his memorable run at the Ally Pally over Christmas but is still searching for his first nightly win.
In Exeter, he put in a devastating display against Michael Smith, averaging nearly 114 on his way to a 6-2 victory, before being off his game in a 6-3 loss to Rob Cross in the semi-finals.
Sky Sports' Rod Studd doesn't think it will be long until Littler tops the pile, however.
"He's certainly more than capable - he could do it next week in Brighton," he said on the Love The Darts Podcast. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did.
"And yet, it's very difficult to win one because you've got to play well in three games and beat three other elite level players.
"He played very well in his first game and not so well in his second. And that's the problem - you play badly for one game in this format and you can ring the taxi."
Premier League Darts now heads to the Brighton Centre on Thursday March 7, with Luke Humphries vs Gerwyn Price opening the night.
Cross will then face Michael Van Gerwen, with Aspinall up against Littler, and Smith taking on Wright.
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Premier League Darts continues on Sky Sports on Thursday March 7 as Brighton is the next stop on the 17-week extravaganza all the way through to the Play-Offs at the O2 Arena in London on Thursday, May 23. Stream Sky Sports Darts without a contract through NOW
