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Nathan Aspinall in action against Michael van Gerwen (Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC)

Darts results: Nathan Aspinall thrashes Michael van Gerwen on way to winning Players Championship Seven title

By Chris Hammer

18:38 · SUN March 15, 2020

Nathan Aspinall's incredible rise up the darting ranks reached another spike on Saturday as he thrashed Michael van Gerwen en route to his fifth PDC title - just 18 months after his first.

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While the sporting headlines have been dominated by cancelations and postponements caused by the coronavirus outbreak, darts is one of the few that have been able to stage events this weekend, with players heading to the quiet confines of the Barnsley Metrodome for Players Championship Seven and Eight.

However, with forthcoming tournaments on the European Tour in the process of being rescheduled until at least May and the Premier League Darts season, which is now due to end with the Rotterdam double-header in September, set for more amendments due to an expected imminent ban on mass gatherings in the UK, this may well be a rare opportunity for the game's elite stars to compete on a regular basis for a while.

And Aspinall ensured he took his chances with both hands, as he followed up a 6-1 thumping of van Gerwen in the quarter-finals with a 7-3 triumph over Danny Noppert in the last four before overcoming Brendan Dolan 8-4 to clinch the title and earn a top prize of £10,000.

As impressive as any win against MVG is - especially by such a wide margin - it was far from his best performance of the day from a statistical point of view, with his average of 93.2 being comfortably higher than the world number one's lowly mark of 87, by his own ridiculous standards of course.

Regardless of the stats, the gutsy Stockport man showed great character to finish off van Gerwen so ruthlessly just eight days after his UK Open defence ended at the first hurdle following a hard-fought 10-8 defeat to the eventual champion.

Aspinall initially bounced back from his Minehead disappointment with a stunning average of 107 that helped him come from 5-1 down to earn a Premier League draw with Gary Anderson on Thursday night and he carried the momentum to Barnsley, where he opened up with a 6-3 triumph over Alan Tabern prior to edging out Geert Nentjes 6-4 - both with 95-98 averages.

Then came the first of his world-class displays, posting an average of 104.1 to defy Chris Dobey in a quality affair that saw Hollywood also reached three figures, while he then dominated Vincent van der Voort 6-2 with a mark of 103.

After seeing off MVG, the 28-year-old produced his sparkling best as an average of 105.5, bolstered by a 147 checkout along the way, was almost a necessity to claim a 7-3 victory over Danny Noppert, who also soared above 100 for his fourth match in a row.

Noppie had enjoyed a brilliant day with successive victories over Rob Cross, whose 105 was higher than the Dutchman's 103 during his 6-5 defeat, Daryl Gurney (6-0) and Krzysztof Ratajski (6-2) - although he'd had to survive last-leg deciders against Matthew Edgar and Ted Evetts earlier in the day.

The final between Aspinall and Dolan looked as though it might go the distance when the Irishman moved into a 4-2 lead but after pulling a leg back, the 2019 UK Open and US Masters champion produced a match-changing 136 checkout that restored parity.

Aspinall v Dolan | Players Championship 7 Final

A second successive 12-darter, completed by a 90 finish, put him ahead for the first time and then punished Dolan for three missed darts at a double to take firm control of the contest.

Aspinall didn't look back from there and another two legs made it six on the trot as he picked up his second Pro Tour title of the season - having previously done so back in February with the help of a nine-darter - and his fifth PDC crown overall since his maiden triumph back in September 2018 when he was still ranked outside the world's top 70.

Two world championship semi-final runs later - not to mention the aforementioned pair of televised titles - he's now mixing it well inside the top 10.

Aspinall told www.pdc.tv: "I played steady at times and not so well at others but I’m really happy. I’m full of confidence and was determined to have a good run this weekend. I know what I can produce and I know how good I am and there is no reason why I can’t win more titles.

"The other half is booking our wedding soon so I need the money!"

Dolan can hold his head high after reaching a third Pro Tour final in seventh months, even though unlike the previous two he ended up with the runners-up cheque.

The Northern Irishman, who ended his five-year drought for a PDC title last August before grabbing a second two months later, hadn't enjoyed the best of seasons apart from a semi-final run in early February but these efforts consolidate his place in 32rd spot on the Order of Merit.

His 107 average in a 6-4 over Adrian Gray in the first round was the only time he posted a mark above 100 but still managed to defeat Niels Zonneveld (6-4), Ciaran Teehan (6-4) and Dave Chisnall (6-2) before seeing off Peter Wright's shock conqueror Derk Telnekes 6-5 in the quarter-finals.

The 46-year-old then came up against James Wade, who had earlier average above 100 in victories over Mickey Mansell, Andrew Gilding, Glen Durrant and Ian White, but he brushed the Machine aside with a 7-1 triumph.

Players Championship Eight takes place on Sunday.