Welsh darts star Clayton imperious on Premier League Night 11 in Rotterdam
Welsh darts star Clayton imperious on Premier League Night 11 in Rotterdam originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Premier League darts leader Jonny Clayton extended his advantage at the summit in Rotterdam, courtesy of a fourth nightly triumph of the campaign, overcoming Luke Littler in a compelling final.
Following another imperious Thursday night display, The Ferret now boasts a five-point cushion over his nearest challenger and looks almost assured of securing his place at next month’s PDC O2 showpiece. The Welsh number one was tasked with confronting Dutch icon Michael van Gerwen on home soil, amid a fervently partisan crowd. However, after conceding the opening leg, Clayton launched into a scintillating surge, reeling off five consecutive legs to silence the Ahoy Arena.
MORE ELITE DARTS COVERAGE: Check Out Our Devoted PDC Area The Green Machine did manage to claw one back, but the damage had already been emphatically inflicted. In the semi-finals, Clayton once again crossed paths with Josh Rock. After a barren start to the campaign, the Northern Irishman had become the only player across the previous four weeks to consistently win his opening match, further reinforcing that statistic with victory over Stephen Bunting in the quarter-finals.
Yet for Rocky, that elusive next step continues to evade him. Despite registering the superior average against Clayton, profligacy on the outer ring proved costly, as he was edged out in a last-leg decider. Once more, Jonny advanced to the final.
In the opposite half of the draw, Littler commenced his evening with victory over Gerwyn Price. It is a rarity for The Nuke to complete a match without registering a maximum, yet this proved to be one such anomaly. Nevertheless, a barrage of 140s, coupled with clinical finishing, proved more than sufficient.