Cool Hand’s Exeter Excellence: Humphries Sinks Littler to Win Night 4
- Darts Central
- Feb 28
- 10 min read
Updated: Mar 12
After Gerwyn Price’s triumph on Night 3 in front of a passionate Dublin crowd, the Premier League roadshow moved to Exeter for Night 4. The headline clash saw table-toppers Luke Humphries and Price face off, while Stephen Bunting searched for his first points of the campaign—though he faced a tough challenge against reigning World Champion and Premier League titleholder Luke Littler.
Quarter-Final 1: Rob Cross 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
The first quarter-final saw third-placed Michael van Gerwen take on seventh-placed Rob Cross. The opening two legs featured comfortable breaks of throw, but the next eight saw both players hold throw consistently. Cross applied more pressure on the MvG throw, narrowly missing a 167 bullseye checkout in the third leg and squandering another break opportunity in the fifth after missing a single 15 on a 47 checkout, leaving himself just one dart at double 16.
Cross registered the highest checkout of the match—a 132 finish in leg eight—to level the game at 4-4. MvG struggled for scoring power and, unusually, failed to create any break chances beyond the second leg. However, he remained solid on his own throw, benefiting from winning the pre-match bull.
With the match reaching a deciding 11th leg, van Gerwen had the advantage of throwing first. It was a scrappy leg by both players' standards, with Cross reaching a double first. He narrowly missed the bull on an 85 checkout, while MvG set up 24 after 15 darts but shockingly missed double 12, double 6, and double 3. Cross eventually cleaned up a 25 checkout with his last dart at double 4 to seal an 18-dart win in an unexpectedly tame finish.
Match Stats:
Cross: 99.33 average, 1x 180, Checkout %: 46.15% (6/13)
MvG: 92.88 average, 0x 180s, Checkout %: 27.78% (5/18)
This result ended van Gerwen’s perfect quarter-final record in this campaign, marking his first QF defeat. Meanwhile, Cross doubled his points tally with this win—his first since Night 1 in Belfast.
Quarter-Final 2: Luke Humphries 6-4 Gerwyn Price
The second quarter-final featured a top-of-the-table showdown between Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price. ‘The Iceman’ entered the match fresh off his Night 3 triumph in Dublin, where he had defeated Humphries, Littler, and Aspinall.
Much like the night’s opening game, the early exchanges saw both players hold throw comfortably. With Price leading 2-1, he had a chance to secure the first break, leaving 48 after just 12 darts while Humphries sat back on 156. However, ‘Cool Hand’ once again lived up to his name, delivering a sensational 156 checkout to level the match at 2-2.
The trend of holds continued for much of the match, with neither player applying significant pressure on their opponent’s throw. Price, in particular, struggled to generate his usual scoring power, leading to a noticeable dip in his average. At 4-4, the match took a decisive turn as Humphries produced a clinical 14-darter, taking out 64 to secure the first break of the contest and give himself the chance to throw for victory.
The final leg turned into an unexpected drama as both players endured a torrid time on the doubles. Price squandered six darts at his favored double top, missing the opportunity to force a deciding leg where he would have had the throw. Humphries also faltered, missing five darts—three at double 18 and two at double 9—before finally landing double 9 to close out a scrappy 23-dart leg.
Match Stats:
Humphries: 97.22 average, 3x 180s, Checkout %: 37.5% (6/16)
Price: 89.77 average, 1x 180, Checkout %: 30.77% (4/13)
Quarter-Final 3: Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Chris Dobey
Nathan Aspinall entered this match with three points, having secured his first points of the campaign after a strong run to the final last week. Chris Dobey, meanwhile, was still searching for his first points since Night 1, where he had reached the final in Belfast but struggled in the following two weeks.
This clash between the 5th and 6th-placed players proved to be a nervy affair, with both struggling on the doubles early on. The first six legs saw four breaks of throw, as neither player could establish a rhythm or pull away.
The momentum shifted in the next four legs, as both players found more consistency and held throw comfortably. This was best exemplified in the 10th leg when Dobey produced a clinical 90 checkout in just two darts—hitting treble 20 and double 15—to deny Aspinall a match-winning opportunity at 104 and force a deciding leg.
With the match on the line, Aspinall had the advantage of throwing first in the 11th leg. After nine darts, he was left on 215, with Dobey close behind on 204—just 11 points separating them in a tense decider. Aspinall then delivered his fourth 180 of the match at the perfect moment, leaving himself 35 and letting out a roar of emotion. Dobey responded impressively, firing in a 140 to leave 64 and apply pressure. However, ‘The Asp’ held his nerve, taking out 35 with a single 3 followed by double 16, sealing a 15-darter and erupting in celebration after a hard-fought battle.
Match Stats:
Aspinall: 93.69 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 33.33% (6/18)
Dobey: 92.98 average, 5x 180s, Checkout %: 38.46% (5/13)
Aspinall moved onto five points with this victory, pulling two points ahead of Dobey, who remains winless since Night 1.
Quarter-Final 4: Luke Littler 6-3 Stephen Bunting
The final quarter-final saw reigning Premier League champion Luke Littler take on Stephen Bunting, who was still searching for his first points of the campaign. Rooted at the bottom of the table, Bunting knew he needed a strong performance to kickstart his season.
In the opening five legs, Bunting matched Littler's relentless scoring power well, holding his throw to keep the deficit to just 3-2. However, Littler soon shifted into another gear, showcasing his brilliance with four 180s in the next two legs. An 11-dart break of throw, followed by a clinical 13-dart hold, extended his lead to 5-2.
‘The Bullet’ responded in stunning fashion in the eighth leg, threatening a nine-darter after opening with back-to-back 180s. Though he couldn’t complete the perfect leg, he still closed out an 11-darter, reminding everyone of his quality.
Littler, however, was unfazed. In true champion fashion, he sealed the 6-3 victory with yet another explosive 11-darter, featuring a perfectly timed 180 and a composed 47 checkout on double top. It was another dazzling display from Littler, who continues to dominate headlines with his remarkable performances.
Bunting can take plenty of encouragement from his best display of the campaign so far. However, with zero points and an 8th-place standing, he must replicate this level in the coming weeks to climb the table.
Match Stats:
Littler: 112.34 average, 10x 180s, Checkout %: 66.67% (6/9)
Bunting: 104.89 average, 6x 180s, Checkout %: 60% (3/5)
Littler’s name is becoming synonymous with records, and he added another one here—hitting an astonishing 10 180s, the most ever recorded in a single Premier League game under the new league-phase format introduced in 2022.
Semi-Final 1: Luke Humphries 6-5 Rob Cross
Rob Cross was aiming for his first Premier League final of the season, while Luke Humphries was looking to reach his third in four nights—a testament to his dominance in the early stages of the campaign.
Humphries started fast, racing into a 3-1 lead in emphatic fashion. The only leg Cross could muster in the opening four was a breathtaking 10-darter—an exceptional hold that kept him within touching distance.
‘Voltage’ built on that, holding throw in leg five to narrow the gap to 3-2. The momentum swung dramatically in leg six, as Humphries squandered three darts at double 14 for a two-leg cushion. Cross seized the opportunity, coolly finishing 64 on double 16 with his last dart in hand to level the match at 3-3.
Humphries’ struggles continued into the seventh leg, as he missed darts at double 20, double 10, and double 5. Cross, in contrast, punished him clinically, finding double 20 at the first attempt to take his third consecutive leg and move 4-3 in front—leaving Humphries visibly frustrated.
However, the world number one swiftly responded with a moment of class. A perfectly timed 180 and a stunning 121 checkout on double 18 saw him hold throw in just 12 darts, leveling at 4-4. His sarcastic thumbs-up celebration showed both relief and lingering frustration. Cross, undeterred, answered immediately with a brilliant 12-darter of his own, regaining the lead at 5-4.
With his back against the wall, Humphries delivered the defining moment of the match. A magnificent 167 checkout—the highest of the game—saw him fire in yet another 12-darter, dragging the contest into a deciding leg.
Both players were poised on finishes after just nine darts in the decider—Humphries on 116, Cross on 161. Cross had the first opportunity but faltered, producing only a 45 to leave 116. That miss proved costly, as Humphries stepped up and nailed the 116 checkout in ice-cool fashion to seal a 6-5 victory and book his place in the final.
It was a sensational late surge from Humphries, who refused to let mid-match frustrations derail him. Three 12-dart legs in the final four proved why he is the world number one.
Match Stats:
Humphries: 100.08 average, 7x 180s, Checkout %: 37.5% (6/16)
Cross: 98.81 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 55.56% (5/9)
Humphries advanced to his third final in four nights, further solidifying his place at the top of the standings.
Semi-Final 2: Luke Littler 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Fresh off breaking another record in his quarter-final against Stephen Bunting, Luke Littler looked to continue his electric form. Meanwhile, Nathan Aspinall, making back-to-back semi-finals, was steadily finding his rhythm in this year’s Premier League campaign.
‘The Nuke’ wasted no time asserting himself, firing in a stunning 130 checkout to take the opening leg in style. Littler’s relentless scoring left Aspinall chasing shadows, as the reigning world champion raced into a 3-0 lead before ‘The Asp’ even had a shot at a checkout. After three legs, Littler’s average stood at a staggering 119, while Aspinall, despite playing well, averaged 101.
Aspinall finally got on the board in leg four, pinning double eight at the second attempt after Littler spurned chances at his favoured double top and double 10. However, any hopes of a fightback were swiftly extinguished as Littler responded with a 14-darter, finishing on double 10 to restore his three-leg cushion at 4-1.
The sixth leg proved a scrappy affair, with both players missing multiple darts at a double before Aspinall eventually cleaned up on double two to make it 4-2. But any momentum was short-lived as Littler delivered another moment of brilliance, checking out 105 in trademark fashion—outer bull followed by two double tops—to move within one of the final.
The match ended in fitting style, with Littler breaking throw in just 12 darts, hitting yet another 180 before sealing victory with an 81 checkout on the bull. Aspinall could only smile and shake his head in admiration, knowing there was little he could do to stop the unstoppable force in front of him.
Match Stats:
Littler: 109.67 average, 5x 180s, Checkout %: 46.15% (6/13)
Aspinall: 95.21 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 28.57% (2/7)
Littler’s dominance over Aspinall continued, securing his ninth win in ten meetings against ‘The Asp’ and booking his place in a second final in four nights.
🏆 The Final: Luke Humphries 6-4 Luke Littler
The highly anticipated showdown between the world’s top two players saw Luke Humphries and Luke Littler battle for the Night 4 crown. With their performances throughout the evening already securing them the top two spots in the league standings, both players aimed to cap off their night with a statement victory.
Littler came into the final holding the edge in their only previous 2025 Premier League meeting, a 6-5 triumph in Glasgow on Night 2. Humphries, however, was out for revenge.
‘The Nuke’ exploded out of the blocks, nailing a stunning 144 checkout in the opening leg before extending his advantage to 3-1. The turning point in this early exchange came when Humphries missed two darts at double to level at 2-2, and Littler took full advantage.
But the world number one wasn’t going down easily. Littler’s clinical finishing from earlier in the night deserted him in the fifth leg, where he missed three darts at double. Humphries stepped in to punish him, finding double top before following it up with a magnificent 11-darter to level the match at 3-3.
Despite Littler regaining the lead at 4-3 with a composed 13-darter, the world champion couldn’t shake off Humphries, who ground out a scrappy 19-dart leg to pull it back to 4-4. Both players showed signs of frustration, knowing they were just two legs from victory.
With the match now effectively a best-of-three showdown, it was Humphries who held his nerve. Littler misfired at crucial moments, missing darts inside double 10 and double 5, and Humphries ruthlessly capitalized, pinning double top first dart to break throw and move 5-4 ahead.
Sensing the finish line, Humphries hammered home his advantage, producing a clinical 13-darter on double 12 to seal a 6-4 victory.
Match Stats:
Humphries: 101.24 average, 6x 180s, Checkout %: 46.15% (6/13)
Littler: 96.82 average, 5x 180s, Checkout %: 36.36% (4/11)
Despite already boasting high-profile wins over Littler in major televised tournaments, this marked Humphries’ first victory over him in the Premier League in 7 attempts—a milestone moment as he cemented his place at the top of the standings.
Updated Premier League Table After Night 4
Following another dominant display, Luke Humphries has extended his lead at the top of the table to a staggering seven points, claiming his second nightly win in four weeks.
Luke Littler’s impressive run to the final saw him leapfrog Gerwyn Price into 2nd place, while Nathan Aspinall and Rob Cross picked up two crucial points each, closing the gap on the playoff spots.
Michael van Gerwen suffered an early exit, losing his perfect quarter-final record in this year’s campaign after falling to Rob Cross in the opening round. The Dutchman remains in the top four, but crucially, he is still yet to win back-to-back matches in any tournament this season, a worrying trend for the three-time PL champion.
Elsewhere, Chris Dobey has now gone three straight nights without a point, while Stephen Bunting remains winless, rooted to the bottom of the table, and in desperate need of a breakthrough to avoid a nightmare return to the Premier League.
Position | Name | Points |
1st | Luke Humphries | 15 |
2nd | Luke Littler | 8 |
3rd | Gerwyn Price | 7 |
4th | Michael van Gerwen | 6 |
5th | Nathan Aspinall | 5 |
6th | Rob Cross | 4 |
7th | Chris Dobey | 3 |
8th | Stephen Bunting | 0 |
Night Five Fixtures—Thursday, 6th March
Brighton Centre, Brighton
Quarter-Finals:
Gerwyn Price v Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler v Chris Dobey
Rob Cross v Luke Humphries
Stephen Bunting v Nathan Aspinall
Final Thoughts
Luke Humphries' victory in Exeter marked his second nightly win in four weeks, further cementing his dominance at the top of the Premier League standings with a commanding seven-point lead over Luke Littler in second place.
While Littler stole the headlines with staggering averages and a record-breaking 180 count, it was Humphries who delivered when it mattered most, securing the title without even needing to hit his peak performance.
Attention now shifts to the UK Open, where these players will aim to add another major TV title to their résumés before Premier League Night 5 rolls around next Thursday at the Brighton Centre. With the battle for points intensifying, every match will be crucial as the competition heats up across all levels of the league table.
Upcoming Tournaments:
UK Open—February 28th-March 2nd in Butlins Minehead, live on ITV4
Premier League Night 5—March 6th in Brighton Centre, live on Sky Sports
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