Hollywood Shines Bright in Rotterdam: Dobey Downs Bunting to Claim Night 11 Victory
- Darts Central
- Apr 18
- 9 min read
Following Aspinall’s home heroics in Manchester to claim maximum points on Night 10, attention turned to the Netherlands for Night 11 as the Premier League rolled into Rotterdam.
An out-of-form Michael van Gerwen looked to reignite his campaign in front of a passionate home crowd, with the Dutchman currently sitting outside the Play-Off places.
Quarter-Final 1: Chris Dobey 6-3 Luke Humphries
Luke Humphries came into this one having reached two finals in the last three Premier League nights, while Chris Dobey remained seventh in the table despite a strong win over Luke Littler in Berlin on Night 9. Eight points adrift of the Play-Off places, ‘Hollywood’ needed a big result in Rotterdam to stay in the hunt.
Humphries missed early chances on the outer ring to take control, which allowed Dobey to settle into the contest. The pair were level at 2-2 after four legs, but the game soon shifted decisively in Dobey’s favour.
With his rhythm flowing, Dobey produced a superb burst of three consecutive legs: a 13-dart hold, a 14-dart break, and a 15-dart hold sealed with a classy 126 checkout put him 5-2 ahead.
Humphries managed a 15-dart hold to stop the rot, but Dobey closed it out in style with another 13-darter, pinning double 8 for a 6-3 victory.
It was a below-par display from Humphries, who was put off by a breeze on stage in Rotterdam that had affected his throw. Dobey, by contrast, dealt with the conditions impressively. His scoring was relentless, and he was clinical on the doubles.
Match Stats:
Dobey: 100.49 average, 6x 180s, Checkout %: 54.55% (6/11)
Humphries: 90.17 average, 0x 180s, Checkout %: 30% (3/10)
This marked just Dobey’s fourth quarter-final win of the campaign, but it came at a crucial time. The result sees him close the gap to the top four to six points, keeping his Play-Off hopes alive.
Quarter-Final 2: Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Fresh from his Night 10 win in Manchester, Nathan Aspinall arrived in Rotterdam level on 15 points with both Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen, holding onto fourth place in the table. Price, meanwhile, was looking to bounce back after a quarter-final exit to Luke Littler last week, despite hitting a perfect nine-darter in that match.
It was the Welshman who struck first, taking out a brilliant 112 finish to break throw and lead 1–0. However, much like Humphries earlier in the night, Price appeared unsettled by the on-stage breeze, visibly frustrated as his rhythm faltered.
Aspinall capitalised emphatically, reeling off four consecutive legs to storm into a 4-1 lead, including a stunning 170 checkout that brought the Rotterdam crowd to life.
Price responded with two 15-dart holds in the next three legs to cut the deficit to 5-3, but his belief never fully returned as the conditions continued to unsettle him.
Aspinall wrapped it up with a 17-dart hold, sealing a 6-3 win and back-to-back victories on the Premier League stage.
Match Stats:
Aspinall: 97.02 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 35.29% (6/17)
Price: 94.19 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 50% (3/6)
It was a vital result for Aspinall, who leapfrogged Price into third place in the table with 17 points, two clear of ‘The Iceman’ as the Play-Off battle intensifies.
Quarter-Final 3: Stephen Bunting 6-5 Michael van Gerwen
Stephen Bunting arrived in Rotterdam off the back of a memorable Night 9 win in Berlin, though he was comfortably beaten by Luke Humphries in Manchester the following week. Meanwhile, questions continued to mount over Michael van Gerwen’s form, having slipped out of the Play-Off positions and reportedly still managing a lingering injury.
Bunting made a blistering start, racing into a 2-0 lead, only for Van Gerwen to respond swiftly and level things up at 2-2.
A 14-dart break followed by a 15-dart hold saw ‘The Bullet’ regain control at 4-2. He then missed two darts to extend his lead to 5-2, allowing Van Gerwen to close the gap to 4-3. But Bunting responded well, landing a superb 13-dart hold to move within one of the win at 5-3.
The Dutchman wasn’t done yet. Roared on by the home crowd, MvG strung together back-to-back 15-darters to deny Bunting a match dart and force a decider, where Van Gerwen had the throw.
But under the pressure of a partisan Rotterdam crowd, Bunting showed nerves of steel. He delivered the best leg of the match, sealing victory with a sublime 11-darter, finishing 81 with Van Gerwen waiting on 56 after a maximum of his own.
Match Stats:
Bunting: 99.76 average, 3x 180s, Checkout %: 50% (6/12)
MvG: 89.86 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 41.67% (5/12)
The win kept Bunting’s slim Play-Off hopes alive, cutting the gap to eight points. For Van Gerwen, it was another below-par display, leaving him still outside the top four after Night 11.
Quarter-Final 4: Luke Littler 6-5 Rob Cross
The final quarter-final of the night saw league leader Luke Littler aiming to reach his first final since Night 8 and further cement his spot at the top of the table. Rob Cross, meanwhile, was looking to snap a run of two consecutive quarter-final exits that had seen him slip to 6th place.
The opening six legs all went with throw, with Littler’s only chance to break coming on the bullseye in leg three. At 3-3, both players were averaging over 110, and Cross held the advantage of the throw.
But it was Littler who struck first. A brilliant 12-darter capped with a 122 checkout gave him the break to move 4-3 ahead. Cross had a chance to break back in the next leg but missed two darts at double, and Littler punished him with a clinical hold to lead 5-3.
Cross, though, wasn’t finished. The former World Champion roared back with an 11-dart hold and a 15-dart break to level at 5–5, after Littler missed one dart at tops for the match in leg ten.
In the decider, both players reached big finishes after 12 darts, with Cross on 150, Littler on 145. Cross missed double 18 for the 150 out, leaving the door open. Littler stepped up and stunned Cross with a sensational 145 checkout to snatch the win and erupt in celebration.
Match Stats:
Littler: 108.56 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 66.67% (6/9)
Cross: 110.15 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 41.67% (5/12)
It was a third straight quarter-final exit for Cross, leaving him three points adrift of the Play-Off places. For Littler, the two points extended his lead at the top to seven points over second-placed Humphries.
Semi-Final 1: Chris Dobey 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Chris Dobey was looking to reach his first final since Night 1 in Belfast, while Nathan Aspinall sought back-to-back Night wins to strengthen his hold on 3rd place in the standings.
Dobey made an explosive start, racing into a 3-0 lead with legs of 12, 14, and 15 darts, averaging 109.98 to Aspinall’s 78.00, a staggering 31.98-point difference that justified his dominant opening.
But as always, Aspinall refused to back down. He fought back with a 15-dart break and a 14-dart hold to close the gap to 3-2.
However, Dobey halted the comeback in its tracks, hitting a superb 14-dart break to extend his lead to 4-2. Aspinall had a chance to respond in the next leg, but two missed doubles allowed Dobey to punish him, hitting a 127 checkout on the bull to move 5-2 ahead.
Aspinall’s doubling woes continued in the eighth leg as he missed five darts at double. Dobey capitalised with a 15-dart break, claiming his third consecutive leg to seal a comfortable 6-2 victory.
Match Stats:
Dobey: 100.67 average, 6x 180s, Checkout %: 66.67% (6/9)
Aspinall: 90.03 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 12.5% (2/16)
Dobey's victory earned him his second final of the campaign as well as an extra point, lifting him to within five points of the Play-Off spots in 4th place.
Semi-Final 2: Stephen Bunting 6-5 Luke Littler
The second semi-final pitted 1st place against 8th place. Luke Littler was aiming for a record 5th Night win in this Premier League format, while Stephen Bunting, despite sitting in 8th after a tough run of eight consecutive defeats, had found form with a victory in Berlin on Night 9. He was now targeting his second final in three nights.
Both players had missed early opportunities, with the scoreline remaining level at 2-2 after four legs, representing a fair reflection of the match at that point.
Bunting then found his rhythm, rattling off three consecutive legs in 14, 11, and 12 darts, leaving Littler with no shot at the outer ring. The ‘Bullet’ surged into a 5–2 lead and looked set to finish it off.
However, Littler responded spectacularly, producing a burst of his own with three straight legs to level the match at 5-5. A pair of 12-darters and a 13-dart leg, including a near-perfect leg, saw him storm back into contention.
With the score tied, Bunting had the throw in the deciding leg and found himself on 70 after 12 darts, while Littler, having fired in a 180, was on 138. ‘The Nuke’ narrowly missed double 9 for a stunning 138 checkout to seal the dramatic comeback. Bunting took a moment to gather himself, then clinically finished off the match with a two-dart 70 checkout to win 6-5.
Match Stats:
Bunting: 106.43 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 50% (6/12)
Littler: 101.39 average, 5x 180s, Checkout %: 41.67% (5/12)
This remarkable performance from Bunting earned him his second final in three Premier League nights and kept his Play-Off hopes alive.
🏆 The Final: Chris Dobey 6-2 Stephen Bunting
The Night 11 final saw 7th-placed Chris Dobey take on 8th-placed Stephen Bunting. Both players were contesting their second final of the campaign, with Dobey aiming for his first Night win and Bunting looking for his second.
Bunting made a strong start, holding throw in 13 darts to lead 1-0. However, ‘Hollywood’ then launched into a dominant streak, winning five consecutive legs to take a commanding 5-1 lead. Dobey’s legs were clinical, coming in 13, 14, 14, 15, and 16 darts, while Bunting only had two darts at a double during this run, both of which were missed in the fifth leg at double 19.
Bunting stopped the rot in the 7th leg, holding throw in 13 darts to close the gap to 5-2. Despite his efforts, a comeback never truly materialised, as Dobey remained consistent and clinical throughout. The Geordie star sealed the victory with a 72 checkout to win 6-2.
Match Stats:
Dobey: 101.84 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 66.67% (6/9)
Bunting: 97.12 average, 3x 180s, Checkout %: 50% (2/4)
This victory marked Dobey’s first Night win of the campaign, lifting him to 6th place in the standings, just three points off the top 4 Play-Off spots.
Updated Premier League Table After Night 11
Luke Littler extended his lead at the top to a seven-point gap over 2nd-placed Luke Humphries, thanks to a Quarter-Final win over Rob Cross and Humphries' loss to Dobey.
Nathan Aspinall jumped ahead of play-off rival Gerwyn Price to 3rd after defeating him in their Quarter-Final clash, while Michael van Gerwen remained outside the play-off spots following a disappointing exit in front of his home crowd to Stephen Bunting.
Dobey’s victory in Night 11 earned him the maximum 5 points, propelling him past Rob Cross into 6th place. Meanwhile, Stephen Bunting continued his resurgence, adding 3 more points after his run to the final, accumulating 8 points over the past 3 nights after a winless first 8 nights. This recent form has brought him closer to the players above him in the standings.
Position | Name | Points |
1st | Luke Littler | 30 |
2nd | Luke Humphries | 23 |
3rd | Nathan Aspinall | 17 |
4th | Gerwyn Price | 15 |
5th | Michael van Gerwen | 15 |
6th | Chris Dobey | 12 |
7th | Rob Cross | 12 |
8th | Stephen Bunting | 8 |
Night Twelve Fixtures: Thursday, 24th April
M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Quarter-Finals:
Luke Humphries v Nathan Aspinall
Michael van Gerwen v Luke Littler
Stephen Bunting v Rob Cross
Gerwyn Price v Chris Dobey
Final Thoughts
✅ Dobey’s Ton-Topping Night Win: Chris Dobey secured his first Night win of the campaign, claiming the maximum 5 points and rising to 6th place. His performance was exceptional, averaging 101 across the night and dropping just seven legs in his three matches. This dominant victory made him only the fifth player to hit three 100+ averages in a PL night since the format’s introduction in 2022.
☢️ Littler Crushes Cross’s Hopes: Rob Cross threw a 110.15 average and hit four 180s, but it wasn’t enough as Luke Littler sealed a 6-5 win with a stunning 145 checkout after Cross missed a match dart. This marked Cross’s third straight Q-F exit, harming his play-off chances.
🎯 Breezy Conditions Persist: Windy conditions in Rotterdam affected several players, including Gerwyn Price and Luke Humphries. Littler responded by increasing his dart weight by 3 grams, while Dobey also commented on the challenging conditions in his victory, which raised questions about whether the venue is fit for purpose.
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