The Nuke Lights Up Brighton: Littler Triumphs in Premier League Night 5
- Darts Central
- Mar 7
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 12
The 2025 Premier League rolled into Brighton for Night 5, bringing top-tier darts action to the South Coast. Luke Humphries led the standings with a commanding eight-point advantage, while the battle for the remaining top-four spots intensified.
Quarter-Final 1: Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Gerwyn Price
A key clash between two of the Premier League’s heavyweights, with Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price both looking to bounce back after early exits in the UK Open and quarter-final defeats on Night 4.
The match began scrappy, with both players missing early opportunities. MvG quickly found his rhythm, breaking Price’s throw with clinical checkouts of 75 and 109 to race into a 3-0 lead.
Price responded with a solid 14-darter in the fourth leg but struggled to maintain consistency, missing darts at doubles. With MvG leading 4-1, Price’s attempts to break back were stifled. At 5-3, MvG sealed the match with a 13-darter, showcasing his solid finishing under pressure.
Match Stats:
MvG: 95.36 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 33.33% (6/18)
Price: 90.11 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 17.65% (3/17)
MvG’s win saw him leapfrog Price in the standings, while Price suffered back-to-back quarter-final exits after his impressive Night 3 triumph in Dublin.
Quarter-Final 2: Luke Littler 6-5 Chris Dobey
After his UK Open win, Luke Littler faced Chris Dobey, who was desperately seeking his first points of the Premier League campaign since the opening night in Belfast.
Dobey took advantage of early mistakes from Littler, breaking his throw to lead 2-0. Littler responded by leveling the score at 2-2 but Dobey regained the lead with an 11-darter to make it 3-2.
The match swung back and forth as Dobey squandered several opportunities to extend his lead, with Littler capitalizing on missed doubles.
At 5-5, Dobey, throwing for the match, faltered under pressure, leaving 64 after 15 darts. Littler seized the moment with a 110 checkout to seal victory and secure his place in the semi-finals.
Match Stats:
Littler: 97.83 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 33.33% (6/18)
Dobey: 100.21 average, 3x 180s, Checkout %: 29.41% (5/17)
Despite a strong display, Dobey remains stranded in 7th place, with his checkout percentage continuing to be a significant issue.
Meanwhile, Littler’s win brings him another two points closer to Humphries in the race for the top spot.
Quarter-Final 3: Rob Cross 6-4 Luke Humphries
Rob Cross entered this clash against the World Number 1 with a strong recent record, having won six of their last nine encounters. However, in the Premier League standings, he trailed Luke Humphries by a significant 11 points.
Humphries opened with a 14-darter and even hit the first nine-darter of this Premier League season, much to the crowd’s delight. Cross quickly broke back with an 11-darter and levelled at 2-2.
The match turned into a power-scoring battle, with Cross outscoring Humphries impressively here to level the score at 4-4. In the final stages, Humphries missed crucial doubles, and Cross took advantage, breaking before holding with an exquisite 11-darter for a 6-4 win.
Match Stats:
Cross: 111.19 average, 7x 180s, Checkout %: 60% (6/10)
Humphries: 98.60 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 36.36% (4/11)
Cross's impressive victory saw him into his third semi-final in five nights, while Humphries faced his first quarter-final exit of the Premier League season.
Quarter-Final 4: Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Stephen Bunting
Nathan Aspinall, just one point outside the playoff spots, faced Stephen Bunting, who was still searching for his first Premier League points after four winless weeks.
Aspinall made an explosive start, claiming the first leg with a 140 checkout. Bunting briefly rallied, leveling the match at 1-1, but Aspinall’s consistent scoring and clinical finishing quickly took over. Aspinall reeled off four consecutive legs, barely allowing Bunting a chance. ‘The Bullet’ had just one dart at double during this stretch.
Bunting managed to break throw in the seventh leg, but Aspinall wrapped up the match with a 13-darter, sealing a dominant 6-2 victory.
Match Stats:
Aspinall: 106.46 average, 6x 180s, Checkout %: 60% (6/10)
Bunting: 97.06 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 33.33% (2/6)
Aspinall fell just one point short of his highest-ever TV major average, but it was still a phenomenal display that moved him into the playoff spots.
Meanwhile, Bunting’s winless return to the Premier League continued, leaving him rooted to the bottom of the table after five nights of frustration.
Semi-Final 1: Luke Littler 6-2 Michael van Gerwen
This was the third Premier League meeting between Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen this season, with both players having claimed a win each in their previous encounters.
Littler continued his fine form in the semi-final, breaking MvG’s throw in the early stages and establishing a 3-1 lead. Van Gerwen quickly broke back, but he struggled on the outer ring in the sixth leg, missing five darts at double, which allowed Littler to break again.
Littler then finished the match with an 11-darter, taking a commanding 6-2 win and advancing to his third final in five Premier League nights.
Match Stats:
Littler: 106.11 average, 3x 180s, Checkout %: 40% (6/15)
MvG: 90.41 average, 1x 180, Checkout %: 25% (2/8)
Littler advanced to his third final in five Premier League nights, continuing the strong defence of his PL crown.
In contrast, Van Gerwen fell at the semi-final stage for the fourth time in five weeks, still yet to reach a final. His failure to win back-to-back matches in any competition this year is becoming a growing concern, raising serious questions about his consistency.
Semi-Final 2: Nathan Aspinall 6-5 Rob Cross
Rob Cross was aiming for his first final of the Premier League season, while Nathan Aspinall was chasing his second, with just one point separating them in the standings ahead of this clash.
'Voltage' made a blistering start, leaving 16 after just nine darts in the opening leg. However, he missed six darts at double, and Aspinall took advantage, stealing the opener. Aspinall extended his lead with a 100 checkout, but Cross responded with an extraordinary four-leg charge, including a perfect 141 checkout in a stunning nine-darter.
It was the second nine-darter of the night following Humphries pinning the perfect leg against Cross in defeat in the third Quarter-Final of the evening.
Despite this rally from Cross, Aspinall didn’t buckle. He broke Cross in the eighth leg and then hit a crucial 120 checkout to move ahead 5-4. Cross responded with a 112 checkout to force a decider, but Aspinall held his nerve, producing a composed 70 checkout in the final leg to seal a 6-5 victory.
Match Stats:
Aspinall: 96.49 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 54.55% (6/11)
Cross: 106.91 average, 4x 180s, Checkout %: 33.33% (5/15)
Incredibly, for the second time on the night, a player who hit a perfect leg went on to lose their match.
Aspinall’s victory extended his lead over Cross to two points in the standings and saw him climb to third place as his Premier League playoff push gathered momentum.
🏆 The Final: Luke Littler 6-3 Nathan Aspinall
For the second consecutive week, Luke Littler and Nathan Aspinall faced off in the Premier League final, with Littler having comfortably beaten Aspinall 6-2 in their previous meeting in Exeter.
The match started with both players struggling to find their best form. Aspinall capitalized on missed doubles from Littler to claim the opening leg, but Littler quickly found his rhythm, winning the next three legs to take a 3-1 lead. Aspinall fought back to level at 3-3, capitalizing on missed doubles from Littler in both the fifth and sixth legs.
However, the momentum swung back in Littler's favor in the seventh leg. With Aspinall on throw and first to a finish, he missed a crucial double 16 for a 99 checkout. Littler seized the opportunity, stepping up to break Aspinall's throw with a clean double 16 to regain the lead at 4-3.
From there, Littler surged ahead, holding his throw in the eighth leg before closing out the match with a composed 13-darter to win 6-3.
Match Stats:
Littler: 100.47 average, 5x 180s, Checkout %: 42.86% (6/14)
Aspinall: 94.54 average, 2x 180s, Checkout %: 37.5% (3/8)
Updated Premier League Table After Night 5
After Night 5, Littler closed the gap to just two points behind Humphries for the top spot. Michael van Gerwen moved ahead of Gerwyn Price following his win over the Welshman in the quarter-finals, while Nathan Aspinall climbed to 3rd place after reaching his second final of the campaign. As a result, Price dropped out of the top four.
Elsewhere, Rob Cross’s nine-dart heroics weren’t enough to reach the final, but they did help him close the gap on the playoffs, now just two points behind. Dobey and Bunting were again left pointless—Dobey has now gone without a point since Week 1, and Bunting, despite some solid performances, remains at the bottom of the table with zero points.
Position | Name | Points |
1st | Luke Humphries | 15 |
2nd | Luke Littler | 13 |
3rd | Nathan Aspinall | 8 |
4th | Michael van Gerwen | 8 |
5th | Gerwyn Price | 7 |
6th | Rob Cross | 6 |
7th | Chris Dobey | 3 |
8th | Stephen Bunting | 0 |
Night Six Fixtures—Thursday, 13th March
Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Quarter-Finals:
Luke Humphries v Luke Littler
Rob Cross v Chris Dobey
Stephen Bunting v Gerwyn Price
Nathan Aspinall v Michael van Gerwen
Final Thoughts
Luke Littler’s remarkable victory in Brighton, which saw him claim the maximum 5 points and a £10,000 winner’s bonus, has brought him to within two points of Luke Humphries at the top of the Premier League standings. His dominant semifinal win over Michael van Gerwen highlighted his incredible form, further cementing his status as a strong contender in his defense of the Premier League title.
Nathan Aspinall also impressed, reaching his second final of the campaign. His consistent performances keep him firmly in the playoff race, making him a serious contender as the season progresses.
On a historic night, both Luke Humphries and Rob Cross produced perfect nine-dart finishes, earning themselves 18-carat gold sets of darts worth around £30,000. This remarkable achievement was made possible by BetMGM, the official sponsor of the 2025 Premier League. The perfect legs from Cross and Humphries added even more excitement to an already thrilling night.
As the Premier League enters its second half, the title race is heating up, with the top spots now firmly within reach for multiple players.
Upcoming Tournaments:
Belgian Darts Open (ET1)—March 7th-March 9th in Wieze, live on PDC.tv
Players Championship 5 & 6—March 11th & 12th in Leicester, live on PDC.tv
Premier League Night 6—March 13th in Nottingham, live on Sky Sports
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