Daryl Gurney wins to set up Unibet Premier League play-off with Michael van Gerwen

Daryl Gurney reached the Unibet Premier League play-offs at the O2 Arena in London next Thursday after a stunning 8-3 win over Michael Smith on the final night of the regular season in Leeds.
Daryl Gurney in action. 
PIC: LAWRENCE LUSTIGDaryl Gurney in action. 
PIC: LAWRENCE LUSTIG
Daryl Gurney in action. PIC: LAWRENCE LUSTIG

Gurney, in only his second season in the competition, came on stage knowing if he did not win he would be eliminated after Gerwyn Price beat Peter Wright 8-3.

‘Superchin’ held up his end of the bargain by winning six of the last seven legs against this year’s World Championship runner up hitting five maximums in the game and his place was guaranteed as Michael van Gerwen took four legs against Mensur Suljovic.

The World No3 was delighted to reach the last four.

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He said: “All I know is I have qualified for the 02 and it is another tick in the box. There are four people in the tournament that can win it and you have to be in it to win it.

“I’ll probably be the fourth favourite to win it but it doesn’t bother me because it is another step in the right direction. Anything is possible as long as you have the belief and your scoring power is there to give yourself opportunities to finish and your double percentage is up there you can beat anybody.”

Gurney made a blistering start against Smith and was averaging 131 in the early stages of the contest.

“The first couple legs I knew I was in the zone and I knew Michael was in the zone,” he said. “I thought start off well because the last few weeks Mike has started well so I knew if I had a chance of winning I’d have to start from the first dart. There were a couple of legs where Mike missed three darts at a double and I won those and that is probably what won me the game.”

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Gurney finished fourth in the table after James Wade beat Rob Cross and faces World Champion and World No1 Michael van Gerwen in the semi final after the Dutchman won the league phase for a seventh consecutive year, however Superchin did the double over the ‘Green Machine’ in the regular season.