Luke Littler beaten by Nathan Aspinall despite hammering Michael Van Gerwen in Premier League Darts
LUKE LITTLER just missed out on a stunning nine-darter as he crushed Michael van Gerwen 6-2 with a devastating Premier League performance.
But the Nuke suffered his first defeat to Nathan Aspinall in the semi-finals in Nottingham in dramatic fashion.
Littler came into the quarter-final clash off the back of his on-stage bust-up, a nine-darter and winning on his European Tour debut.
The Nuke took the opening leg versus Van Gerwen against the throw, with an early 180 and then just missed out on a whopping 167 checkout.
Van Gerwen hit straight back, though, to level it up but Littler broke again after a shocking error from MVG.
The Dutchman then missed tops for 2-2 – but made the most of Littler missing three darts at double eight.
Incredibly, Littler then took a 3-2 lead as Van Gerwen remained unable to hold his throw.
Van Gerwen came within a whisker of checking out 170 – but Littler eventually sealed the first hold to lead 4-2 then checked out 56.
He then threw eight perfect darts at 5-2… but missed the double 12 to fall agonisingly short of the incredible nine-darter to dump MVG out.
It is the first time Van Gerwen has lost three Premier League quarter-finals in a row – despite averaging 111, three short of his opponent.
Littler hit an incredible eight 180s in the match in just eight legs.
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Hilariously, Sky Sports commentator Wayne Mardle bumped into Littler behind the scenes in Nottingham immediately after the emphatic victory over Van Gerwen.
And Mardle joked: “Absolutely pathetic!”
The pair both broke into laughter before shaking hands as they headed in opposite directions.
But Littler could not replicate that red-hot form against close pal Aspinall in the final four.
The Asp raced into a 5-2 lead before comical scenes in the eighth leg – with neither man able to claim it.
The Stockport star missed a series of match darts while Littler went bust needing five.
Aspinall 6-3 lost to Luke Humphries in the final after the world No1 defeated Michael Smith and Peter Wright.