Premier League Darts: Wayne Mardle reflects on an exciting season after Jonny Clayton’s victory in Aberdeen | Darts News

Jonny Clayton beat Michael van Gerwen to leapfrog the Dutchman and top the Premier League table with James Wade, Peter Wright and Joe Cullen all vying for Play-Off positions; Wayne Mardle thinks Gerwyn Price, Michael Smith and rock-bottom Gary Anderson all have a chance of joining them

Wayne Mardle has been thrilled by this year’s Premier League, which saw Jonny Clayton come out on top in Aberdeen on Thursday night.

Clayton hit top spot in the Premier League table with a third victory of the season, denying Michael van Gerwen in a deciding leg in the final.

The reigning champion averaged 103.40 and survived one match dart from Van Gerwen to rack up a third Premier League win of the season at P&J Live, backing up his previous successes in Liverpool and Birmingham.

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Clayton says he just wants to finish in the Premier League top four after winning in Aberdeen to take top spot in the Premier League

Clayton, who also ended Scottish hopes in Aberdeen by defeating Gary Anderson and Peter Wright on the night, moved a step closer to securing a Play-Off place with just five league phase nights left to play.

Van Gerwen picked up three league points thanks to victories over Gerwyn Price and James Wade to maintain his position in the top four, but missed out narrowly on a fourth nightly win of the season.

Losing semi-finalists Wright and Wade left Aberdeen with two points each thanks to quarter-final wins over Joe Cullen and Michael Smith respectively.

“The results are not the same and that’s the thing. If it was the same result, it’ll be like, ‘this is dull’ but it’s not,” Mardle said on Sky Sports.

“Jonny has fought hard tonight. Against Gary, it didn’t come easy. Against Peter, he was in trouble and against Michael he was in trouble.”

Mardle feels Price, Smith and rock-bottom Anderson still have a chance of getting themselves back in the mix with a couple of good results, albeit, time is running out with only five more weeks of the regular season remaining.

“The thing is with all the players, even with Michael Smith and Gary, who will probably feel they haven’t been a part of it so far, is that it can turn around,” said ‘Hawaii 501’.

“One good week like Gary had (in Nottingham) then it can change the complexion of the whole Premier League for them. Even though they seem a bit detached – not Joe Cullen, but Price, Smith and Gary – they may feel a little detached league-wise but a couple of good results and a couple of good wins and they’re back in it. It’s exciting.”

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Van Gerwen and referee Russ Bray exchanged some heated words after the final in Aberdeen

The Premier League roadshow heads to Dublin’s 3Arena next Thursday for Night 12 of the league phase, as Clayton takes on Wright in a key match in the Play-Off race.

The night’s other quarter-finals will see Wade face Van Gerwen, while Price takes on Cullen and Smith plays Anderson.

Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. We’re back for more Premier League action from the 3Arena in Dublin on Thursday, April 28 – live on Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Action from 7pm.