“Bully Boy” Michael Smith will be looking to go back to the top of the darts Premier League on Thursday night at the Westpoint Arena in Exeter.

The St Helens favourite defeated Peter Wright 6-5 in last week’s quarter-final before being thrashed 6-1 by Gerwyn Price at the semi-final stage in Dublin.

Smith also competed in the Baltic Sea Darts Open in Germany last weekend, going out in the third round as Dirk van Duijvenbode edged him 6-3 in Kiel.

The world champion is currently in second place in the Premier League table on nine points, having won night three in Glasgow.

He is behind Michael van Gerwen who managed to overcome Price 6-5 in last week’s final to win his first night and is on 10 points heading into Exeter.

Smith faces Nathan Aspinall in Thursday’s quarter-final.

“The Asp” is currently fourth in the table, with four wins in the tournament so far.

Aspinall was put out by Jonny Clayton 6-4 in the quarter-final stage last week, and also competed in the Baltic Sea Darts Open, going out in the second round to veteran Steve Beaton.

The winner of Smith against Aspinall will face one of last week’s finalists, van Gerwen or Price.

“The Iceman” is currently third in the table on eight points, having won night two in Cardiff.

Price will be looking for revenge against MvG, after missing seven match darts against the dutchman in the final last week.

Price was defeated 6-4 by Dave Chisnall in the third round of the Baltic Sea Darts Open.

“Mighty Mike” also competed in Germany, going out in the second round to Liverpool’s Stephen Bunting, 6-4.

The other half of the draw sees Dimitri Van den Bergh face Chris Dobey.

“The DreamMaker” sits sixth in the table heading into night five, having won three matches. Van den Bergh lost to last week’s finalist Price 6-4 in the quarter0-final stage last week and lost 6-3 in the third round in Kiel over the weekend to Luke Humphries.

Dobey also lost at the quarter-final stage last week, losing to van Gerwen 6-3.

“Hollywood” is currently fifth in the table and will be looking to find the form that saw him win on night one in Belfast.

The other quarter-final sees Jonny Clayton face Peter Wright.

“The Ferret” is second from bottom with just two wins. The Welshman defeated Aspinall in the quarter-final stage last week, before losing to “The Green Machine” van Gerwen 6-3 in the semi-final.

Clayton reached the Semi Final in the Sea Open, losing 7-5 to eventual winner Dave Chisnall.

“Snakebite” Peter Wright is still looking for his first win going into night five of this year’s Premier League.

He was defeated by Smith in the quarter-final stage in Dublin last week, 6-5. Wright exited the Baltic Sea Darts Open in the third round to Keegan Brown, 6-4.

Wright will be looking to finally get off the mark on Thursday night against Clayton and remind everyone why he is the world number two.

You can watch night five of the Cazoo Premier League of Darts tonight (March 2nd) from 7pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Action.

 

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