DARTS: Daryl Gurney's play-off boost thanks to Rotterdam win over Whitlock

Daryl Gurney cruised home past Simon Whitlock by 7-1 to leave Rotterdam with two points from three matches.
PDC world number five Daryl Gurney.PDC world number five Daryl Gurney.
PDC world number five Daryl Gurney.

The win over the Australian for Gurney keeps alive his hopes of reaching the play-offs at the O2 Arena.

Superchin remains fifth in the table three points behind Michael Smith but Bullyboy has a game in hand.

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After losing to World champion Rob Cross on Wednesday night Gurney was on stage twice last night.

First up he faced two-time World champion and two-time Premier League winner Gary Anderson.

After two wins on the previous night the Flying Scotsman picked up where he left of against Gurney, hitting five maximums and averaging just shy of 110 in a 7-3 victory. A 177 followed by 180 left Anderson on a nine-darter in the first leg but he missed the seventh dart at treble 20 and Gurney pounced with tops.

Anderson replied with tops in the second leg to level the match before taking out the big fish 170 to break Gurney’s throw in the next leg. The pair exchanged 180s in the next leg but it was Gurney that got to double first but tops for a 76 checkout and Anderson cleaned up 77.

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Gurney kept in touch with a 32 checkout but Anderson hit D7 in consecutive legs to open up a 5-2 lead.

A 92 finish guaranteed Anderson wouldn’t be beaten, Gurney registered another leg with a D20 but the Flying Scotsman hit a 180 to set up a D2 finish with he pinged at the first attempt.

Gurney raced into a 4-0 lead against Whitlock. Superchin found D8 to win the first leg, in the next leg he kicked off with two 180s but missed his seventh dart at treble 20 but broke the Whitlock throw with an 11-darter.

Leg three was won on D10 before Gurney broke again with a 16 checkout. Despite hitting two 140s in the fifth, Whitlock got on the board with a D1 to break Gurney’s throw.

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Superchin broke straight back with a double 10. Finishes of 60 and 70 wrapped up a vital win for Gurney and eliminated Whitlock.

Gurney will face defending champion Michael van Gerwen in Manchester next week, the latter having won by 7-2 when the pair met in Berlin on Night 4.