DARTS: New father Daryl Gurney cuts short baby celebrations in race to face Peter Wright

Gurney was lucky to make it to Merseyside after his partner Aine gave birth to their first child, Daryl Jr, just before 9am on Thursday morning.

‘Superchin’ got on a flight at 2pm to fulfil the night fixture against ‘Snakebite’, who was in danger of elimination but with Michael van Gerwen’s victory over Mensur Suljovic Wright proved safe by the time he got on stage.

Gurney missed the bull for a 123 checkout in the first leg to hold throw and Wright cleaned up with a D1 with his eighth attempt at a double.

‘Superchin’ broke straight back with a 121 finish on the bull to level.

Gurney had another shot at the bull in the third leg for 122 finish and Wright punished with a 96 checkout.

Wright had double trouble in the fourth leg and Gurney hit D8 to make it four consecutive break of throws and level at 2-2.

‘Superchin’ had the first hold of throw in leg five when he hit D6 with his last dart in hand.

Gurney hit a 180 to leave D4 for a break of throw in the next leg but ‘Snakebite’ checked out 100 in two darts to square the game up again.

Despite a 180 and a 140 in the next leg from Gurney, Wright took out 81 with two darts to break with his opponent on 24.

In a nip-and-tuck affair Gurney hit 134 to set up D8 which he took out at the first attempt to break back.

Gurney hit the front by taking the ninth leg with tops but Wright refused to be shaken off and the pair were level again as the World number two hit an 84 checkout.

Another power-scoring leg from Gurney, which featured a 180 and a 140, got him to the double first and he hit a 36 checkout to guarantee at least a share of the spoils.

Wright, throwing first in the final leg to try and force the draw, kicked off with two 180s but missed the seventh treble 20 in the nine-dart attempt then was able to hit D12 to snatch a point.

The match was played in a sombre and surreal atmosphere as news of the death of five-time World champion Eric Bristow filtered through to the crowd.

Gurney is now unbeaten in his last five matches and the point was enough to move him up to sixth in the table and just a point behind Simon Whitlock, who occupies the final play-off spot.