NUKE ERUPTS WITH PREM WIN IN BELFAST
Teen sensation Littler lights up SSE Arena with sensational Night Nine victory
BELFAST erupted last night as Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler blasted his way to a first ever Premier League night victory.
The teenage sensation delighted a packed SSE
Arena as he beat reigning world champion Luke
Humphries, feared
Dutchman Michael Van
Gerwen and his good pal Nathan Aspinall to grab his maiden win in the competition.
The victory has catapuled 17-year-old Littler into second spot in the Premier League table, behind only Humphries at the halfway stage.
His 6-4 final win over Aspinall (inset) didn’t look likely early on, as the Asp raced into a 3-1 lead.
The final turned in a stunning sixth leg when the precocious Littler displayed some of the brilliant tricks in his armoury as he took out a 125 finish with two bullseyes.
That sent the Belfast crowd wild and Littler held his nerve over the final four legs to win the game on double five.
Speaking about that 125 finish, Littler told the Irish Mirror: “The lie was good after the first bullseye so I just thought I had to go for the second one.
“I’m not sure if it rattled Nathan as he gave me a fist pump for doing it, but it was certainly good for me to win that leg.”
The drama all came after the teenager had opened the night with a nailbiting last leg win over Humphries, who had been looking to win a record fourth successive Premier League night.
Averaging an impressive 104 in that quarter-final win, Littler maintained that form as he battled past Van Gerwen in the semis, claiming a 6-3 win.
On the other side of the draw, Aspinall also needed a last leg decider to overcome Welshman Gerwin Price, before he found form in his semi-final with an easy 6-2 triumoh over Peter Wright.
Humphries maintains his place at the top of the table with 22 points, as the Premier League moves to Manchester next week.
Just five points now separates second placed Littler with Michael Smith in fifth.
Amongst the crowd watching on was home hero Josh Rock.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Rock, who is currently number 21 in the world, says he is desperate to compete in the Premier League.
Rock said: “That’s the only stage I haven’t played on. I’ve played on them all and that’s the one I want now.
“It would mean the world to me to play in the Premier League in front of a crowd in Belfast.
“I just have to keep working hard and hopefully it happens.”