Unibet Premier League Darts - Night One, Newcastle - Local Contender Dobey holds Suljovic to a draw

Newcastle hosted the first week of Premier League Darts action - James Wade wins on his return, with victories elsewhere for Gerwyn Price and Michael van Gerwen.

Photo from news.sky.com

Mighty Mike made the perfect start to his Premier League Darts defence, winning 7-5 over Bully Boy Michael Smith.
In a repeat of last year's final, the result went the same way with the newly crowned World champion coming out on top.
Chris Dobey, the first of the nine 'Contenders' replacing the injured Gary Anderson, drew 6-6 with former Champions League champion Mensur Suljovic.
Peter Wright and former World champion Rob Cross also drew, while the European champion James Wade beat 5-time World champion Raymond van Barneveld.
The Grand Slam champion Gerwyn Price beat Daryl Gurney for his first win in the tournament, after a winless debut last year.

Points won by the Contenders will not count towards the league table, but their opponents will retain theirs if they earn any from the match.
The player who finishes ninth in the table after Judgement Night in Rotterdam on 28 March will be eliminated.
The remaining eight throwers will then battle it out for a place in the top four to make it to the play-offs at The O2 Arena, London on 23 May.

FIXTURES & RESULTS
Night One Results 
7 February, Newcastle
James Wade 7-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Gerwyn Price 7-4 Daryl Gurney
Chris Dobey 6-6 Mensur Suljovic
Michael van Gerwen 7-5 Michael Smith
Peter Wright 6-6 Rob Cross

Night Two Fixtures
14 February, Glasgow
Peter Wright v Michael Smith
Rob Cross v James Wade
Raymond van Barneveld v Gerwyn Price
Daryl Gurney v Glen Durrant
Mensur Suljovic v Michael van Gerwen

Night Three Fixtures
21 February, Dublin
Gerwyn Price v James Wade
Steve Lennon v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross
Michael Smith v Daryl Gurney
Mensur Suljovic v Raymond van Barneveld

Night Four Fixtures
28 February, Exeter
Luke Humphries v Gerwyn Price
Daryl Gurney v Rob Cross
Mensur Suljovic v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v James Wade
Michael Smith v Raymond van Barneveld

Night Five Fixtures
7 March, Aberdeen
Michael Smith v Rob Cross
Daryl Gurney v James Wade
Mensur Suljovic v Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright v Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen v John Henderson

Night Six Fixtures 
14 March, Nottingham
Nathan Aspinall v Michael Smith
James Wade v Mensur Suljovic
Rob Cross v Raymond van Barneveld
Gerwyn Price v Michael van Gerwen
Peter Wright v Daryl Gurney

Night Seven Fixtures
21 March, Berlin
Gerwyn Price v Rob Cross
James Wade v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Daryl Gurney
Michael Smith v Mensur Suljovic
Max Hopp v Raymond van Barneveld

Night Eight Fixtures 
27 March, Rotterdam
Gerwyn Price v Michael Smith
James Wade v Dimitri van den Bergh
Rob Cross v Mensur Suljovic
Peter Wright v Michael van Gerwen
Raymond van Barneveld v Daryl Gurney

Night Nine Fixtures 
28 March, Rotterdam (Judgement Night)
Daryl Gurney v Mensur Suljovic
Peter Wright v Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross v Jeffrey de Zwaan
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael van Gerwen
James Wade v Michael Smith

Night 10 Fixtures
4 April, Belfast
TBC

Night 11 Fixtures
11 April, Liverpool
TBC

Night 12 Fixtures
18 April, Cardiff
TBC

Night 13 Fixtures
25 April, Birmingham
TBC

Night 14 Fixtures
2 May, Manchester
TBC

Night 15 Fixtures
9 May, Sheffield
TBC

Night 16 Fixtures
16 May, Leeds
TBC

Night 17 Fixtures
23 May, London
Semi-Finals (Best of 19 legs)
Two matches TBC

Finals (Best of 21 legs)
One match TBC

Current Standings

#	Competitor	P	W	D	L	LD	Pts
1	James Wade (ENG)	1	1	0	0	+3	2
2	Gerwyn Price (WAL)	1	1	0	0	+3	2
3	Michael van Gerwen (NED)	1	1	0	0	+2	2
4	Mensur Suljovic (AUT)	1	0	1	0	0	1
5	Rob Cross (ENG)	1	0	1	0	0	1
6	Peter Wright (SCO)	1	0	1	0	0	1
7	Michael Smith (ENG)	1	0	0	1	-2	0
8	Daryl Gurney (NIR)	1	0	0	1	-3	0
9	Raymond van Barneveld (NED)	1	0	0	1	-3	0

Tie-breakers:
1) Points
2) Leg difference
3) Legs won against throw
4) Tournament average 

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