The axe of relegation will fall in Brighton next week and we are no closer to finding who will be eliminated. Four of the ten players could still potentially get relegated, whereas another four players are locked at the top on ten points. Wins for Phil Taylor and James Wade over Raymond Van Barneveld and Michael Van Gerwen respectively, sees the English pair move level with the Dutch duo at the top. A win for Newton over Anderson meant The Warrior lived to fight another day with both players trying to leapfrog Simon Whitlock or Adrian Lewis next week.
The night in Glasgow began with Lewis facing Andy Hamilton. The partisan crowd overwhelmed Lewis in the beginning although Hamilton finally took double one at the 11th time of asking, Lewis having missed seven darts himself. The Hammer made it 2-0 at the third attempt before Lewis finally tried to make his darts do the talking. After Hamilton missed the double for a 150-checkout, Lewis pulled a leg back. Hamilton then missed two darts in the sixth leg which enabled Lewis to take a crucial 4-2 lead. Lewis returned the favour in the following leg before Hamilton bizarrely bust-164 and Lewis made it 5-3. Hamilton pulled a leg back with a ton checkout, only for Lewis to better that with an impressive 124-checkout on the bull to guarantee himself a point. Jackpot then took the 11th leg to win the match 7-4 and give him the best possible chance of avoiding relegation next week.
The first of the Scots to perform in front of his home crowd was Robert Thornton against Whitlock. Thornton was well and truly spurred on by the crowd and a 157-checkout made it 3-0. A 114-checkout from Whitlock finally put a leg on the board at 4-1. But that didn't stem the tide and a 121-checkout gave Thornton a point before Whitlock missed two darts to avoid the 7-1 pasting which keeps him just a point above the relegation zone.
Once again, Van Barneveld couldn't shake off his Taylor hoodoo and is still to beat The Power on television since 2008. The Dutchman played extremely well, as did Taylor, but three missed darts in the second leg allowed Taylor to crucially break the throw. Barney did hold his throw in the fourth leg and then again in the sixth, but was still 4-2 down. The Dutchman then missed another four darts to break back in the seventh leg and Taylor did manage to break in the eighth to go 6-3 in front. A 144-checkout from Van Barneveld did deny the inevitable for a further leg before missing two darts in the tenth leg to allow Taylor to go top of the league on leg difference.
Anderson has never won in Glasgow and Newton used this to his advantage to stay in the Premier League. If Newton lost, he would have been relegated but 13-missed darts from Anderson allowed The Warrior to go 2-0 ahead. Anderson managed to win the third leg at the fourth attempt before a missed dart for a 115-checkout allowed the Scot to level the match. Anderson then took the fifth leg to take the lead, only for Newton to level with a 132-checkout. Newton went on to miss two darts in the seventh leg only for Anderson to miss a dart at 160-checkout, allowing Newton to once again equalise. The Scot managed an 84-checkout on the bull in the ninth leg but a missed dart in the tenth once again gave Newton to chance to level with a brilliant Shanghai-120 checkout. Five more missed darts meant Anderson again failed to guarantee himself a point. Newton then held on to take out-72 and crucially win 7-5 and move above Anderson on leg difference.
The final game of the night saw Wade join the double figures club alongside Van Gerwen. A 134-checkout from Wade put himself 3-1 ahead after initially losing the opening leg. Van Gerwen missed three darts at the double in the fifth leg to move Wade 4-1 ahead. Van Gerwen tried to fight back and made it 4-3 before a brilliant 135-checkout restored the two leg advantage. The Dutchman then missed three darts as Wade earned himself a point. Wade missed two match darts in the tenth leg but The Machine completed the match with a superb 130-checkout.
Lewis only needs a point to guarantee his safety next week, but it has to come against Van Barneveld. Whitlock has the extremely tough task of needing to beat Van Gerwen next week to be assured of a place in the second phase. This may give Anderson and Newton hope as they face Wade and Hamilton respectively. What it does mean though is that Judgement Day will be one not to miss next week. Table after week eight:
1. Phil Taylor 10 +12
2. Michael Van Gerwen 10 +12
3. James Wade 10 +9
4. Raymond Van Barneveld 10 +6
5. Robert Thornton 9 +5
6. Andy Hamilton 8 0
7. Adrian Lewis 7 -7
8. Simon Whitlock 6 -11
9. Wes Newton 5 -12
10. Gary Anderson 5 -14
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