The Power lights up Aberdeen with another nine-darter

Phil Taylor

Phil Taylor produced a bit of magic in week two of the Premier League after hitting his ninth televised nine-dart finish en route to beating Kevin Painter 8-5.

After trailing the Artist 5-3 Taylor found a way to rattle his opponent by clinching a perfect tenth leg, and with it went on to take his first win of the competition.

The nine-darter came in a run of five successive legs for the Power as he averaged over 108 to get the better of the player he beat in the 2004 world championship final at the Circus Tavern.

“I'm overwhelmed to have hit the nine-darter,” said the 15-time champion of the world, who had 4,000 people in Aberdeen chanting his name after the special moment. “I thought I would do a nine-darter earlier in the match but it came at the perfect time. It's always the tough games that you do something like this because you're not thinking about it.”

Painter was brushing aside Taylor at ease in the opening stages of the match, going into a 3-0 lead before a 132 on the bullseye saw Taylor get off the mark. With finishes of 127 and 123 Painter was in control, but the Power surged to the victory, adding another nine-darter to his name and sealing the win on double eight for the two points.

Home favourite and reigning Premier League champion Gary Anderson didn’t play at his very best, but it was still good enough to overcome world finalist Andy Hamilton 8-2.

The Scot began the defence of his trophy with a defeat to Painter, and although he was playing at roughly the same level in that match on this occasion against Hamilton he emerged victorious. “It's nice to get a win but I'm still struggling with my form. It's great to play in Scotland but when you're struggling it adds a little bit of pressure, so it's a relief to get the win,” said Anderson.

In the opening match of the night, reigning and two-time world champion Adrian Lewis and Raymond van Barneveld played out an entertaining 7-7 draw.

Both players drew in week one, and once again both had to settle for a point, with five-time world champion Barney coming from 7-6 down to hit a fine 126 on the bull for a share of the spoils.

In the final match of the evening, Simon Whitlock moved to the top of the Premier League after he beat 2009 champion James Wade 8-4.

The Australian capitalised on Wade having a bad day at the office on his doubles to race into a 7-0 lead, and was on course for the whitewash. However, Wade rallied and made the score 7-4, but in the end Whitlock crossed the finishing line with the win to move above Taylor in the table.

İsmail Vedat- Follow me on twitter

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