Nathan Aspinall defeated Chris Dobey 6-1 to take the victory on Night 15 of the Premier League in Aberdeen and close it to the play-offs, while Gerwyn Price previously hit a nine-dart finish and Luke Littler took care of the top location on the O2.
Aspinall-Die along Stephen Bunting with 6-1 in the semi-final-build-built on a few early breaks about Dobey to make a solid lead.
After Dobey, who had beaten Littler to reach the final, lost his pitch again in the sixth stage, he then missed two more arrows at a double in the next when Aspinall returned to land Double 10.
The victory of Aspinall clearly leaves him four points in fourth place, so Dobey is eliminated, while Michael van Gerwen should win the last night in Sheffield to revise him.
“I felt very confident to come in tonight, I bottled it last week, but tonight is a new night,” Aspinall said on Sky Sports.
“I didn’t play great tonight, but I was composed. I didn’t celebrate it, I have stayed at the moment and my finish has been struck.”
Littler had previously fought back to beat the world number one Luke Humphries in their quarterfinals to ensure top sowing in London.
However, Dobey still produced an impressive display to lead the world champion 3-1 and 4-2 in their semi-final.
While Littler again produced a late rally to force a decision on the last legs, he missed double six before the game, causing Dobey to remove 32.
Littler’s 6-3 quarter-final comeback victory on Humphries was a high-quality affair.
World number one Humphries had finished his 10-week waiting time for a nightly victory of the Premier League by eliminating Littler in a last legs in Leeds, and opened in fine style with an early break to lead 2-0 and then 3-1.
However, Littler came back roaring to win five legs on the leap and ended with a competition average of almost 116, while Humphries reached nine maxima in defeat, on average 110.
Price had produced a nine-dart finish in his quarter-final defeat against Bunting.
Welshman Price, safe from a play-off place, landed the perfect leg to reduce the shortage to 5-4.
It was a second nine-dart finish for the prize in this year’s tournament, which still has a nocturnal event in Sheffield prior to the play-offs on the O2 of London on 29 May.
After lost his opening of eight games, the former Masters Champion Bunting was already out of the battle for making progress, but closed a 6-4 victory over the prize to reach the semi-final.
In the opening match at the P&J Live, Aspinall built a quick start to see Van Gerwen 6-3 and to increase his own play-off hope.
Dobey landed five 180s and an average of 107 in a 6-2 victory over former world champion Rob Cross, who can no longer reach the top four.
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