Debutant Jonny Clayton tops the Unibet Premier League table heading into the first mid-season break after he claimed a 7-4 win over Gary Anderson in Milton Keynes on Friday.

Clayton’s dream start to his maiden Premier League campaign continued as he averaged just under 100 to go a point clear of four players at the summit on seven points. The Welshman fired in six 180s and took advantage of ten missed double attempts from Anderson to end the first block of league action on a high.

Last year’s runner-up Nathan Aspinall produced a stellar 105.38 average in a 6-6 draw with Michael van Gerwen, but was left relieved at the end of the match after the Dutchman missed a match dart.

Five-time Premier League champion Van Gerwen was looking to bounce back from defeat to James Wade on Night Four, but was unable to break down a resurgent Aspinall. Having pinned checkouts of 148 and 100, Van Gerwen led 6-5 and earned himself one dart at double top for the match.

Van Gerwen dropped low with his attempt, but Aspinall made no mistake on the same target with his last dart in hand to wrap up a 68 checkout for the match. For the second successive evening, Jose de Sousa produced the performance of the night in claiming his first Premier League victory over Dimitri Van den Bergh, running out a 7-3 victor.

Having landed a nine-darter on Night Four, De Sousa rattled in six trademark 180s but improved accuracy on the outer ring saw him hit 50 per cent of his checkout attempts to claim a valuable two points, inflicting a first defeat of the season on the Belgian.

Peter Wright extended his unbeaten run to three matches as he recovered from 5-3 down to claim a 7-5 victory over Rob Cross, seeing the 2020 World Champion join Van den Bergh, Aspinall and Van Gerwen on six points.

A change of darts didn’t seem to be working for Wright in the early stages, but he found a way to win the final four legs without reply to leapfrog Cross in the league standings. 2009 champion Wade backed up his defeat of Van Gerwen on Night Four with a comfortable 7-3 success over Glen Durrant.

The UK Open winner was on target with 50% of his checkout attempts – including a 152 finish – to deny a route into the contest for defending champion Durrant, who appears destined for an early elimination following five straight losses.

The tournament will resume from April 19-22, as league phase Nights Six-Nine take place, with the bottom two players eliminated on Judgement Night while the remaining eight are left to battle it out for Play-Off spots.

Night Five – Friday April 9th

(95.54) Gary Anderson 4-7 Jonny Clayton (99.11)
(100.94) Peter Wright 7-5 Rob Cross (95.43)
(99.71) Michael van Gerwen 6-6 Nathan Aspinall (105.38)
(90.83) James Wade 7-3 Glen Durrant (87.69)
(98.48) Dimitri Van den Bergh 3-7 Jose de Sousa (104.30)

Table after Night 5:

Jonny Clayton 7 POINTS (+7)
Dimitri van den Bergh 6 POINTS (+5)
Nathan Aspinall 6 POINTS (+5)
Michael van Gerwen 6 POINTS (+5)
Peter Wright 6 POINTS (0)
Rob Cross 5 POINTS (+2)
James Wade 5 POINTS (+1)
Gary Anderson 5 POINTS (+1)
Jose de Sousa 4 POINTS (-2)
Glen Durrant 0 POINTS (-24)

Results Nights 1-5:

NIGHT ONE – Monday April 5th
(97.62) Nathan Aspinall 7-3 Glen Durrant (87.99)
(96.53) Rob Cross 6-6 Jose de Sousa (91.66)
(101.20) Peter Wright 6-6 Jonny Clayton (105.42)
(98.14) James Wade 6-6 Gary Anderson (98.13)
(100.16) Michael van Gerwen 6-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh (99.52)

NIGHT TWO – Tuesday April 6th
(99.75) Gary Anderson 7-5 Jose de Sousa (97.08)
(98.61) Jonny Clayton 7-3 Glen Durrant (88.81)
(103.70) Dimitri Van den Bergh 7-5 Nathan Aspinall (98.32)
(92.16) Michael van Gerwen 7-2 Peter Wright (88.41)
(88.78) James Wade 3-7 Rob Cross (94.34)

NIGHT THREE – Wednesday April 7th
(97.87) Rob Cross 3-7 Michael van Gerwen (107.76)
(84.42) Glen Durrant 0-7 Dimitri Van den Bergh (93.94)
(100.03) Peter Wright 7-3 Gary Anderson (98.85)
(96.50) Nathan Aspinall 7-4 James Wade (92.50)
(108.48) Jose de Sousa 3-7 Jonny Clayton (105.26) 9 Darter Clayton

NIGHT FOUR – Thursday April 8th
(101.02) Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-6 Peter Wright (97.46)
(95.98) Jonny Clayton 3-7 Rob Cross (97.01)
(100.95) Jose de Sousa 6-6 Nathan Aspinall (95.82) 9 Darter de Sousa
(95.79) James Wade 7-3 Michael van Gerwen (90.91)
(97.56) Gary Anderson 7-2 Glen Durrant (87.90)

NIGHT FIVE – Friday April 9th
(95.54) Gary Anderson 4-7 Jonny Clayton (99.11)
(100.94) Peter Wright 7-5 Rob Cross (95.43)
(99.71) Michael van Gerwen 6-6 Nathan Aspinall (105.38)
(90.83) James Wade 7-3 Glen Durrant (87.69)
(98.48) Dimitri Van den Bergh 3-7 Jose de Sousa (104.30)

NIGHT SIX – Monday April 19th
Rob Cross v Gary Anderson
Jose de Sousa v James Wade
Jonny Clayton v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Glen Durrant v Michael van Gerwen
Nathan Aspinall v Peter Wright

NIGHT SEVEN – Tuesday April 20th
Glen Durrant v Jose de Sousa
Rob Cross v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Nathan Aspinall v Jonny Clayton
Peter Wright v James Wade
Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson

NIGHT EIGHT – Wednesday April 21st
Rob Cross v Nathan Aspinall
Gary Anderson v Dimitri Van den Bergh
Michael van Gerwen v Jose de Sousa
James Wade v Jonny Clayton
Peter Wright v Glen Durrant

JUDGEMENT NIGHT – Thursday April 22nd
Jonny Clayton v Michael van Gerwen
Glen Durrant v Rob Cross
Jose de Sousa v Peter Wright
Nathan Aspinall v Gary Anderson
Dimitri Van den Bergh v James Wade