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ST HELENS darter Michael Smith came across Michael van Gerwen in blistering form in the Unibet Premier League final.

The Dutchman won 11-4 at The O2 in the final on Thursday, with an incredible 112.37 average, the highest in this year’s tournament and the second highest ever in a televised final, to win the Premier League crown for a third year in a row.

Smith, who had beaten Gary Anderson in the semi, battled hard to keep himself in the final tie, producing magnificent finishes of 125 and 104, along with six maximums.

“I want to thank the fans and everyone who supported me,” said Smith, who was making his debut Play-Offs appearance.

“Michael was just too good tonight, I tried my best but it just wasn’t enough on the night.

“Even at 8-2 down I was battling to win legs, which I might not have done before this year when I might’ve thrown the towel in.

“I will be back next year, determined to go one better and lift the title.”

“I think I played a phenomenal game, one of my best ever,” said Van Gerwen, who hit seven 180s in the final and 11 doubles from 16 attempts.

“I know I had a big job to do to win the game but I was focused on doing something extra – I wanted to break the record average but I fell just short."

Van Gerwen was clinical on the doubles, hitting 11 from 16 attempts, and averaged around 120 for most of an unstoppable display.

Van Gerwen got off to a flying start, firing in 12,12 and 11-dart legs to open up a 3-0 lead, before Smith calmed the nerves to register his first leg.

The relentless Dutchman took out 25 after missing the bull for a 170 finish to lead 5-1, and then produced another 11-dart leg to surge into a 6-1 lead.

Smith showed he wasn’t done yet as he took out 125 on tops to trail 8-2 going into the final break of the match.

The world number one resumed normal service after the interval to make it 10-2, before Smith pulled another two legs back to reduce the arrears to 10-4.

Van Gerwen, though, sealed victory with a brilliant 112 finish to make it 11-4 and secure his fourth Premier League title in six years competing in the prestigious event.

Van Gerwen said: “I had to be at my best to beat Michael, he is one of the big boys now.

“It means a lot to me to win this tournament, I had to work hard for this over the last 16 weeks and to win it again is amazing.”

Earlier in the evening Smith claimed the biggest win of his career with an impressive 10-6 triumph over his close friend and mentor Anderson to reach his first senior televised PDC final.

On his debut Play-Offs appearance, Smith smashed in eight maximums and two ton-plus checkouts to book his place in the final with Van Gerwen.

The Clock Face-based darter settled from the start, hitting a 100 finish to hold in the first leg, then doubling his advantage with another 15-dart leg to break the Anderson throw.

The Scot broke straight back to halve the deficit, and then hit back-to-back maximums but missed chances to hold and the Englishman punished to lead 3-1.

Anderson clawed his way back into the game, finding tops to break the Smith throw and trail 4-3, before finding tops again to level at 4-4.

Smith edged closer to one of the biggest wins of his career, reeling off the next three legs to take a commanding lead, including a 120 checkout in leg 11.

Anderson held to close the gap to two and trail 8-6, before the former World Youth Champion went one leg from glory with a 12-dart leg.

An emotional Smith found tops to wrap up the win and set up a final clash with Van Gerwen, ending Anderson’s hopes of a third Premier League crown in the process.

Smith's success in reaching the final sees him qualify for November's Bwin Grand Slam of Darts, where he had reached his only previous televised semi-final in the 2015 event.