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PETER Wright moved level with Michael Smith and onto seven points in the Unibet Premier League table by defeating the Clock Face thrower 7-4 in their Liverpool contest.

Smith kicked off the game with a 14-darter, but Wright landed two in reply and a 13-darter on his way to a 5-1 lead.

A 13-darter from the World Champion secured him at least a point as Smith took three of the next four to threaten a fightback, but Wright sealed victory in style with a ten-dart finish.

"I made hard work of it," admitted Wright. "Michael's been playing some fantastic darts - he's a quality player and when he started coming back at me I said to myself 'no, you're not getting a draw off me.'.

Stephen Bunting returned to the Premier League stage as a Challenger and left with a 6-6 draw against Rob Cross.

The St Helens-based thrower made a superb start as two breaks of throw, including a 13-darter, moved him into a 4-1 advantage.

Cross took the next three to level and finished 119 to move ahead, before a third-dart double 16 secured a point at 6-5, only for a missed double 18 to allow Bunting in to share the spoils.

Bunting said: "Rob is a difficult player to play and I've never beaten him yet, but in the future I will get him.

"I'm disappointed with the performance to be honest, I've been playing better than that. Being back up on that stage is going to take time to get used to, but I need to get used to it because it's where I want to be.

"Hopefully I can be back in the Premier League full-time in the future."

Night Six

Thursday March 12 - Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena

Michael Smith 4-7 Peter Wright

Daryl Gurney 5-7 Glen Durrant

Gerwyn Price 5-7 Michael van Gerwen

Rob Cross 6-6 Stephen Bunting

Gary Anderson 6-6 Nathan Aspinall

Night Seven

Thursday March 19 - Utilita Arena, Newcastle

Michael Smith v Gary Anderson

Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross

Nathan Aspinall v Gerwyn Price

Chris Dobey v Daryl Gurney

Peter Wright v Glen Durrant