Aspinall said prior to proceedings starting that he wouldn't need his Red Bull for adrenaline any longer with the crowd return and he definitely thrived against Van Gerwen producing a 97 average, three 180's and 57% on the doubles in the process.
Aspinall made a superb start to proceedings smashing in a 120 checkout before following it up with a double 18 to double his lead against Van Gerwen.
A hold followed with a 75 checkout to lead 3-0 and he looked to be running away with it with a further 120 checkout after Van Gerwen got off the mark.
He pounced from there after MVG missed two darts at double to break once more and make it 5-1.
But this is where Van Gerwen roared into life in the mid part of the tie produced a 122 and 110 checkout to get back on track at 5-3 down.
Despite that though, Aspinall added more legs going 6-3 up with a 13-darter as he aimed to head to the finish amid the mid match brilliance from the five-time champion.
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More missed darts at double 20 from MVG though saw Aspinall break from there on double 12 to go one away at 7-3 up with at least a point for 'The Asp'.
He claimed the tie from there with Van Gerwen missing the bull for an 85 checkout and a double 14 shot saw Aspinall come away with a full points haul.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
𝗔𝗦𝗣 𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗦 𝗠𝘃𝗚!
Nathan Aspinall comes out FIGHTING! 🥊
Massive win for 'The Asp' as he closes out an 8-3 victory over Michael van Gerwen!
📺 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙪𝙥 👉 James Wade v Peter Wright