Defending champion Price discusses crowd on Ally Pally return: "I hope the rules change and no fans can come in"

Gerwyn Price faced a real scare against Ritchie Edhouse with 'The Iceman' going a set down and at other points looking seriously in trouble.

But the defending champion on his return to the World Darts Championship rallied and admitted it was all about just getting through.

"It's difficult, the first game's always tough and for me to lose the first set 3-0 having bombed opportunities, missed loads of doubles. Obviously I'm thinking I just don't want to go out and just battle on, I knew even if I could win this game 3-0, 3-2, I just needed to get through," said Price post match.

Rule change

Many noted the behaviour of the crowd once more with a cacophony of boos inside the historic venue and Price admitted that he hopes the rules around Covid-19 change so he can win it without those problems.

"I hope the rules change and no fans can come in, I can just win it again but no it's good to come back to this venue and obviously being defending champ and having the crowds back but it was difficult today. They were on my back, everytime I kept him in the game, the crowd were in the game as well."

Christmas time

Now for Price, it is Christmas with his family he has to look forward to and on the dart board, he admitted it will be the feeling of a new tournament.

"It is a fresh start, you can't get any momentum having 11, 12 days off so I'll go home, I'll enjoy the Christmas. I'll practice and I'll just come back and it's a new tournament but it's the same tournament."