"Fourth 6-2 defeat on the bounce, that is massive they are hidings": Nine-darter doesn't paper over Josh Rock's Premier League cracks admits Wayne Mardle

Josh Rock is enduring a difficult start to the Premier League Darts. The Northern Irishman, currently world number nine, suffered his fourth straight 6-2 defeat. This time, Gian van Veen proved too strong. Despite a moment of absolute brilliance, Rock once again failed to make a stand.

In front of his home crowd in Belfast, ‘Rocky’ still produced a highlight. In his quarterfinal he threw a perfect nine-darter, sending the arena into raptures. As a reward, he received a set of golden darts worth £30,000 from sponsor BetMGM. However, it was not enough to turn his evening around on the oche.

Former pro and analyst Wayne Mardle watched Rock’s display with mixed feelings. In his view, one magical moment does not mask the structural problems in the young Northern Irishman’s game.

"The way he was playing just previously — I was saying he’s got no composure! I don’t know what’s happened. He can’t string two darts together, let alone three. Where has the big scoring gone? I was saying, ‘It’s all going wrong’ — and then he does that!"

Mardle saw how Rock struck from nothing, at a point when he had shown little beforehand. “He won’t know where it came from. Brilliantly for him, he somehow found a way to compose himself.

“A lot of pros say: once two 180s go in, you relax — you don’t. The way he must have been feeling, because going into that leg he hadn’t hit a 180.

The analyst was impressed by the mental resilience Rock showed in that single moment. “He hadn’t done anything right. To regain composure and do what he did was incredible. He needs to and wants to play miles better than that. It was a wonderful leg of darts.

Even so, Mardle remains critical. In his eyes, the numbers are unforgiving. “But I am looking further ahead than that. He needs to start putting performances together.

“Family and friends will be amazed, but it was a fourth 6-2 defeat on the bounce. That is massive. They are hidings.

According to Mardle, there is still far more in Rock than he is currently showing. “I just feel like there is so much more to come from Josh Rock. He needs to concentrate on that.”

Rock himself took most satisfaction from his perfect leg in front of his home fans. The defeat seemed to bother him less.

“My body is in overdrive. I am shaking like a leaf. It was a dream come true. If I ever played in the Premier League, I’d love to hit a nine-darter in Belfast.

He was strikingly matter-of-fact about the loss. “I don’t care with losing. Hitting a nine-darter in front of my home crowd is a massive achievement in my eyes.

“I don’t care if I never throw a nine-darter again, this is a dream come true. I can’t explain how I feel.”

In the standings, Rock sits bottom after four nights with zero points. A new stern test awaits him this week in Cardiff. During Night Five he faces Luke Littler in the quarterfinals.