Wade, a former champion in this tournament averted a scare against the former World Master who was the only non Tour Card holder in the field.
He came from 4-2 down to win 6-5 in a decider against 'Big Dog' producing 40% on his doubles and three 180's in the end firing in a 92 average as his experience tolled at the business end.
While Aspinall piled on the misery for King who now has five consecutive defeats at the European Championship.
'The Asp' who hasn't been getting the luck at times as of late will hope this weekend is the turning point and is through his opener successfully.
He hit five 180's and a 90 average as well as a high checkout of 120 in a quality display with his scoring proving the difference with King hitting 4/8 on the doubles but only one 180 in the contest.
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 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚!
Nathan Aspinall makes it five consecutive European Championship first round defeats for Mervyn King as 'The Asp' sees out the 6-4 success!
𝙐𝙥 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 👉 Michael Smith v Ryan Searle