Young Guns (Go for It): Josh Rock upsets Gerwyn Price to set out World Matchplay semi-final showdown with Luke Littler

In what will be a mouthwatering darting showdown, Josh Rock will face Luke Littler in the semi-finals of the 2025 World Matchplay on Saturday night after ‘Rocky’ took down Gerwyn Price. While Littler in a barnstormer saw off Andrew Gilding.

Littler may have stole the win but it was Andrew Gilding that stole the hearts of the Blackpool crowd. Often a player who laughs when he is called a cult hero, ‘Goldfinger’ as much as he doesn’t fit the conventional darting player psyche perhaps is the reason why he is loved so much.

Once again for the second game in a row, Littler had to find real quality to slay an opponent he was expected to easily beat. He won’t get it as easy against Rock which will add spice to a real top tie.

Littler took early advantage in proceedings surging 3-2 ahead at the first interval with a 104 average, two 180’s and 3/5 on the doubles. But he had the former UK Open champion firmly on his coattails. He kicked off the tenth leg with back-to-back 180’s but Gilding closed it out with an 81 checkout to sit 6-4 behind with an 11-darter.

Gilding broke from there for 6-5 but couldn’t hold his throw to try and head towards the lead as Littler kept him at arms length hitting back immediately to regain a two leg cushion at 7-5. Gilding wouldn’t be snapped as he took out 68 to go two adrift. But Littler tried to turn on the afterburners. That being a sensational 140 checkout to go 10-7 up.

This is where the fun began as Littler would’ve thought he had Gilding at 12-8 up. But he didn’t as Gilding kick started a revival with a 124 checkout to break at 12-9. He hit double 16 for a 14-darter and a sixth 180 and he hit a 72 checkout on the bull for 14-11 down. He followed that up with a hair raising 160 checkout to make it 14-12. Littler was in potential trouble as Gilding hit a 127 checkout to get back to within one. But the fightback wasn’t to be as Littler continued to rattle in the high scores and cleaned up in the end 16-14.

While Rock was utterly sublime and that was just his 164 to win it as he took down Gerwyn Price 16-11 to reach the semi-finals in a match he perhaps wouldn’t have been expected to win given his last display against Michael van Gerwen.

Price set up double 20 from 147 with Rock needing to pin 104 to hold and he couldn’t allowing the Welsh wizard back for an early break. Price missed double 20 to hold and Rock broke back. Rock held for a 2-1 lead with a 127 and both kicked off Price’s throw with a 180 but it was ‘The Iceman’ who held for 2-2. Rock hit a 64 checkout to go 3-2 up at the break.

Price hit double 20 to make it 4-3 and broke back and was throwing for a 5-3 lead. Rock though hit back with a 110 checkout to break straight back for 4-4. Rock held for 5-4. But Price reeled in a 170 on return from the break for 6-5 down. Price suddenly led pinning 81 for 7-6.

Rock missed a dart at double 20 to go four clear and Price seized his chance to go two behind. But Rock got a dart to make it 13-9 and break Price’s throw and go potentially two away. Sat at 13-9, he was throwing for a 14-9 lead. Price broke with a 59 checkout and made it 13-11 but Rock was two away with an 80 checkout and broke for 15-11. He was suddenly one away from victory pinning 58 for 15-11. A 164 checkout saw Rock seal it in some style.