• Premier League

Taylor and Anderson sneak into Play-Offs

Phil Taylor started the season sluggishly but recovered to earn a Play-Off spot © PA Photos

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Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson earned victories over Raymond van Barneveld and Robert Thornton respectively to clinch the final two spots in the Premier League Play-Offs.

The final night of the regular season, held in Brighton, began with Taylor and Anderson vying with Peter Wright for the two remaining play-off spots.

But with Wright needing one of his rivals to slip up, Taylor edged Thornton 7-5 and Anderson beat Van Barneveld 7-4 meaning Wright's chances had gone before he had even thrown a dart.

Final standings

• 1. Michael van Gerwen - 24 points (+27 legs)

  2. Raymond van Barneveld - 20 (+16)

  3. Phil Taylor - 20 (+12)

  4. Gary Anderson - 20 (+12)

  5. Peter Wright - 17 (+9)

  6. Adrian Lewis - 15 (-7)

  7. Dave Chisnall - 10 (-18)

  8. Robert Thornton - 9 (-16)

• Play-Offs

• Van Gerwen v Anderson

  Taylor v Van Barneveld

• Ties to take place on May 22 at the O2 Arena, London

Perhaps disheartened by what he had seen before he reached the oche, Wright was beaten 7-5 by table-topper Michael van Gerwen.

Van Gerwen will play fourth-placed Anderson in the semi-finals, which take place at the O2 Arena on May 22, while Taylor takes on Van Barneveld.

"I'm absolutely over the moon," Taylor told Sky Sports. "We needed one Englishman there [in the Play-Offs] and we got one, didn't we?

"I had a lot of critics at the start of the season - and they had every right to diss me, because I was struggling. But it all came good in the end. It might take me two months, it might take me two years, but I will get back to my best without a shadow of a doubt."

On his match-up with Van Barneveld, Taylor added: "It's going to be a ding-dong - it always is. And Gary Anderson against Michael van Gerwen is going to be a ding-dong too.

"It's the best Premier League season I've been a part of."

Van Gerwen said: "I'm very proud of myself because finishing top of the table is not easy to do."

In Thursday's other result, Adrian Lewis beat Dave Chisnall 7-4.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd