THE three remaining places alongside Phil Taylor in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts play-offs will be decided on the final league night after a dramatic 13th round in Newcastle saw five players remain in the hunt.

The Trent FM Arena in Nottingham will host the decisive league night next Thursday, with Simon Whitlock, Mervyn King, Ronnie Baxter, James Wade and Adrian Lewis all able to secure top-four finishes.

Whitlock picked up a key 8-4 win over reigning champion Wade with a scintillating display of finishing at the Metro Radio Arena.

The Australian hit three ton-plus checkouts amongst landing eight of 13 attempts at a double during the win, and now sits on 14 points, one ahead of King and Baxter.

"I knew I needed a good result and I've got a win so I'm very happy with that," said Whitlock. "I've been working hard on my finishing again recently and it paid off for me."

King suffered a second successive loss for the first time this season with an 8-5 reverse at the hands of Raymond van Barneveld, who followed up last week's nine-darter with another improved showing to move off the foot of the table.

Baxter and Lewis, meanwhile, battled out a draw which leaves the Stoke youngster needing a big win over Phil Taylor next week and other results to go his way if he is to finish in the top four.

Baxter had chances to claim a crucial victory after going 7-5 up, but missed four darts at a double in each of the next two legs to take the win as Lewis scrambled home a point.

"The winning double can be so hard to hit sometimes and you never know if it will go in," admitted Baxter. "I've still got a point, though, and that might prove important at the end of next week."

Taylor maintained his unbeaten record this season with an 8-5 win over Terry Jenkins in the night's other game, extending his lead at the head of the table to ten points as well as condemning his opponent to bottom place.

Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week 13 - Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle
Adrian Lewis 7-7 Ronnie Baxter
Mervyn King 5-8 Raymond van Barneveld
James Wade 4-8 Simon Whitlock
Terry Jenkins 5-8 Phil Taylor

Week 14 - May 13 - Trent FM Arena, Nottingham
Revised Order of Play
James Wade v Terry Jenkins
Ronnie Baxter v Raymond van Barneveld
Simon Whitlock v Mervyn King
Phil Taylor v Adrian Lewis
Tickets: 0844 124 624 or www.trentfmarenanottingham.com

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