LEICESTER stars James Maddison and Harvey Barnes watched Gerwyn Price achieve darting perfection before being sent packing at Ally Pally.

The Premier League players enjoyed a night of high drama at the World Darts Championship in north London.

Welshman Price, 36, has not had much luck with punters this year who have jeered and booed his darts and walk-ons.

Yet the world no.1 had them all in raptures with a moment of sheer brilliance in this absorbing quarter-final against Michael Smith.

The perfect leg came in the second leg of the fourth set and for a moment the fans were all on their feet and on Price’s side.

It was the 13th time in 13 years there had been a nine-darter at world level and the record third time this event.

This follows on from William Borland’s match-winning corker and Darius Labanauskas’s losing footnote in a first-round exit.

Smith, 31, applauded the feat and fist pumped the Welshman in a moment of excellent sportsmanship but then he wrapped up the set to level at 2-2.

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And although Price led 4-3 he could not seal a place in the semi-final, with Smith producing a blistering comeback in a win that delighted the crowd.

He joins James Wade, Gary Anderson and Peter Wright in the final four with the semi-final taking place on Sunday night.

Former world snooker champion Judd Trump, who know a thing or two about hitting the pinnacle of a 147 break, said: “The darts tonight is unreal. On fire.”

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