Gerwyn Price came agonisingly close to a nine-darter during a 6-6 draw with Luke Humphries on night four of the Premier League in Exeter.
Leading 3-2 following an explosive start to the match, the former Glasgow hooker, missed double 12 for the perfect leg.
Price, who won Players Championship 5 and 6 at the weekend, returned to complete a 10-darter and move 4-2 ahead, but Humphries fought back to lead 6-5 and move one leg away from becoming the first 'contender' to win a game this campaign.
Humphries, who averaged 101.3, missed a match dart at taking out 148 and Price punished him by holding his nerve on double 20 to claim a third draw in four outings, preserving his unbeaten record.
A MUST WATCH BATTLE | Some match this between the Iceman and the contender!#Unibet180 pic.twitter.com/HmBEURcsQo
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 28, 2019
James Wade ended leader Michael Van Gerwen's 100 per cent record, taking advantage of the world champion's 27 per cent checkout percentage to claim five legs in a row en route to a 7-3 victory.
Michael Smith overcame injury to beat winless Raymond Van Barneveld 7-4.
The 28-year-old was forced to have emergency surgery on an abscess on Monday but, after hobbling onto the oche, overturned a 3-1 deficit to move off the bottom of the table.
Former world champion Rob Cross averaged 102.16, producing a fine 153 checkout along the way, in a 7-1 demolition of Derry's Daryl Gurney, while Mensur Suljovic beat Peter Wright 7-4 to clinch his first win.
TABLE!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) February 28, 2019
Here's how the Premier League Table shapes up after Night Four at the @WestpointExeter...
Michael van Gerwen's first defeat, but he remains top of the table!#Unibet180 pic.twitter.com/t4UUWCf2Pb
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