GERWYN Price will have a first Unibet Premier League victory in his sights in Cardiff next week after starting the new season with back-to-back draws.

Markham’s Price, the world number three, needed to use his powers of recovery for the second week running on Thursday when earning a share of the spoils against Michael Smith in Nottingham.

After coming from 6-4 down to draw with Rob Cross, world championship semi-finalist Price trailed Smith 6-2 before pulling level to sit sixth in the nine-man league table.

Smith was at his fluent best in the first eight legs as he averaged more than 115, hit two 10-dart legs and a 140 finish to secure his first point of the campaign.

However, the 2018 Premier League runner-up was unable to get over the winning line, missing two match darts as Price dug deep to win four successive legs and maintain his unbeaten start.

Price faces Daryl Gurney at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena next Thursday, while fellow Welshman Jonny Clayton – the latest Challenger – plays Smith.

Gurney is yet to pick up a point in this season’s Premier League, his second loss being a 7-1 thrashing by Michael van Gerwen.

Five-time winner van Gerwen is the only player to boast a 100% record following the opening two nights.

The world number one was at his dominant best, averaging 105.05 to blow away Gurney, who sits at the foot of the table following back-to-back defeats.

Fallon Sherrock stole the show in Nottingham as she drew with Glen Durrant, the latter coming from 6-4 behind the force a draw.

Sherrock, who became a global sensation at Alexandra Palace in December by becoming the first woman to win matches at the World Championship, picked up where she left off in London.

After the first six legs were shared, Sherrock took out 92 for a superb 12-darter, before a 46 checkout put her 6-4 up.

Durrant fought back to take the match to a 12th leg and he then nailed double 16 to make it 6-6.

Meanwhile, Cross beat Nathan Aspinall 7-5 and the all-Scottish match between Gary Anderson and Peter Wright ended 6-6.