Nathan Aspinall knocks out Michael van German en route to Barnsley victory

Rising star Nathan Aspinall thrashed Michael Van Gerwen en route to winning the seventh Players Championship event of the season in Barnsley.

The 28-year-old, currently ranked seventh in the world, overcame Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan 8-4 in the final.

Aspinall averaged 93.2 as he overcame a below-par Van Gerwen 6-1 in the quarter-finals.

A 105.5 average then helped Aspinall ease past Dutchman Danny Noppert 7-3 in the last four, before taking out a high checkout of 136 in the final.

Dolan had thrashed James Wade 7-1 in the last four and, although he established a 4-2 lead in the final, Aspinall then reeled off six successive legs to take the title.

Lisa Ashton reached the second round before losing 6-5 to Andrew Gilding.