Phil Taylor 11-6 Dennis Priestley
Phil Taylor overpowered Dennis Priestley 11-6 to remain on course for a third successive Holsten Premier League Darts title in Brighton.
The 13-time World Champion produced a superb mid-game burst to see off his long-time sparring partner, with a run of four straight legs to open up a 7-3 lead proving too much for Priestley to overcome.
He meets Terry Jenkins in the final in a repeat of the decider at the 2006 World Grand Prix, when Taylor eventually prevailed 6-4 in sets.
Priestley won the bullseye on stage as the pair faced off four times for the right to throw, but it was Taylor who took an immediate advantage.
He broke Priestley's throw in legs one and three as well as landing double eight in the second to open up a 3-0 lead early on.
Priestley punished some missed doubles from his opponent to claw his way back level.
Taylor, though, found another gear to hit five maximums in the next four legs to storm clear and put daylight between the pair.
He also had five perfect darts in leg 11 before allowing Priestley in to stop the rot and pull back to 7-4.
The pair enjoyed a game of cat and mouse for the next four legs before double top put Taylor within a leg of victory at 10-5 with a third successive leg.
An 83 finish on double eight kept Priestley in the hunt, but his misses at double six and double three in the next allowed Taylor to step in and seal his place in the final.
"I wasn't good enough tonight and Phil deserved the win," said Priestley.
"If my average had been higher I'd have challenged him, but I missed some doubles at times when I could have put pressure on.
"His scoring in the middle of the game was superb and I didn't keep up with him then, but I gave it my all."
Priestley had made his first appearance in the Premier League this year, sitting in the top two of the league table for much of the campaign before finishing in fourth place.
"I felt a bit jaded late on and luckily I'd already done enough to get into the semi-finals," he added.
"My aim now is to keep my place in the top six and be in the 2008 Premier League."
