Robert Thornton has given himself a fantastic opportunity to avoid elimination after he upset the odds on night eight of the Premier League, says Wayne Mardle. The Scot looked set for an early exit from the competition before his two matches, but firstly defeated Michael Smith and then battled to a draw with Michael van Gerwen, in a surprise ending to the schedule at Liverpools Echo Arena. MVG held by Thornton Michael van Gerwen held to a draw by Robert Thornton That closing result meant that Thornton moved out of the bottom two, with Dave Chisnall joining Smith in the elimination places and both strugglers are facing tough matches in next weeks Judgement Night. Sky Sports expert Mardle believes Thornton has breathed fresh life into his campaign and might not even need a result against Lewis in seven days time.Well we said tonight was all about Robert Thornton and it turned out just that way, said Mardle. He has now given himself a fantastic opportunity to not be eliminated. Going into tonight, he has one solitary point. A win and a draw later and the world is a better place. Wayne Mardle on Robert Thornton Both Michael Smith and Dave Chisnall have to win. The thing is, taking a point off Michael van Gerwen. Hes one-to-nine Michael van Gerwen and 12-1 was Robert - and he did a job.Michael Smith has to beat Phil Taylor or Dave Chisnall has to beat Peter Wright and Robert Thornton to lose to be eliminated. If they both lose, Michael Smith and Chisnall, hes through, Robert Thornton will not be eliminated.Going into tonight, he has one solitary point. A win and a draw later and the world is a better place. Michael van Gerwen was held to another draw Van Gerwen let a point slip away again following his frustrating draw with Taylor in night seven.With the battle for the top four hotting up, Mardle believes Van Gerwen could regret these two results.Michael van Gerwen fluffed his lines really for two weeks running now, said Mardle. Hes thrown away some points and maybe made to pay. Also See: Fixtures/Results On Sky TV Prem Table Darts betting Get Sky Sports Air Force 270 Comprar . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach. Nike React Presto Comprar . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. http://www.airforceonebaratas.com/ . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. Nike Air Force 1 Mid Baratas . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. Nike React Zapatillas . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. Melbourne can stamp their reputation as the greatest team of the NRL era after moving to next weeks grand final with a tense 14-12 win over Canberra.The turning point came in the 59th minute on Saturday night when Raiders star Jack Wighton, with his team down two points, was sin-binned for holding down a breakaway Marika Koroibete.Centre Cheyse Blair went over in the ensuing set, sending the 28,161 crowd at AAMI Park into raptures, and the Storm to their first grand final since their 2012 triumph.Skipper Cameron Smith then kicked his team to an eight-point lead with a penalty goal.Raiders winger Edrick Lee bombed a chance not long after, before Elliot Whitehead set up a grandstand finish with four minutes left on the clock.But the minor premiers held on, booking a spot in Sunday weeks decider against Cronulla at ANZ Stadium and celebrating Cooper Cronks 300th game with a win.Craig Bellamy said he was delighted to be heading to his sixth grand final as Storm coach after withstanding another tense challenge in an injury-riddled season.Youve got to give the Raiders a lot of credit - they kept hanging in there, he said.Im really proud of this group, of what theyve done, not only tonight but the whole season.In an absorbing battle in the wet, the leagues top defensive outfit kept the best attacking side to their equal-lowest score since April.Play was momentarily stopped early when Josh Papaliis 11th-minute try-saving tackle on Cronk also crushed his teammate Jason Croker, who struggled for the rest of the match.It was one of the few pointscoring opportunities in a hotly contested first half, with a Smith penalty goal all that could separate the two sides inside the opening 20 minutes.The first try finally came in the 23rd, when Raiders winger Jordan Rapana stretched out in the corner, breaking the clubs record for most tries in a season.Playing in their first preliiminary final in almost two decades, Canberra appeared on their way.ddddddddddddBut in a show of big-game experience, the Storm almost pulled one back through Tohu Harris in the 27th, before milestone man Cronk did it all himself five minutes later.The scoreboard hadnt moved since halftime when Koroibete raced 60 metres downfield from a kick return and was brought down by Wighton 20 metres short of the line.The Raiders star laid in the tackle for too long, giving referee Matt Cecchin no option but to send the fullback to the sin-bin and opening the door for the Storm to take ascendency.The home side immediately took advantage, Blair crashing through in the next set and then Smith nailing a simple shot after Josh Hodgson gave away a penalty.Beaten coach Ricky Stuart said his players were devastated but he could see a bright future ahead.The hurt tonight is the start of a really, I hope, competitive strong era for the Canberra Raiders, he said.This loss will help us achieve success in the near future.The grand final will be the second time the Storm have progressed through to the decider since being infamously stripped of the 2007 and 2009 premierships.Since then, they havent missed the finals, strengthening their claim as the best side in the NRL era under the tutelage of coach Craig Bellamy.The Raiders had their chances to close the gap inside the final 10, the first of which fell to Edrick Lee only for the winger to grass a pass with the line wide open.But having thrown the pass for the Raiders earlier try, Whitehead grabbed a four-pointer of his own to set up a grandstand finish -- Aidan Sezers sideline conversion closing the gap to two points with three minutes to play.But it wasnt to be, the Storm holding on for a two-point win. ' ' '