Josh Rock has blamed his 6-2 Premier League Darts quarter-final defeat to Michael van Gerwen in Antwerp on slippery Belgian soap that ruined his grip. The Northern Irishman revealed he used the soap in pre-match toilet visit, leaving his hands unable to hold darts properly during the crucial match.

Rock, who lost to the three-time world champion in night two of the Premier League roadshow, now carries chalk and wax in his case to prevent future grip issues. The 22-year-old said this was the first time such an incident had occurred and he quickly identified the problem, allowing him to move past the defeat mentally. He didn't need the grip aids at the subsequent Players Championship event.

to night three in Glasgow, Rock opens against world number one Luke Humphries in his debut Premier League campaign. As a Rangers fan, he hopes Celtic's Europa League fixture will bring more Scottish supporters to his side. The other quarter-final matchups see Luke Littler face Van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton against Gian van Veen, and Gerwyn Price playing Stephen Bunting.