Robert Thornton says victory against Michael Smith in the Premier League this week will give him a great chance to avoid elimination. Air Max 1 Wholesale . The Scot has been left bottom of the table for each of the last three weeks as he continues to battle against a first ever elimination from the competition.However he has an ideal chance to get himself in a position to survive when he plays twice in Liverpool on Thursday night. Smith provides the first opposition of the night while the formidable figure of Michael van Gerwen looms large for his second game.With Smith just points ahead of him the Thorn knows he can set up a monumental scrap for survival in Cardiff on Thursday week.Ive got one point and he [Michael Smith] has got three so if I beat him there is a chance there will be three players on three points, Thornton told Sky Sports.it is a do or die match in some ways and I am looking forward to it. Then it couldnt get much harder than Michael so its not worked out great for me. Mardles PL predictions Wayne Mardle with his picks for night eight I will give both games my all and hopefully get a point or two from them.If I get two points against Michael [Smith], I can just go up and enjoy my darts against Michael van Gerwen - we all know he is beatable.Thornton, a two-time major winner, has been playing catch-up since missing night two in Newcastle through illness and he says it is never ideal to miss a week and leave yourself on the back foot. Thornton was a major winner in 2015, claiming the World Grand Prix in Dublin (Pic: Lawrence Lustig) You never what to miss anything, you want to play every week, he added.Missing week two through a bit of illness knocked me back a bit but hopefully I started to show some signs of form last week and it will click on Thursday night.My form is coming back and I can practice a bit more now, so it shouldnt take too long to get top form back.There will be no sitting back and taking it easy, I will have to go up there and go hell for leather from the very beginning.You can watch all the action from Liverpool on Thursday night live on Sky Sports 1 from 7pm. Premier League night eight We preview the action in Liverpool Also See: Sky Live: Premier League night eight Mardles PL predictions Dream Premier League night Lessons from the champ Vapormax Clearance Sale .J. - Pete Carroll is in support of the NFL looking further into whether medicinal marijuana could beneficial for players. Cheap Air Max 1 Wholesale . On July 27 cyclings best-known race will host "La Course by Le Tour de France" -- a one-day womens competition staged hours before Tour riders race on the same circuit to finish the three-week event on Paris Champs-Elysees. http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.com/cheap-max-plus-shoes.html . James scored 25 points against his former team, leading the energized Heat to a 114-107 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night. Dwyane Wade added 24 points and Chris Bosh had 22 for the Heat, idle since a 90-84 loss Tuesday at Indiana. MONTREAL -- With veteran Henry Burris at quarterback, maybe the Ottawa Redblacks wont be quite the pushovers most expansion clubs have been. Burris threw for 247 yards in one half of a game -- on pace for a nearly 500-yard outing -- as the Redblacks downed the woeful Montreal Alouettes 26-10 in CFL pre-season play Friday night at Percival Molson Stadium. Former Hamilton Tiger-Cat Chevon Walker ran in two touchdowns and caught a five-yard pass for another to lead the Redblacks, who will be on a bye when the regular season opens next weekend and wont make their debut until July 3 in Winnipeg. "We knew we had to play well," said Burris, who signed as a free agent with Ottawa. "The fact that we dont play next week, we had to have a good feeling coming out of this game because now we have a few days off. "We know we made an improvement from last week (a 21-17 loss at Saskatchewan) and we wanted to carry the momentum of playing good football into the Winnipeg game in a couple of weeks." Brett Maher added a fourth-quarter field goal for Ottawa when Thomas DeMarco was in at quarterback. The Ottawa defence held Montreal without a touchdown, although some of that had to do with Troy Smiths struggles to find his receivers. Delbert Alvarado had a pair of field goals and Sean Whyte had another for Montreal, which went 0-2 in the pre-season under new coach Tom Higgins, and looked shaky on both sides of the ball heading into their season opener June 28 in Calgary. "It was definitely a pre-season game," said Smith, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner who has the tall order of replacing future Hall of Famer Anthony Calvillo as the Alouettes starting quarterback. "You understand things arent going to be as good as you want them to be all the time. "We did some positive things, we just werent able to capitalize on any drives." The less-than sellout crowd of 18,141 got their first look at former NFL star Chad (Ochocinco) Johnson, who is on a comeback after last having played in 2011. He made a 13-yard catch on the Alouettes first play from scrimmage but that was all. "Hopefully the timing with the guys will get better," said Smith. "Youve got to give Ottawa some credit. They played defence and came out with the win. Its very premature. Were embarking on something great. I can feel it in my bones. Nike Shoes Clearance Outlet. But you have to go through trials and tribulations." A lot of Ottawa players made it difficult for coach Rick Campbell to make his final cuts on Saturday, when all nine CFL teams have to trim rosters to 46 players. Burris had six players make at least two catches, while the defence held Montreal to 290 yards in net offence. "When the decisions are easy, its not good," said Campbell. "We had some guys make some big plays, but it is a pre-season game. Well watch film and evaluate it. "Were not going to pat ourselves on the back too much. Well get back to work and try to get better." Burris couldnt get a first down on Ottawas first three possessions, but adjustments were made. Then he couldnt be stopped the rest of the first half. He completed 17 of 22 passes, all against Montreals first-string defence. The Redblacks led 22-7 at the intermission. Smith completed nine of 17 for 122 yards in the opening 30 minutes and gave way to the equally ineffective Tanner Marsh early in the second half. Alex Brink also saw action. The Alouettes got on the board first with Alvarados punt single, but then Burris threw 28 yards to Dobson Collins to set up Walkers three-yard TD 12:16 into the game. Montreal answered with a field goal, but Kierrie Johnsons 36-yard catch to the Montreal one set up Walkers second TD of the night 44 seconds into the second quarter. Just before the intermission, Burris led an eight-play 85-yard drive capped by Walkers five-yard TD catch. With second and third stringers on in the second half, neither team was able to move the ball very far and spectators were streaming out by the end of the third quarter. Unusually for the pre-season game, there were relatively few penalties called and there were no fumbles or interceptions. Last week, Montreal blew a lead in a 28-23 setback at Hamilton. Their bright spots were Alvarados powerful kicking and some long returns by Larry Taylor, who returned to Montreal from Calgary in the off-season. Notes: The Alouettes were missing running backs Brandon Whitaker (sore leg) and Tyrell Sutton (hamstring). Their replacement Brandon Rutley had a quiet game 29 yards on nine carries. Linebacker Kyries Hebert didnt dress, but he has returned to practice after suffering a concussion June 7. ' ' '