Alan Towe - A Look Back In Time - 1st October 2003
For the majority of the Belgrave Sports and Social Individual League season Steve Dwyer and Scott Mitton have been battling it out for the title. It was only in the final run in that Mitton lost ground and had to concede defeat to his rival. The man in form for the closing stages was Steve Hine, who chalked up wins over both Mitton and Dwyer to clinch the runners up spot leaving Mitton thinking what might have been and having to be satisfied with third place.
With the league programme completed, the league have since been actively involved in their singles and doubles events.
After winning the league championship, Steve Dwyer made it a fabulous double by winning the singles crown. Steve by no means had an easy passage to the finals having to account for Steve Cain, Terry Clinton and Richie Baker to get to the semi’s. In the last four he then faced another tough opponent in the shape of Gordon Clinton. Steve continued his winning run with a 7-2 verdict, booking his place in the final against Scott Mitton. Dwyer’s impressive season continued when he stormed to an 8-3 victory.
In the doubles Dwyer teamed up with Richie Baker, but unfortunately was unable to get passed the first round, going out 3-1 to Steve Hine and Peter Guesford, who eventually made their way to the final and claimed the title with a close 5-4 success against Ian Gould and Steve Cain.
The Longwood League are another league that have been engaged in the play off’s of their singles and doubles competitions after the league championship has been won by the Dolphin with 21 points, five more than the runners up Red Lion ‘A’. Taking the division one singles title was Queens ‘A’ representative I.Turner, who had a final victory over Gate Inn player T.Goodwin. Strangely the same two teams provided the losing semi finalists, A.Hanslow (Gate Inn) and P.Turner (Queens ’A’).
In division two, T.Statham (Two Gates Club) lifted the title following his win over Jolly Sailor’s M.Starling in the final. Reaching the last four were W.Harbisher (Mercian) and W.Hewins (Three Horse Shoes).
The doubles competition was won by T.Goodwin and A.Hanslow from the Gate Inn, with runners up M.Fowler and R.Fowler, who play for the Royal Oak. Losing semi finalists were D.Poyner and M.Martin (Dolphin) and S.Whittaker and D.Massey also from the Dolphin.
Steve Cain (Heartlands Club) took the honours in the League Charity Shield Knockout winning the title with a final win over A.Powell from the Victoria 301 Club. Losing semi finalists were John O’Connor (Brewer and Baker) and Kevin Maloney (Custard House).
The league also ran a 180 knockout in which all the players who had hit a maximum throughout the season took part. The outright winner was Ian Turner (Queens ’A’) with Martin Cairns (Three Horse Shoes) the runner up.
The Sheldon and District Summer League have completed their fixture card and the various groups have been won by the following, Group One, Three Horse Shoes, Runners Up, Saltley Amateur Gardeners, Group Two, Glebe Community Centre, Runners Up, Hen and Chickens, Group Three, Dovecote, Runners Up, Lea Hall Sports and Social Club, Group Four, Shard End RBL ‘A’, Runners Up, The Horseshoe, Group Five, Victoria Social, Runners Up, Millhouse, Group Six, Sheldon and Marlboro, Runners Up, Banbury Club.
In the finals of the Mrs F.Richman Trophy Sheldon Heath Dukes player Ken Grimes was in top form with his scoring. In the semi’s he notched a maximum in his side’s 6-1 win over Shard End RBL Flights and followed that with another 180 against the Three Horse Shoes in the final which the Dukes won 4-3.
Player of the final was Three Horse Shoes man Ian Spencer who recorded an eleven darts leg, 100-140-100 and a 61 outshot.
Congratulations to Chris Malone and Dawn Barbier (Longbridge 26ers) whose win over Steve King and Barbara Andrews from Bournbrook gave them the Mixed Doubles title in the South West Birmingham Clubs Summer League.
Second round draw for the Bedworth Gateway Open Darts Competition is, Men:- Chatteris Social Club (Cambridgeshire) v Boot Inn (Nuneaton), Duple Social Club (Blackpool) v Nags Head (West Midlands), High Street WMC (Swindon) v Springfield WMC (West Midlands), Dovy Inn (Worcester) v Cottage Spring (West
Midlands), Lincolnshire Nailer (Skegness) v Crown and Cushion (West Midlands), Three Horseshoes (Coventry) v Rowley Labour Club (West Midlands), Six in Hand (Gwent) v Rock Fountain (Shrewsbury), Nags Head ’B’ (Peterborough) v Oak & Ivy (West Midlands), Wheathampstead Social Club ’A’ (Hertfordshire) v Snooker Social Club (West Midlands), Glassey Inn (West Midlands) v Crown Hotel (West Midlands), Beaufort Arms ’A’ (Cheltenham) v Fosters Arms ’A’ (Shropshire), Tipton Social Club (West Midlands) v Marham Main Social Club (Doncaster), Lincolnshire Nailer (Skegness) v Five All’s (Cambridgeshire), Commercial Hotel (Cheshire) v Brown Horse (Merseyside), Low Moor WMC (Bradford) v Nags Head (West Midlands), Cricketers Arms (Bedworth) v Stockingford Sports & Social Club (Nuneaton), Dunstable Town F.C (Bedford) v Nags Head ’A’ (Peterborough), Bear Rugged Staff (Bristol) v Gun Tavern (Worcester), White Hart (Swindon) v Wednesbury Royal British Legion Club (West Midlands), Three Horseshoes (Coventry) v Erwood Inn ’A’ (Powys), Bees Knees (Cirencester) v Bradford Arms (Walsall), Low Moor WMC (Bradford) v Plough Inn (Staffordshire), Duple Social Club (Blackpool) v Nottingham Oddfellows Social Club (Leicester), Friar Tuck (west Midlands) v Erwood Inn ’B’ (Powys), Stirchley United WMC (Birmingham) v Fosters Arms ’B’ (Shropshire), High Street WMC ’B’ (Swindon) v White Hart (Northampton), Woodlands WMC (Bedworth) v Anchor Inn (Worcester), Five All’s (Cambridgeshire) v Beaufort Arms ’B’ (Cheltenham), Brewers Arms (Cirencester) v Broadstone (West Midlands), White Horse (Walsall) v Black Horse (Worcester), Wheathampstead Social Club (Hertfordshire) v Rollers Arms (West Midlands), Women:- Six in Hand (Gwent) v Rock Fountain (Shrewsbury), Dunstable Town F.C. (Bedford) v Galleon Inn ’A’ (Devon), Lincolnshire Nailer (Skegness) v Cardigan Arms (Northampton), White Hart (Swindon) v Gorse Hill WMC (Swindon), Air Balloon Tavern (Bristol) v Erwood Inn (Powys), Lincolnshire Nailer (Skegness) v New Warwick Social Club (Warwick), Newport Pagnall WMC (Milton Keynes) v Whitley Hotel (West Midlands), Black Horse (Worcester) v Plough Inn (Staffordshire).