Darts News – A West Midlands Round Up by Alan Towe
The Warwickshire County Darts Organisation began their sixth season in the top flight of the BDO Inter County Championships with, for the sixth time a curtain raiser against reigning champions Yorkshire and for the sixth time it unfortunately ended in defeat.
The ladies ‘B’ had a fantastic start to the season beating their counterparts 5-1, thanks to wins from Marion Conway, Lisa Whitmore, Edwina Holdsworth, lady of the match Wendy Adams (20.31) and Caroline Pike. The ‘A’ side found themselves trailing 3-1, Trina Gulliver the only shining light in the first four games, her 3-0 win over Lyn Horne earning her the match award with a 22.43 average. However, Kat Spanswick’s 3-0 win against Ann Chilton and Sue Gulliver’s 3-2 success over Rachel Sheard in the final game shared the points at 3-3.
The men’s ‘B’ suffered a 10-2 defeat, their only winners being Matt Edgar and Tom McGlone. McGlone was their top player beating James Barton 4-1 with a 26.58 average.
The ‘A’ side finished all square at 6-6 after opening up a 5-1 lead. Winners were Dean Stewart, Rob Hawker, Nigel Heydon, Mark Westgarth, Noel Grant and Mark Strong. Nigel Heydon took the match award with a 29.33 average, he beat Peter Jacques 4-3, winning the seventh and deciding leg with a tremendous maximum 170 finish.
The overall score was a 20-16 win for Yorkshire.
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The Sheldon and District Summer League staged the quarter finals of their Mrs F.Richman Cup and it produced a couple of shock results. Group One leaders Saltley Amateur Gardeners are unbeaten in the league but went out of the cup losing 4-3 at home to Group Four’s top team Riley’s Misfits. Langley Hall Sports and Social top Group Two and they lost 5-2 away to Sheldon Dukes who are next to bottom of that group.
Group One Riley’s Rags were true to form and won 5-2 away to Group Two outfit The Pirates and joining the winners in the last four will be Baldwin Bears, who had a 7-0 walkover against Marston Green Tavern.
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A surprise in the Cradley Tuesday Night League as leaders Crown ‘A’ lost for the first time this season, they lost 5-4 away to seventh in the table The Gate (Colley Gate), this was Crown’s first defeat in 29 games. Finishing doubles were Crown’s downfall, but it was cheers all round for Gate’s anchor man Mick Roberts, who beat Mat Tedstone in the final game to clinch the points for his team.
Second placed Chainmakers ‘B’ took full advantage to reduce the arrears to six points with a 6-3 home win over Bulls Head. Third placed Brickmakers also put two between them and fourth placed Members Club by beating them on the Members board 6-3.
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Dudley Sports ‘B’ lost ground in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League title race when they lost 5-4 away to Tenth Lock, who are fifteenth in the table, Dudley Sports ‘B’ drop one place to third. Taking over the second spot are Bulls Head, who won 7-2 away to The Bridge ‘A’. Leaders Blue Brick ‘C’ were also comfortable 7-2 winners against Liberal Club to keep them a massive twelve points ahead of Bulls Head.
Ivy House and High Acres were the week’s biggest winner’s, in turn 8-1 results against Griffin and Swan.
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The third round of the singles knockout was the order of the day for the Brierley Hill Friday Night League and going through to the next round are, M.Rowley, S.Bloomer, A.Moreton, C.Hickman, A.Floyd, B.Watts, B.Neil, S.Blewitt, P.O’Brien, J.Glazzard, R.Powers, K.Breeze, C.Penzer, C.Davies, S.Hall and J.Lock.
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Group ‘A’ leaders in the South Birmingham League, Chelmsley Wood RBL won their home tie against third in the table St John’s 5-3 to give them a perfect score of 14 points from seven games. Second placed Raven didn’t play and now have a game in hand, but are five points behind Chelmsley.
Group ‘B’ leaders Riley’s Kings dropped their first points of the campaign when they were held to a 4-4 draw at home by second in the table The Crown. As expected it was a close and very high scoring affair with Kings hitting 27 scores of a ton or more plus a 180 from W.Naylor and Crown notching 24 scores of a ton or over.
The Punch Bowl moved away from the foot of the table with a 6-2 win over Coleshill Social, who replace them next to bottom of the table.
St John’s Flights had their advantage at the top of Group ‘C’ reduced to just one point when The Gate beat them 5-3. As a result The Gate move up one place to second in the table.
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The Small Heath League staged their End of Season 501 Competition and winning the event was Gulp Tribe representative Chris Stokes, who had a final success against Emerald Club’s Neil Parsonage. Losing semi finalists were, Matthew Cooper (Gulp Tribe) and Paul Brown (Shannon’s).
Condolencies from the league go to the family of Jim Haveron who passed away in the early hours of Saturday 13thSeptember.
Jim, a regular player for Cob’s Bar, suffered a heart attack while playing for his chosen team in the league’s Upside Down Cup finals at the Emerald Club on the 19th August and went into a coma. He will be sadly missed by all his team mates and members of the league.
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Week four in the newly formed Black Country Premier League was another good night with two teams, Blackheath Beechers and Hasbury Monks handing out 12-0 whitewashes to their respective opponents Park Lane Taverners and Team Bathams.
Black Country Belters players Thomas Stockton, Matt Hall and Alf Turley all hit maximums in their teams 10-3 win over Gate R7 R. D.Simpson (Britannia Bulldogs) was another player to find the three treble twenties as his side won 9-4 against Hounds of Wynall. However, the game of the night was the tie between league leaders Lyde Green Flights and Wynall Lane Warriors, which ended with a close 9-8 win for Lyde Green to give them 8 points, one more than second placed Black Country Belters. Scott Roberts hit two maximums in the game and Daniel Haden also hit one and had a 14 darts leg.
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No change at the top of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League with all of the top five teams winning, to leave Ten Arches ‘A’ top with 20 points and Ashwood ‘A’ and ‘B’ two and four points adrift respectively.
Biggest shock of the night was the 4-3 win by The Leopard. Prior to their game against Gigmill, Leopard were bottom of the table having played nine and lost nine, their win leaves them at the foot of the table but now level on to points with The Swan.
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The top three teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League made it five wins in a s many games. An 8-1 win at Corn Exchange keeps Ashwood top of the table on average from Ten Arches, whose similar 8-1 win at Shrubbery Cottage has taken them clear in second place just one leg of average to the good on Britannia, who won 6-3 at Bird ‘A’, Stourbridge.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League have got their new season underway and setting the pace is The Bell with a 7-2 win at White Swan. Three teams, Chainmakers, Bulls Head and Springfield Social Club all won 6-3 at the expense of Pensnett and Bromley, White Horse and Brickmakers, while Riddins Tavern and Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club in turn both won 5-4 against Fairfield and Rose and Crown.
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Olton Crown added the Forest of Arden Summer League’s Knockout Cup to their already won Division One and Division One Cup titles when they accounted for Iron Horse in the final. Losing semi finalists were Highwood and Greville Arrows.
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The Rowley Monday Night League played off round one of their Challenge Cup and going through to the next round are, Allens Sports Bar, Haden Cross, Springfield Social Club and Plough and Harrow.
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Just one game played in the Camp Hill League, which saw Bordesley Labour Club beat Devil’s Club 6-1 to go above The Lions on average and two places off the foot of the table.
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There were 5-2 wins for the top three teams in division one of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League, to keep Otter and Vixen top with 34 points, Riley’s ‘C’ second on 32 and Victoria third also with 32 points.
In division two Wednesfield Conservative Club and Chillington Club are both on 38 points, the former having the better average, their latest win being 5-2 at Wednesfield Legion ‘B’, while Chillington won 6-1 at Boat ‘B’.
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Whitmore Reans WMC made it eighteen straight wins in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League when they won 4-3 away to fourth in the table Otter and Vixen ‘B’. Second placed Moreton kept hot on the heels of Whitmore by handing out a 7-0 whitewash to their visitors bottom of the table Otter and Vixen ‘A’ to remain eight points adrift of the leaders.
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