Every darts player’s dream is to record a nine darts game of 501 and that is exactly what Derbyshire’s Darron (Rooster) Brown has done. Playing in the Ripley Elite Darts Singles League at the Somercotes Snooker Club Darron, one of the founder members of the league, on the 12-12-12 was drawn against Colin Rich and won 4-1, in his 4-1 win he registered his perfect leg of darts. He had scores of 180 followed by another 180 and a game shot of 141 in which he hit treble twenty, treble nineteen and double twelve, a truly magical game of darts. However, Darrons fellow premier division player, Phil Henshaw, only moments earlier had himself narrowly missed the same nine darts game. Playing against Alan Evans Phil opened up with two consecutive maximums then he hit treble twenty, treble nineteen and wired double twelve for what could have been, not one but two perfect 501 games in the space of a couple of minutes in the same league.
On the league front and at the time of going to press just nine points separate the top fourteen players in the premier division with Phil Henshaw holding the top average of 31.82, Phil also, together with Ash Spencer has hit the most 180’s which is 13, the highest finish of 161 is held by league leader Ian Byard.
In division one newcomer Rich Palmer is running away with the league and also holds the highest average of 30.82, the most maximums, four, and the least darts, which is 13.
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The Somercotes Snooker Club was the setting for the third Ripley Elite Dart Singles League’s Christmas Open, the event attracting an encouraging 72 players in what was the strongest line up in the competition so far.
Due to his fantastic success in the World Championships, Dean Winstanley, winner of the title for the previous two years was unavailable to attend and so this year a new name would be engraved on the trophy. Professional Mark Hylton turned out for the competition, but his hopes of becoming only the second player to win the title were dashed when in round one he narrowly lost 3-2 to REDSL ever present Daz Sinfield. Sinfield continued in fine form up to the semi finals where he came up against Simon Birkett and lost 4-2.
From the other half of the draw Reece Spurr and Ian Richardson reached the last four. Spurr had wins over Tony Palfreyman 3-0, Andy Umney 3-2, Darron Brown 3-2 and Rich Palmer 3-2, while Richardson beat Martin Lomas 3-0, Dave Allcock 3-0, Brian Kirk 3-2 and Shaun Bailey 3-2. In the semi finals Spurr had a clear cut 4-0 win over Richardson.
The final was the best of nine legs and Spurr, with his quick fire finishing continued his excellent form and beat Simon Birkett 5-1 to collect the top prize of £250, Birkett receiving £125.
There was £60 for Ian Richardson and Daz Sinfield, while losing quarter finalists Shaun Bailey, Rich Palmer, Trev Elmer and Dean Allsopp each received £30.
The league would like to thank their main sponsor Steve Heenan for his continued support, Brin Johnson and Dawn Buckley for running the competition and making sure it ran smoothly and effectively throughout, plus Tracey, Lindsey and Claire who sorted the raffle, which raised £127.
Full Results:- Preliminary Round:- Wayne Howe 3 v 0 Dave Slater, Ady Asprey 3 v 0 Martin Richards, Paul Wood 3 v 1 Rob Smeathers, Pete Slater 3 v 2 Matt Mitchell, Rich Palmer 3 v 1 John Upton, Phil Henshaw 3 v 0 Dude Fritchley, Craig Atter 3 v 2 Lee Stanley, John Brindley 3 v 2 Joanne Oldershaw, Last 64:- Kyle Machin 3 v 0 B Walters, Brian Kirk 3 v 2 Ian Byard, Dave Allcock 3 v 0 D Walters, Ian Richardson 3 v 0 Martin Lomas, Daz Sullivan 3 v 1 John Selby, Loz Barnes 3 v 1 Kev Rimmer, Shaun Bailey 3 v 0 Ashleigh Chrich, Danny Thomas 3 v 2 Paul Redfearn, Daz Brown 3 v 0 Ash Fisher, Martyn Cutbush 3 v 2 Mel Hopkins, Andy Umney 3 v 0 Matt Allsopp, Reece Spurr 3 v 0 Tony Palfreyman, Paul Baker 3 v 2 Chris Cooper, Ash Spencer 3 v 0 Pete Allsopp, Rich Palmer 3 v 1 Phil Henshaw, John Brindley 3 v 1 Craig Atter, John Bush walk over against Steve Pashley left after draw feeling ill (get well soon pal), Alan Evans 3 v 1 Wes Smith, Rick Gray 3 v 0 Dale Mills, Simon Birkett 3 v 2 Tim Broadhurst, Aden Kirk 3 v 2 Paul Jones, Tracey Johnson 3 v 2 Carl Pitchers, Trev Elmer 3 v 0 Daz Bennett, Ant Parry 3 v 2 Stuart Lilley, Daz Sinfield 3 v 2 Mark Hylton, Frank Davis 3 v 1 Mike Ivekich, Dan Daykin 3 v 1 Steve Darcy, Matt Padgett 3 v 0 Dan Woodhall, Mick Smith 3 v 0 Andy Baker, Dean Allsopp 3 v 1 J Bailey, Wayne Howe 3 v 2 Ady Asprey, Paul Wood 3 v 0 Pete Slater, Last 32:- Brian Kirk 3 v 0 Kyle Machin, Ian Richardson 3 v 0 Dave Allcock, Daz Sullivan 3 v 1 Loz Barnes, Shaun Bailey 3 v 0 Danny Thomas, Daz Brown 3 v 0 Martyn Cutbush, Reece Spurr 3 v 2 Andy Umney, Ash Spencer 3 v 2 Paul Baker, Rich Palmer 3 v 1 John Brindley, Alan Evans 3 v 2 John Bush, Simon Birkett 3 v 2 Rick Gray, Tracey Johnson 3 v 1 Aden Kirk, Trev Elmer 3 v 1 Ant Parry, Daz Sinfield 3 v 1 Frank Davis, Matt Padgett 3 v 0 Dan Daykin, Dean Allsopp 3 v 2 Mick Smith, Wayne Howe 3 v 0 Paul Wood, Last 16:- Ian Richardson 3 v 2 Brian Kirk, Shaun Bailey 3 v 2 Daz Sullivan, Reece Spurr 3 v 2 Daz Brown, Rich Palmer 3 v 0 Ash Spencer, Simon Birkett 3 v 0 Alan Evans, Trev Elmer 3 v 1 Tracey Johnson, Daz Sinfield 3 v 2 Matt Padgett, Dean Allsopp 3 v 2 Wayne Howe, Quarter Finals:- Ian Richardson 3 v 2 Shaun Bailey, Reece Spurr 3 v 2 Rich Palmer, Simon Birkett 3 v 0 Trev Elmer, Daz Sinfield 3 v 2 Dean Allsopp, Semi Finals:- Reece Spurr 4 v 0 Ian Richardson, Simon Birkett 4 v 2 Daz Sinfield, Final:- Reece Spurr 5 v 1 Simon Birkett
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The annual Tipton Knockout staged at the local Tipton Sports and Social Club attracted some 73 entries and produced a top class all West Midland County player final between long serving county player Ian Jones and Jamie Hughes, who for the county has been in tremendous form this season winning all three player of the match awards so far with outstanding averages of 31.85, 30.43 and 31.07. So expectations of a thrilling final were high and the audience were not disappointed.
Playing the best of nine legs the first four all went with first throw advantage, Hughes winning the first with an 80 outshot in 18 darts, after Jones had hit two tons plus a maximum to leave himself on double eight. Jones kicked off the second leg where he had finished the first, again hitting two tons and a maximum, eventually winning the leg in 18 darts with a 10 game shot, Hughes losing the leg after hitting 25 for a bull finish off 88.
Despite starting the third leg with another couple of 100’s Jones lost out as his opponent registered scores of 100, 100, 140 and 129 to leave double sixteen, which he got with his next dart for a thirteen darts leg, Jones back on 184. A ton and 133 were the top scores for Jones in the fourth leg, but they were enough to see him leave double eight, which he found with his sixteenth dart to level the match at 2-2.
Although Hughes began the fifth leg with a maximum, and added scores of 100, 81 and 120 for a double ten finish his doubles evaded him and after two failed visits to the oche Jones stepped in with a 40 game shot to go 3-2 and take the lead for the first time in the match.
With three ton plusses to Jones two Hughes, with a 41 outshot won the sixth leg in 17 darts and regained the lead when he took the seventh in 15 darts, his scores being 177, 85, 100 and 77, finishing with a check out of 62. Jones who had top shots of 2×140 and 100 was left nursing 61.
The penultimate leg saw the match squared for the fourth time. Throwing first Ian Jones, with a 180 and 100 had a game shot of 65 for a winning 17 darts leg, Hughes only managing one three figure score of 125 was way back on 143.
So after eight fantastic legs the scene was now set for a fabulous final ninth and deciding leg. Hughes had first throw advantage, but both players began slowly, Hughes hitting 55 and 60, Jones’ reply being 45 and 60. Then the pace quickened, Hughes hit 140, 100 and 130 to leave 16, Jones scored 123, 93 and 140 leaving double twenty. One dart was all that was required by Hughes to find double eight and clinch a closely fought 5-4 win in an enthralling nine leg final.
Averages for the player were Hughes 30.09 and Jones 29.70.
The prize money split was £500 for Jamie Hughes, £230 for Ian Jones, £120 for the losing semi finalists Richard Hosey and Mick Baker, plus £50 for the losing quarter finalists Jamie Caven, Colin Fowler, Stuart Earp and Mike Musto.
Full Results: Preliminary Round:- Daryl Thorpe beat Brian Dolman, Gurpal Singh beat Mark Zambra, Roy Prior beat Matt Dolman, Dennis Smith beat Dan Elcock, Cav Timmins lost to Fred Smith, James Richardson lost to Matty Pearson, Dan Jones beat Jack Hill, Dean Stewart lost to Jamie Caven, Ian Jones beat Neil Smith, Last 64:- Daryl Thorpe beat Gurpal Singh, Roy Prior beat Dennis Smith, Fred Smith lost to Matty Pearson, Dan Jones lost to Jamie Caven, Ian Jones beat David Thackery, Richard Foster lost to Matthew Dicken, Chris Hill lost to Mark Jones, Matthew Tedstone beat Brian Garbett, Colin Fowler beat Dan Garbett, Chris Hickman lost to Robert Smith, Paul Simmons lost to Glen Cullen, Richard Platt beat Peter Taylor, Paul Price lost to Richard Hosey, Steve Wilson lost to Simon Meredith, Johnny Haynes beat Gary Cousins, Gemma Barrett lost to Ian Townsend, Tim Edwards beat Jenson Turley, Jordan Singh beat Dan Butler, Wayne Willis lost to Mick Baker, Reuven Birch lost to Matt Hall, Jamie Barrowman lost to Josh McCarthy, Simon Mountford lost to Anthony West, Michael Hackett lost to Dan Thorpe, Julian Bunn lost to Stuart Earp, Jamie Hughes beat Greg Parkes, Lol Frazer beat Robert Pearce, Nick Fullwell beat Bobby Baynham, Dave Harrsion beat Nick Yardley, Adam Spittle lost to Joe Sharrat, Kevin Banbrick lost to Avtar Singh, Paul Lilley beat Lance Hackett, Lee Shaw lost to Mike Musto, Last 32:- Daryl Thorpe beat Roy Prior, Matty Pearson lost to Jamie Caven, Ian Jones beat Matthew Dicken, Mark Jones beat Matthew Tedstone, Colin Fowler beat Robert Smith, Glen Cullen beat Richard Platt, Richard Hosey beat Simon Meredith, Johnny Haynes beat Ian Townsend, Tim Edwards lost to Jordan Singh, Mick Baker beat Matt Hall, Josh McCarthy lost to Anthony West, Dan Thorpe lost to Stuart Earp, Jamie Hughes beat Lol Frazer, Nick Fullwell beat Dave Harrsion, Joe Sharrat beat Avtar Singh, Paul Lilley lost to Mike Musto, Last 16:- Daryl Thorpe lost to Jamie Caven, Ian Jones beat Mark Jones, Colin Fowler beat Glen Cullen, Richard Hosey beat Johnny Haynes, Jordan Singh lost to Mick Baker, Anthony West lost to Stuart Earp, Jamie Hughes beat Nick Fullwell, Joe Sharrat lost to Mike Musto, Quarter Finals:- Jamie Caven lost to Ian Jones, Colin Fowler lost to Richard Hosey, Mick Baker beat Stuart Earp, Jamie Hughes beat Mike Musto, Semi Finals:- Ian Jones beat Richard Hosey, Mick Baker lost to Jamie Hughes, Final:- Ian Jones 4 Jamie Hughes 5.
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The Small Heath League laid on their Christmas 501 Knockout Competition at the Emerald Club and taking the title with a final victory over Ian Jones from the Mitre, was the hosts Peter Yardley. Only a few weeks earlier Yardley also won the league’s End of Season 501 Knockout.
Losing semi finalists were, Matt Murrin (Sheldon Marlborough Flights) and Joe Fox (Emerald Club).
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In the last four of the Tamworth League’s League Cup league leaders Three Horse Shoes had an emphatic 4-0 win over Sports Bar ‘180’, while Globe Inn had a close 4-3 victory against the hosts Dolphin Inn.
The final once again saw Three Horse Shoes superiority winning again 4-0 with Globe Inn taking the runners up prize. This was Three Horse Shoes second cup win of the season so far and Dolphin’s efforts means there will be a new name on the runners up cup.
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The Forest of Arden / Riley’s Solihull Open monthly knockout for December was won by Tony Randell, who collected a cool £250, runner up Steve Gee received £100.
The next knockout will be staged at Riley’s, Solihull on Sunday 27th January with a guaranteed £100 prize for the winner.
Entry to the knockout is £5, registration is 2.00pm with a 3.00pm start. For any further information or advance entry contact, brian.twist@foadartsleague.co.uk MDC Darts Shop 148 Church Road, Yardley or any member of Riley’s Solihull staff.
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On a sombre note, sad to report the sudden death of John Cartmell, a regular and respected team captain and player in the Forest of Arden and Sheldon League. John, at the tender age of fifty passed away peacefully on the 31st December, he will be sadly missed by all his family and friends. Thoughts and sympathy go out to his wife Helen, his son’s and daughter.
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