Combined November and December Reports
After a heavy 20-16 defeat away to Hampshire, who were relegated from the premier division of the BDO Inter County Championships last season, West Midlands had a relatively easier home fixture in division one against Cleveland who narrowly avoided relegation from that same division last campaign.
After both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ ladies teams lost against Hampshire in the season’s curtain raiser they quickly rectified that with a terrific performance against Cleveland. The ‘B’ team’s opener Kirsty Shaughnessy lost 3-0 to Valerie Skidmore but from then on the team never looked back.
A Jacqueline Maiden lady of the match performance sparked a run of five wins, Jacqueline after losing the opener to Melanie Holland bounced back with top scores of 3×100 and 105 to win 3-1 and take the match award with her 17.80 average. Shellbie Simmons, with a similar 3-1 victory beat Teresa Baily before Samantha Maiden and Claire Hobbs both won 3-2 in turn against Kelly Marie Curran and Vanessa Dickinson.
Rounding off the 5-1 success was Heather Wright who added her 3-1 win over Karen Helmore to the tally to give the home team a winning start.
After a 5-1 win by the ‘B’ team how could the ‘A’ team top that? But top that they did as they went one better by handing out a 6-0 whitewash to their counterparts. Gemma Barrett began the rout beating Michelle Sturman 3-1 the same margin by which Debbie Loon accounted for Mandy Stephens.
Taking the score along to 3-1 was Kath Jenkins, a 3-2 win ove Tonilee Bowstead before Sophie Singh guaranteed the win with her 3-0 success against Carla Boyes.
On at number six was West Midlands in form player Sarah Roberts and after winning the first leg against Zoe Holland chalked up scores of 140,100 and 137 before checking out on 18 in as many darts. A 125 and 100 was enough in the third leg as she romped to her 3-0 win with an award winning average of 23.48 her seventh successive lady of the match award, she certainly is in scintillating form.
The first three games of the men’s ‘B’ match all went against the first throw advantage Glen McGrandle putting West Midlands one up with his 3-2 win over Michael Thornhill, Mark Dawson replying for Cleveland with a similar 3-2 win over Daniel Nicholls after Nicholls had gone 2-0 up. Robert Smith completed the trio of wins when he beat Cleveland’s Graham Badger 3-0 with two 14 darts legs and a winning 23 darts leg giving him an award winning average of 29.47. The sequence was broken when Mark Allen-Watkiss won 3-2 against Shaun Phipson to put the hosts 3-1 up. The match then returned to wins for the player with the first throw advantage Michael Evans winning 3-0 against Jack Routledge, Matthew Dicken replying for the home side with a 3-0 win over Chris Swales. Rob Smith (Cleveland) took the score along to 4-3 with a 3-2 win against Sam Guest and taking the score to 5-3 in favour of the West Midlands was Paul Wells with his 3-2 win over Dennis Coleman.
It was game number nine before the sequence was broken for a second time Scott Baker taking the home team into a 6-3 lead with a straight 3-0 win against James Dunlop.
Despite a healthy lead the match finished all square at 6-6 West Midlands taking just a single leg out of the final three games as Graham Palmer beat John Mycock 3-0, Mark Muckian won 3-1 against Paul Price and with a 3-0 result against Richard Platt by Luke Etherington the honours were shared at six each.
The men’s ‘A’ stormed into a 2-0 lead with Gavin Baker beating Paul Nicholson 4-1 and Ian Jones winning 4-2 against Brian Barnett. Cleveland quickly turned the advantage around when Jonathon Gardner, Scott Chatterton and Gary Stephens all won 4-3 against respective opponents Gareth Watts, Jonathan Platt and Keith Allman but a man of the match 4-2 win by Nick Fullwell against Sean Jowers levelled the game at 3-3 by the break, Fullwell recording winning legs of 18,17,13 and 14 darts for a superb 30.94 average.
Mark Craddock gave West Midlands the early lead in the second half when he beat Chris Hornby 4-1, but yet again the visitors reversed the advantage when Allan Edwards won 4-3 against Lewis Venes although Venes had taken leads of 2-0 and 3-1, then with a 4-0 win over John Morris Dean Norman put Cleveland 5-4 up.
Peter Prewer won the first two legs against Shaun Carroll and despite taking Carroll to a decider it was the home player that got the 4-3 win. Ashe Khayat made short work of Barry Davies beating him 4-0 to give the home side a 6-5 lead and despite Michael Baker losing the opening two legs to Brian Henderson it was West Midlands Baker who got the 4-2 verdict to give the ‘A’ team a 7-5 victory.
The overall result was a pleasing 21-15 win for the West Midlands which saw them move six places up the table to second place just seven points adrift of leaders Hampshire.
BDO Inter County Championships:Division One:West Midlands v Cleveland (24-12):(West Midlands names first): Men’s ‘A’:- Gavin Baker 4 Paul Nicholson 1, Ian Jones 4 Brian Barnett 2, Gareth Watts 2 Jonathon Gardner 4, Jonathan Platt 3 Scott Chatterton 4, Keith Allman 3 Gary Stephens 4, Nick Fullwell 4 Sean Jowers 2, Mark Craddock 4 Chris Hornby 1, Lewis Venes 3 Allan Edwards 4, John Morris 0 Dean Norman 4, Shaun Carroll 4 Peter Prewer 3, Ashe Khayat 4 Barry Davies 0, Michael Baker 4 Brian Henderson 2, Men’s ‘B’:- Glen McGrandle 3 Michael THornhill 2, Daniel Nicholls 2 Mark Dawson 3, Robert Smith 3 Graham Badger 0, Marl Allen-Watkiss 3 Shaun Phipson 2, Jack Routledge 0 Michael Evans 3, Matthew Dicken 3 Chris Swales 0, Sam Guest 2 Rob Smith 3, Paul Wells 3 Dennis Coleman 2, Scott Baker 3 James Dunlop 0, John Mycock 1 Graham Palmer 3, Paul Price 1 Mark Muckian 3, Richard Platt 0 Luke Etherington 3, Women’s ‘A’:- Gemma Barrett 3 Tracy Marran 0, Lisa Badger 3 Michelle Sturman 1, Debbie Loon 3 Mandy Stephens 1, Kath Jenkins 3 Tonilee Bowstead 2, Sophie Singh 3 Carla Boyes 0, Sarah Roberts 3 Zoe Holland 0, Women’s ‘B’:- Kirsty Shaughnessy 0 Valerie Skidmore 3, Jacqueline Maiden 3 Melanie Holland 1, Shellbie Simmons 3 Teresa Baily 1, Samantha Maiden 3 Kelly Marie Curran 2, Claire Hobbs 3 Vanessa Dickinson 2, Heather Wright 3 Karen Helmore 1.
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I would like to thank the Directors of the local Holden’s Black Country Brewery for agreeing to sponsor my weekly darts column in the Birmingham Mail.
2015 saw the brewery based in George Street, Woodsetton, Dudley, West Midlands celebrate their centenary, 100 years of brewing first class traditional real ales and I can personally vouch for their Old Ale at 7.2% it’s a real winter warmer.
Something that I am now looking forward to is taking part in one of the brewery tours an insight into how their award winning ales are produced.
It’s a real privilege and pleasure to be associated with such a well established Black Country business and I sincerely hope that the relationship will be a long and mutually beneficial.
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December
After losing their opening fixture of the season against Hampshire the West Midlands now appear to have settled down and found their form as for the second consecutive game they have had three teams win and one draw the latest being in an away fixture against Gwent.
For the second time in as many games the ladies ‘B’ have won 5-1 and getting them on the road to their win was Claire Hobbs who won the first game of the day against Ceri Stephens 3-0, Claire’s 18.56 average also winning her the lady of the match accolade. Making it 2-0 with another 3-0 result was Jacqueline Maiden who beat Natalie Tucker. With a similar 3-0 result Susan Bailey chalked up Gwent’s first win when she won against Kirsty Shaughnessy, however that proved to be the home team’s one and only winner as Samantha Maiden, Heather Wright and Shellbie Simmons all came from 1-0 down against respective opponents Jessica Bonner, Kerry Beynon and Stephanie James to win and give the West Midlands a 5-1 win.
Patrick Adoescu (Gwent) looked all set to win the first game of the men’s ‘B encounter when he forged a 2-0 lead over Matthew Dicken but Dicken held his nerve and with wins in the following three legs got a well deserved 3-2 victory. Like the opener the second game also went with the first throw advantage as Damon Osborne levelled the score with a 3-1 win over Mark Allen-Watkiss after the West Midlands man had won the first leg.
The visitors took the lead for a second time in game three, Daniel Nicholls giving them a 2-1 advantage when he won 3-2 against Dale Ridler and making it 4-1 was Mark Rollinson and Paul Wells who in turn won 3-1 against Carl Lloyd and Mike George.
Craig Lloyd pulled one back for Gwent with a 3-0 win over John Mycock only to see the three games buffer restored when Mark Hampton won 3-2 against Neil Smith.
Game number eight saw Jarrod Powell chalk up Gwent’s third win, again a 3-2 result this time against Scott Baker. Richard Platt ensured that West Midlands couldn’t lose the match when he beat Adrian Rees 3-0 and putting up the winning game in style was Dave Robbins but he was made to fight for his result by Chris Jones as it was Jones who won the first leg and indeed Jones who went 2-1 up after Robbins had cancelled out his early lead with a 14 darts leg. To round off his 3-2 win Robbins then recorded winning legs of 17 and 18 darts to give him an award winning average of 26.78.
Sam Guest (West Midlands) lost the opening leg to Andrew Ashcroft in the penultimate game but then went on to win 3-1 and in the final game Paul Price after checking out on 144 in his opener against Nathan Treadgold went on to seal a 3-1 win and put the final score at 9-3 to the Midlanders.
Gemma Barrett with her lady of the match game against Amanda Rosser gave the visiting team the ideal start as she beat her opponent in 22,21 and 22 darts for a 23.12 average. The West Midlands in form player Sarah Roberts was on at number two looking to make it three wins in as many games this season and looked to be well on the way when she went two up in 19 and 22 darts against Chris Savvery but despite hitting twelve three figure scores to her opponents ten and finishing with a 25.80 average compared to Savvery’s 25.24 unfortunately went down 3-2.
Kath Jenkins restored the away teams lead with a straight 3-0 win over Kimberley Walker and with a further 3-1 win from Sophie Singh against Tracey Hickey West Midlands were in an invincible 3-1 lead.
Although Debbie Loon (West Midlands) took the first leg off Kimberley Lewis she lost the tie 3-1 and in the final game Lisa Badger finished on the wrong side of a 3-0 scorleine against Jan Robbins to put the result all square at 3-3.
The men’s ‘A’ game didn’t get off to the best of starts as Gwent’s Steven Challenger and Nick Kenny in turn won 4-1 and 4-3 against Jonathan Platt and Michael Baker. John Morris stopped the home teams charge with a 4-2 win against William Hook, Morris sealing his win with a final 115 game shot.
The hosts opened up a two games lead for a second time when their Chris Harris beat Mark Craddock 4-1, but by the halfway stage it was all level at 3-3 with Ian Jones beating Lyndon Gore 4-1 and Gavin Baker accounting for Paul Cosslett with a 3-2 result.
The first game of the second half saw the Midlands side take the lead for the first time when Gareth Watts won 4-3 against Jesse Heal and with another two 4-3 wins from Lewis Venes and Ashe Khayat against Alan Walker and Stephen Cake the away team were in a more comfortable 6-3 lead.
Neil Lewis pulled one back for Gwent with his 4-2 success against Shaun Carroll only to see West Midlands achieve their win when Nick Fullwell won 4-2 against Craig Gilchrist. Fullwell went one up in 15 darts, lost the second in 12 and took the lead again in the third with a 20 darts leg. Gilchrist levelled again in 16 only to see Fullwell win the next two in 19 and 17 darts giving him a 28.97 average and his second successive match award.
The last game of the weekend went to Gwent Nathan Perry winning 4-1 against Matthew Dicken to put the final score at 7-5 to the West Midlands and an overall 24-12 victory to consolidate their second place in the promotion table and stretch their lead to twelve points over third in the table Dorset.
Full Results:Men’s ‘A’:- Steven Challenger 4 Jonathan Platt 1, Nick Kenny 4 Michael Baker 3, William Hook 2 John Morris 4, Chris Harris 4 Mark Craddock 1, Lyndon Gore 1 Ian Jones 4, Paul Cosslett 2 Gavin Baker 4, Jesse Heal 3 Gareth Watts 4, Alan Walker 2 Lewis Venes 4, Stephen Cake 3 Ashe Khayat 4, Neil Lewis 4 Shaun Carroll 2, Craig Gilchrist 2 Nick Fullwell 4, Nathan Perry 4 Matthew Dicken 1, Men’s ‘B’:- Patrick Adosecu 2 Matthew Dicken 3, Damon Osborne 3 Mark Allen-Watkiss1, Dale Ridler 2 Daniel Nicholls 3, Carl Lloyd 1 Mark Rollinson 3, Mike George 1 Paul Wells 3, Craig Lloyd 3 John Mycock 0, Neil Smith 2 Mark Hampton 3, Jarrod Powell 3 Scott baker 2, Adrian Rees 0 Richard Platt 3, Chris Jones 2 Dave Robbins 3, Andrew Ashcroft 1 Sam Guest 3, Nathan Treadgold 1 Paul Price 3, Women’s ‘A’:- Amanda Rosser 0 Gemma Barrett 3, Chris Savvery 3 Sarah Roberts 2, Kimberley Walker 0 Kath Jenkins 3, Tracey Hickey 1 Sophie Singh 3, Kimberley Lewis 3 Debbie Loon 1, Jan Robbins 3 Lisa Badger 0, Women’s ‘B’:- Ceri Stephens 0 Claire Hobbs 3, Natalie Tucker 0 Jacqueline Maiden 3, Susan Bailey 3 Kirsty Shaughnessy 0, Jessica Bonner 1 Samantha Maiden 3, Kerry Beynon 2 Heather Wright 3, Stephanie James 2 Shellbie Simmons 3.
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Congratulations to Kyle Anderson who with 26 wins in 27 fixtures has won the Ripley Elite Darts Singles League’s premier division title. Anderson with 148 points finished 15 ahead of runner up Daz Brown.
On the individual scene Anderson had the most maximums, a total of 45 while the highest finish of 164 went to Dale Gadsby. The league’s top two players, Anderson and Brown shared the least darts which was ten and it was Anderson again who had the division’s top average of 35.79.
Alan Statham took the division one title with 147 points, eleven to the good on second placed Pete Burgoyne, Burgoyne who with 17 also hit the most 180’s. Alan Statham and Rob Else both checked out on 160 and the least darts of 13 was achieved by Borgoyne, Scott Parkin and Paul Croson, Burgoyne also had the best average of 28.46.
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