Last weekend darts players from all over the British Isles plus the Netherlands and Isle of Man converged on the Wolverhampton Indoor Community Sports Arena to take part in Saturday’s BDO Winmau Wolverhampton Classic and Sunday’s BDO Winmau Wolverhampton Open, all hoping to take away a share of the huge £10,000 prize pot on offer.
In the Classic tournament the honours went to the BDO ranked world number one Glen Durrant (33.68) who in the final took on Worcestershire county player Liam Kelly (29.25) and won 6-2.
Andy Jones (Winmau), Glen Durrant (Winner) and Dharam Jagpal (Arena Owner).
Andy Jones (Winmau), Liam Kelly (Runner Up) and Dharam Jagpal (Arena Owner).
In the semi finals Durrant was taken to a deciding leg by Dean Reynolds while Kelly had a more convincing 5-2 success against Kyle McKinstry.
West Midlands man Scott Baker after winning the BDO Gold Cup Pairs and the Gateway Welsh Open was unable to make it three wins in a row as he made his exit in the quarter finals when he lost 4-2 to runner up Kelly.
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Prior to the Classic final the final of the British Disability Darts Association tournament was played off and taking the crown was Sheffield’s Jonathan Hirst. In the final Hirst came up against Ricky Chilton the game going to a deciding leg in which both players had their chance to win the title but it was Hirst who found the vital finishing double to be crowned winner of the Official British Darts Organisation Wolverhampton Classic for the BDDA.
Winner Jonathan Hirst
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Sunday saw the fifth annual BDO Winmau Wolverhampton Open which produced some world class darts from many of the top players that took part. The semi finals saw Warwickshire star Jamie Hughes take on West Midland man Glen McGrandle with Hughes recording a 33.11 average in his 5-2 win.
Booking his final place against Hughes was Scotland’s Ross Montgomery (32.83) who in his last four game beat England’s Martin Atkins in a very close 5-4 encounter.
The final saw Montgomery steam into a 3-0 lead and despite Hughes coming back to 3-2 it was Montgomery who went on to seal his victory with a final 6-2 scoreline.
Andy Jones (Winmau), Ross Montgomery (Winner) and Dharam Jagpal (Arena Owner).
Andy Jones (Winmau), Jamie Hughes (Runner Up) and Dharam Jagpal (Arena Owner).
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Just one week after winning the BDO Gold Cup Pairs with Dan Nicholls Tipton’s Scott Baker travelled to the Gateway Resort, Millenium Coast, Bynea, Llanelli SA14 9SN to participate in the 2017 Gateway Welsh Masters and from a starting line up of 128 players Scott made his way through to the final.
The semi finals produced an all “Black Country” affair when West Midlands Scott Baker faced former West Midlands player and current Warwickshire player Jamie Hughes and to reach the final Baker recorded his biggest win of the tournament when he handed out a somewhat surprising 5-0 whitewash to Hughes.
From the other half of the draw Welshman Dean Reynolds emerged as Scott Baker’s final hurdle.
The final was extended to the best of eleven legs and went the full eleven legs distance with Scott Baker taking the final leg for a close 6-5 win, the title and the top prize of £3,000 with Reynolds receiving £1,200.
Winner Scott Baker———————————
Sean O’Donnell suffered a setback to his title aspirations in the Sheldon Social Dukes In-House League when in his latest fixture he lost 3-0 to Lee Molyneux. Prior to the game O’Donnell was joint top of the table with Paul Sunner neither player having dropped a single leg from their five games, but after his defeat and Sunner’s 3-0 win over Dave Field he has dropped into second place and trails Sunner by three points. Lee Molyneux and Chris Cotter are also on the same 15 points as O’Donnel but they have played one game more than him.
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Just one result from group one of the South Birmingham League which saw Chelmsley Conservative Club beat The C’s 6-2 to put all teams in the group on three games and Raven top with five points just one more than Conservative Club.
In group two Pavillions kept up their push for the title with a 6-2 win at Toby Jug maintaining their three points lead over both The Dog, who won 5-3 at The Kingfisher and Iron Horse who were held to a 4-4 at home by The Trident. The Dog have played one game fewer than both Pavillions and Iron Horse.
Erdington Members Club lead group three and after a 5-3 win away to second placed Mackadown Social are the only team in the league with a 100% win record, this was Mackadown’s first defeat in five games.
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The Sutton and District Summer League played off the quarter finals of their Prestridge Shield and Roy Bird Cup. In the former the top two teams in division one Golden Hind and The Boat both won 8-1 in turn against Erdington Arrows and St Thomas’s Club. The other two games saw Drakes Drum beat The Fox 6-3 and Plough and Arrows win 5-4 against Old Oscott WMC.
The Boot were the biggest winners in the Roy Bird Cup handing out an 8-1 defeat to their hosts Boldmere Tap while the Duke won 6-3 against Lad in the Lane and both Pint Pot Flights and Red Lion beat respective opponents Erdington Club and Old Oscott Arrows 5-4.
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It was League and Consolation Cup semi finals week in the Camp Hill League, in the League Cup the top two teams Cotterills Lane Club and Hay Mills Social Club Lions squared up to each other with league leaders Cotterills the winners. The other last four game saw Emerald Club lose to Gulp Tribe.
The Consolation Cup semis produced wins for Tyseley WMC and New Inn at the expense of Eagle and Ball and Devil’s Club.
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With the Small Heath League leaders East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association having their fixture with Heartlands Club cancelled second in the table Gulp Tribe took full advantage of the opportunity to go level on 24 points with with them as they chalked up a 7-2 home win over Cob’s Bar. The other game played also finished with a 7-2 result in which Wagon and Horses beat Emerald Club.
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The Winmau Centre Monday Night League have just three fixtures remaining and leading the field with 484 points from 13 games is What’s The Point who have not only a four points lead over second in the table Just The Tip but also a game in hand and look favourites to retain the title they won last season. Third in the table The Untouchables are a massive 41 points adrift of What’s The Point and despite having a game in hand on Just The Tip trail them by 37 points.
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A 9-0 win by Journeys End away to Highwood Arms in the Forest of Arden Summer League has taken them from third to top of the table on ten points. Highwood KB were 5-4 winners at Kingshurst Knights and have the same number of points as Journeys End but trail slightly on average in second place. With no result in for the Journeys End Flights versus Greville Arrows fixture the former loses the number one spot and drops to third, however they do have a game in hand on the two teams above them and are on the same ten points.
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The Shirley Red Lion Premier League play off for the players who finished in the top four of the league was a little disappointing insomuch as the man who finished the season top of the table Paul Higgins was unavailable. Nevertheless finals night went ahead and after a 3-1 win over Mark Gwalchmai in the semi finals Tom Bent went on to win the final by the same margin against Andy Thomas.
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CEM West Heath lost ground on leaders Longbridge United in division one of the South West Birmingham Clubs League when in week six they lost 4-3 away to their rivals and are now four points adrift of the unbeaten Longbridge side.
Yardley Wood kept their two points lead in division two over Bartley Green FC ‘B’ with a close 4-3 home win over Stirchley Tascos, however Bartley did manage to reduce some of the average deficit with a 7-0 win at Longbridge Flights.
Division three leaders Selly Oak Flights were 6-1 winners over Longbridge Ladies while second placed Stirchley Nomads won their game against Stirchley Ladies 5-2 to remain two points off the top.
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The gap between the top two teams in the Kings Norton League remains at eight points after both teams won 6-1 in their most recent fixtures. Leaders Hillyfields ‘B’ defeated Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club while second in the table West Heath won away at Toby Jug Flights and with games now running out and Hillyfields unbeaten in 23 games the title looks almost certain to go to them.
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The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League played off their singles knockout and taking the title with a final straight 2-0 win over John Jackson was Chris Williams. Williams also won his quarter final and semi final games against J.Gaskin and Rob Harris 2-0 as did Jackson against M.Rollinson and Sam Stanley.
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Week 23 saw Queens Head have a bye in the Pip Club League but hold on to pole position in the Main division with 42 points. Second placed Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) reduced the arrears to four points with a 7-2 win at home against Old Liberal.
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A 6-3 win at Townsend Club maintains Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club’s nine points lead at the top of the Netherton Thursday Night League. Riddins Tavern in second place won their home tie with Bulls Head 5-4 but third placed Delph Bell are the team to watch as they have only played nine games as opposed to the two teams above them having played eleven and wins in those game would put them within three points of the leaders, just one win short.
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Delph Bell were the only losers in the top four teams in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League going down 5-4 away to second placed Bulls Head (Netherton). The win gives Bulls Head 26 points the same as third placed Mount Pleasant after their 6-3 win at home against Roebuck. Both teams are two points short of leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who won their latest game at New Talbot 6-3.
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Leaders Woodside took their points tally to 56 in the Silver End Sunday Morning League when they won 7-1 at Glasscutters. Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ are in second place and they also won 7-1 at home against fifth in the table Mount Pleasant, but with just six fixtures remaining they are still have a huge task as they are six points behind Woodside.
The Brickmakers Arms ‘B’ revival continues with a 5-3 win at The Bridge.
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A 5-2 home win over Gate Hangs Well has seen Ashwood ‘A’ take over pole position in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League. Former leaders The Swan lost by the same margin at Stourbridge RBL and drop into fifth place. In addition to Ashwood ‘A’ having maximum ten points so have Brickmakers Arms, Wombourne Cricket Club and Ten Arches ‘B’.
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Third in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League The Vine suffered a surprising 5-2 home defeat by fifth in the table Waggon and Horses. No such problem for the top two teams as leaders Dewdrop won 6-1 against Ivy Bush and second placed Island Inn beat Old Court House 4-3 to remain within six points of Dewdrop.
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Its close at the top of the Yeltz Bar Tuesday Night 501 Singles League with Tommy Johnson and Richard Reed tied on 77 points after 18 games. In the latest games Doug Richmond narrowly missed out on handing Johnson his first defeat but in the end it was Johnson who got the close 3-2 verdict, no such problem for Reed as he recorded a 5-0 win over Richard Swinden.
In league two Mark Bayliss moved up into the top position with a 5-0 win over Ash Portman, second placed Ant Williams winning by the same score against Jason Tromans to put him one point off the top .
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Big wins for the top two teams in division one of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League as leaders Riley’s ‘C’ beat Pavilions 5-2 and second placed Sunbeam won 6-1 against The Bull.
In the second division Dog and Partridge did their title hopes a power of good with a 7-0 win over Red Lion while their nearest rivals Wednesfield Legion had a somewhat close 4-3 win at Yale Club.
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In the Wednesbury and Darlaston Wednesday Night League The Nutan had a vital 5-4 win away to third in the table English Oak to keep intact their two points lead on second placed Black Horse who in their home tie against fourth in the table Churchills ‘A’ won 6-3.
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