Since winning promotion from Division One of the BDO Inter County Championships to the Premier Division last season West Midlands have found life in the top flight a little to their taste as in their opening four games they clocked up two wins, one draw and just one defeat which was against neighbouring Warwickshire. However their toughest task to date was in their fifth fixture when they played hosts to reigning champions and current league leaders Yorkshire.
The first of the ladies ‘B’ games went to Yorkshire when Linda Moorhouse beat Lizzy Arnold 3-1. A neat 3-0 win for Shellbie Simmons (West Midlands) over Sally-Anne Whiting levelled the score and gave Shellbie the match award for her 15.99 average. Unfortunately then reality kicked in and the visitors romped to a 5-1 victory supplied by Sara Mortimer, Louise Stockings, Rachel Bolt-Sheard and Sharon Whitfield who in turn beat their counterparts Jacqueline Maiden (3-2), Kath Jenkins (3-0), Sophie Singh (3-0) and Grace Angell (3-2).
Avtar Singh was first on for the home team in the men’s ‘B’ match and he faced Paul Moore. Singh won the first two legs only to see Moore go 3-2 up, but wins in the last to legs saw Singh pick up a 4-3 win. Adam Edgar took Ashley Taylor to a deciding leg but it was Yorkshire’s Taylor who got the verdict.
West Midlands went ahead again in the third when Matthew Tedstone beat Derek Lumley 4-2 and they then went further ahead to 3-1 when Richard Platt went from three legs up to three each before beating Steve Stacey 4-3. Platt’s winning legs of 22,14,15 and 17 darts giving him an award winning average of 27.68.
Ady Newsholme’s 4-2 win over Alfie Jacques reduced the arrears to 3-2 but by the midway point West Midlands looked to be in a rather comfortable 4-2 position when Jordan Singh added his straight 4-0 win over Wayne Mills to their tally.
As the second half got underway Michael Ridge came from 1-0 and 2-1 down to beat Neil Pointon 4-2 and keep the away team in the hunt although still trailing 4-3. The visitors then fell further behind as Paul Wells won 4-3 against Jim Gordon and Paul Price beat Graham Harrison 4-2 to open up a 6-3 lead and put them within an ace of victory.
The last three games of the day saw Yorkshire have their best run in the game as Brian Hallas beat Mark Watkiss-Allen 4-0, Graham Elvidge won 4-3 against Shaun Carroll and salvaging a 6-6 draw in the final game was Justin Hobson with a 4-1 win over Gareth Watts.
The ladies ‘A’ like the ‘B’ had very little luck, they went 2-0 down without picking up a single leg, Beau Greaves and Giffy Khaosoi in turn accounting for Gemma Barrett and Debbie Loon with 3-0 results.
Lisa Badger produced some good form in game three as she beat Louise Stockings 3-1 and took the match award for her 20.67 average. This however was to be the only win West Midlands ladies ‘A’ would pick up as Rachel Brooks and Ann Chilton beat respective opponents Sarah Roberts and Heather Wright 3-1, then rounding off a second 5-1 win for Yorkshire ladies was Paula Burgess with her 3-2 success against Shannon Hall.
The might and strength of the Yorkshire men’s ‘A’ quickly came to the fore after going one down when Paul Price beat Craig Gwynne 4-0 they then took the following five games. Darren Johnson levelled the game with a 4-1 win over Mark Craddock and the away side then went ahead through a 4-3 win from Justin Hobson who had to fight all the way for his result as his opponent Glen McGrandle came from one down to 2-1 up and then went ahead again in the fifth only to lose the next two legs and the game.
A 4-1 win for Mark McGeeney over Michael Baker was followed by two 4-2 wins provided by Peter Jacques and James Wilson over Jonathan Platt and Gavin Baker to give Yorkshire a 5-1 advantage at the break.
The second half of the match began with promise for the hosts as Scott Baker produced a terrific game recording the best average of the weekend a tremendous 32.32 as he beat John Walton 4-0 in 18,15,18 and 11 darts. In his winning eleven darts leg he hit scores of 180,140 and 91 and then checked out on 90 to earn him his team’s man of the match award.
Garry Thompson took the score along to 6-2 when he beat Ash Khayatt 4-0 and despite a spirited performance from Keith Allman which saw him come from 3-0 down against Brian Hallas to level terms at three each he lost out in the decider and went down 4-3 giving Yorkshire men’s ‘A’ the necessary seventh winner to win the game.
Nick Fullwell (West Midlands) had a 125 finish in the third leg against David Copley to go 2-1 up but it was Copley who won the next three to win 4-2.
The last two games of the weekend finished with 4-3 scorelines going to Yorkshire’s Tony Hall and Keith Flint at the expense of Daniel Nicholls and Liam Kelly to put the final score at 10-2 to Yorkshire plus an overall win of 26-10, obviously a result for West Midlands to put behind them and now look forward to the remaining fixtures and get back to winning ways.
Full Results:Premier Division:West Midlands v Yorkshire (10-26)🙁West Midlands names first):Men’s ‘A’:- Paul Wells 4 Craig Gwynne 0, Mark Craddock 1 Darren Johnson 4, Glen McGrandle 3 Justin Hobson 4, Michael Baker 1 Mark McGeeney 4, Jonathan Platt 2 Peter Jacques 4, Gavin Baker 2 James Wilson 4, Scott Baker 4 Jon Walton 0, Ash Khayatt 0 Garry Thompson 4, Keith Allman 3 Brian Hallas 4, Nick Fullwell 2 David Copley 4, Daniel Nicholls 3 Tony Hull 4, Liam Kelly 3 Keith Flint 4, Men’s ‘B’:- Avtar Singh 4 Paul Moore 3, Adam Edgar 3 Ashley Taylor 4, Matthew Tedstone 4 Derek Lumley 2, Richard Platt 4 Steve Stacey 3, Alfie Jacques 2 Ady Newsholme 4, Jordan Singh 4 Wayne Mills 0, Neil Pointon 2 Michael Ridge 4, Paul Wells 4 Jim Gordon 3, Paul Price 4 Graham Harrison 2, Mark Watkiss-Allen 0 Brian Hallas 4, Shaun Carroll 3 Graham Elvidge 4, Gareth Watts 1 Justin Hobson 4, Women’s ‘A’:- Gemma Barrett 0 Beau Greaves 3, Debbie Loon 0 Giffy Khaosoi 3, Lisa Badger 3 Louise Stockings 1, Sarah Roberts 1 Rachel Brooks 3, Heather Wright 1 Ann Chilton 3, Shannon Hall 2 Paula Burgess 3, Women’s ‘B’:- Lizzy Arnold 1 Linda Moorhouse 3, Shellbie Simmons 3 Sally-Anne Whiting 0, Jacqueline Maiden 2 Sara Mortimer 3, Kath Jenkins 0 Louise Stockings 3, Sophie Singh 0 Rachel Bolt-Sheard 3, Grace Angell 2 Sharon Whitfield 3.
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