The ECC Sports and Social Club is fast becoming a major venue for darts throughout the area, the latest “Free” to enter knockout attracting international, county, super league and local league players in what was a superb day of darts.
The eventual finalists were Stephen Bunting and Jim Williams, Bunting making his way through to the final from group two with wins over Paul Dicken, Mathew Moore and Richard Hosey to take him into the last sixteen where he won 4-2 against Dave Pallett, beat Chris Dale 5-3 and with a 6-3 success against James Richardson he booked his place in the final. Jim Williams was winner of group four. After taking out Gary Dennant and Matt Dennant, to reach the last four he then won 4-1 against Dave Evans, had a 5-3 win against Ashley Passmore and accounted for Adam Smith-Neale with a close 6-5 verdict.
The final was the best of eleven legs with Stephen Bunting taking the top prize of £700 after his 7-4 win against Jim Williams who received £300 as runner up. There was £100 for each of the losing semi-finalists James Richardson and Adam Smith-Neale plus £50 for Ben Davies, Chris Dale, Scott Baker and Ashley Passmore who all lost in the quarter finals.
Winner Stephen Bunting with Tracey Edgecombe (Organiser)
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Knockout Cup divisional semi-finals were the order of the day for the Forest of Arden Summer League and in the group one games divisional leaders Journeys End were awarded a 9-0 walkover against New Inns who failed to turn up while Highwood Gerry’s Boys has a close 5-4 win in their local derby with Highwood Exiles.
As in the group one games there were no surprises in the group two encounters as Dunky’s Boys beat Crown at Shard End 6-3 and C’s Shamrocks won 8-1 against C’s Bullets.
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After only winning three of his first 25 games in the C’s Club Double Top League Steve Beale doubled his wins tally in week 14 when he won 2-1 against Dan White and Neil McCrave and rounded off his hat trick on the night with a 3-0 success against Duane Green.
Leader Neil Parsonage added another two straight 3-0 wins to his account when he beat Pete Kingdon and Melissa Beale to take his total points from 28 games to 75.
Currently second in the table Mark Birch suffered a setback as after beating Wayne Cooper 2-1 he then lost by the same margin to Charlie Kingdon to leave him ten points behind Parsonage and having played two games more. Just one point behind Birch are third and fourth placed Tom White and Jake Webster with White having three games in hand on Birch and one on Parsonage.
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The Shirley Premier League is up to week thirteen and Steve Sidwell continues to lead the field after adding a 2-2 draw with Brian Lawton and 3-1 wins over both Gary Cleverley and Sean Talbot to put him on 81 points from 25 games. Second in the table Phil Thomas has reduced the arrears to just two points with 4-0 wins over Karl Wilson and Brian Lawton however Thomas has played one game more than Sidwell.
Having played 27 games third placed Mark Henderson moved to within four points of leader Sidwell with a 4-0 win over Michael Forsyth, a 3-1 win against Thomas Bent and a 2-2 draw with Andy Thomas.
There were just four 180’s on the night with Gary Cleverley hitting two and one each for Mikey Harris and Mark Cater.
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C’s Top Guns are the only team in group one of the South Birmingham Summer League to have won both of their opening games the latest of which was a convincing 6-2 against C’s Hot Shots.
Punchbowl lead group two, a huge 8-0 win over Trident giving them pole position on average from Iron Horse and Trident, Iron Horse having a game in hand on both teams.
Just one game in group three which saw leaders Coleshill Social held to a 4-4 draw by Marlborough Villains.
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An 8-1 win against Sheldon Marlborough Flights has seen Sheldon Marlborough Arrows take over the number one spot in the Small Heath League. Former leaders Heartlands Club’s 5-4 win at Wagon and Horses giving them the same four points as the new leaders but leaving them short on average.
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Brickmakers Arms made it fifteen straight wins in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League League when the beat their visiting team Stourbridge RBL 8-1 to keep them two points to the good on their nearest rivals Ten Arches ‘A’ who had a vital 6-3 win away to fourth in the table Ashwood. Ten Arches ‘B’ kept up with their ‘A’ team, their 5-4 win over Britannia putting the level on 28 points while Britannia dropped from fifth to sixth.
Garibaldi moved off the foot of the table, their first win in fifteen a 5-4 success over Kingswinford Conservative Club ‘B’ lifting them up three places from the bottom of the table.
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Tyseley WMC were the only losers in the top four teams in the Camp Hill League as they finished on the wrong side of a 5-2 result away to second in the table White Swan Nomads. Nomads are now on 14 points the same number as leaders Sheldon Marlborough Flights whose 6-1 win at Wagon and Horses takes their average lead over Nomads to three legs.
Third in the table Journeys End Lions beat Sedgemere Devil’s Club 6-1 to leave them two points short of the leading duo but with a game in hand.
Although North Star had a bye they actually moved off the foot of the table and were replaced by Sedgemere who after their defeat by Journeys have a lesser average then North Star.
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Newcomers to the Shirley Monday Night League The Wharf continue to set the pace, their 6-3 win at Saracens Jesters making it seven straight wins and maintains their two points advantage over the only other unbeaten team Sharmans Sharks who made it six wins when they won 9-0 at Blue Bell. Sharmans Sharks take over the second place from Cider House who drop to third after going down for the first time this season 5-4 at Red Lion who are placed fourth.
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With just nine more fixtures to play in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League leaders Bulls Head (Netherton) held on to their four points lead over Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club with a 6-3 win over Portway while the Ex Serviceman’s won 7-2 at Fox and Grapes.
Delph Bell dropped from third to fifth after losing their home tie with Mount Pleasant 5-4, the victors moving up to third on 36 points the same number as fourth placed Dudley Sports ‘A’ with Delph two points behind them.
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It’s as you were at the top of the Silver End Sunday Morning League after the leading two teams Brickmakers Arms and Netherton Cricket Club in turn win 7-1 against Three Crowns and High Acres, Brickmakers holding on to their seven points lead at the top. Reigning champions Woodside are fourth in the table and were held to a 4-4 draw at Portway, with 44 points they are three short of third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who won 6-2 away to The Bell and 15 short of Brickmakers.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League staged the finals of their doubles knockout which was well supported and produced some first class darts. Winning the title were R.Carr and D.Brown (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club) who in the final had a straight 3-0 victory over A.Cowley and C.Hadlington (White Horse). In the last four games Carr and Brown beat A.Dubberley and D.Ferney (Riddins Tavern) 2-0 while Cowley and Hadlington also won 2-0 against M.Ferney and A.Ghaley again from Riddins Tavern.
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With seven more games to play in the Rowley Monday Night League the title looks as though it will go to one of the current top three teams as George with an 8-1 win over Bulls Head are top with 44 points, second placed The Bell are on the same 44 points after they handed their visitors Ex Serviceman’s ‘B’ a 9-0 whitewash and third placed Cradley Liberal Club’s 8-1 win at Loyal Lodge keeps them within two points of the top two teams.
Fourth in the table Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ are not out of the frame, they have 38 points after a 7-2 win over Windmills End but six points to make up at this stage in the season could well prove to be too much.
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Little change in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League with wins for all of the top four teams. Tipton Sports continue to hold pole position, their 7-0 win against Ivy Bush taking them to 48 points two more than Dewdrop ‘A’ in second place after their 5-2 home win over Merry-Go-Round ‘B’.
Third and fourth placed Island Inn and Waggon and Horses with 44 points are a further two points adrift, Island Inn winning 5-2 at Sportsman while Waggon and Horses beat Horseley Tavern 6-1.
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With three quarters of the season completed Brickmakers Arms with 28 points top the Cradley Tuesday Night League, they had a bye in week sixteen which gave second placed Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ the opportunity to reduce the arrears to four points with a 6-3 win against Hawne Lane Tavern. Wheatsheaf and Bulls Head are third and fourth respectively both teams on 22 points Bulls Head having played one game fewer than Wheatsheaf.
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Golden Hind lost 7-2 in a vital game against The Boat who lead division one of the Sutton and District Summer League. The defeat leaved Golden Hind six points behind the Boat, however they hang on to second place but third in the table Erdington Club are now just two points behind them with a game in hand.
Due to Boldmere Tap having a bye in division two they were pushed down to second place in the table as Pint Pot Flights beat Rosey Mac’s 6-3 to give them the same 24 points as Boldmere but with a superior average.
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With one game to go to the halfway stage of the Brierley Hill Friday Night League Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ with a 5-2 win over Ashwood head the table with 18 points. Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ won by the same 5-2 margin against their ‘B’ side to remain in second place with two points less than Brickmakers. Ashwood and Old Star are joint third level on 14 points and average.
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Studley Cricket Club enforced their bid to retain the Henley and District Summer League title with a 7-2 win over Wythall Legion to put them two points ahead of second placed Wootton Bears. Third in the table Studley Conservative Club are also twopoints behind the leaders but with two games in hand.
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Ashwood ‘A’ and ‘B’ continue to be first and second in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League after the ‘A’ side won 6-1 against Bell ‘B’ to give them 14 points and the ‘B’ team won by the same 6-1 at Bell ‘A’ to put them on 12 points. Also on 12 points are Swan, Gate Hangs Well and Ten Arches ‘A’.
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After the first six games in the West Midlands Men’s Super League just four teams remain undefeated. Allens Sports Bar ‘A’ lead the way on 39 points with Yeltz Bar second with 38 and then comes Landywood with 34. The only other unbeaten team is fifth placed Woodside who have 29 points and a game in hand on all of the teams above them.
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Winners from the first week of the Black Country Premier League all with two points are Wilson Hall Outlaws, Black Country Belters, Railway Sleepers, Woodside Poachers, Cott A Lot Of That, Halesowen Hunters, Colley Gators and Yeltz Barbarians
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Chris Singleton chalked up his first win in nine in division two of the Yeltz Bar Tuesday Night 501 League when he won 3-2 against Steph Konya, but there was a first defeat in nine for division three leader Phil Harrold when he went down 3-2 to Rob Gregory.
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Hurst Hill lost their number one spot in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League when they lost at home 5-2 to Whitmore Reans WMC who take over in pole position with 32 points, Hurst Hill are on the same 32 points but with two legs of average fewer than Whitmore.
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There are clear leaders in all four divisions of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League. In the division one singles league Riley’s ‘C’ are on 34 points, ten more than second placed Gilberts Bar. Wednesfield Legion have an eight points advantage over Royal, Albrighton in division two.
Gilberts Bar top division one of the double with 24 points, two ahead of Riley’s ‘C’ who have played one game more. Royal, Albrigton lead division two with Wednesfield Legion and Woodfield Social both four points behind them with a game in hand.
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