Having reached the halfway point of season nine the Shirley and District Monday Night League staged its singles knockout at Shirley Legion which attracted an impressive 66 players who produced quality darts throughout the evening.
The first of the semi-finals brought together brothers Andy and Chris Thomas representing The Bears with Andy winning the tie to reach the final. The second of the semis matched Highwood team mates Darren Wright and John Buckingham with Darren clinching the win to book his place in the final.
Wright hit a maximum in what was a very close final that went to a deciding leg. Both players had shots at finishing doubles to win the game but it was Andy Thomas who eventually found the all-important last double of the night to win the title and the top prize of £80. As runner-up Darren Wright received £30 and there was £11 for each of the losing semi-finalists, Chris Thomas and John Buckingham.
With two maximums Darren Wright also picked up £20 for the most 180’s and Andy Thomas, with a 122 game shot also received £20 for the highest finish.
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Week four of the C’s Club Double Top Wednesday Night League saw another five players join the league, Wayne Cooper, Steve Sidwell, Chris Cooke, Jack Sidwell and Jack Nason to take the total to an amazing 48 players. Chris Cooke got off the mark with four wins in his opening four games to give him a total of 10 points.
Jake Webster continues to lead the field with 24 points from nine games while second placed Bob Nixon is on 23 points from eight games. Nixon won an important game this week against Rob Hawker 3-0, Hawker dropping from third to fourth in the table however Nixon did drop his first leg of the season when he won 2-1 against Dan White who hit a maximum.
After the leading duo come four players all on 18 points Mark Birch, Rob Hawker, Chris Millward jnr and Mick Noonan, Birch and Hawker have played eight games while Millward jnr and Noonan have played nine.
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It has been many years since the Four Oaks and District League witnessed a perfect six darts leg of 301 but in the preliminary round of their Brian Goodman Cup B.Linnecor (Boldmere St Mikes) did exactly that. Linnecor broke with 152 and then won the leg with a 149 game shot, a terrific achievement. Linnecor’s win also helped his team to win 5-4 against last season’s losing finalists Golden Hind to take them into the next round.
Last year’s winners The Boat also scraped into the next round with a 5-4 win over St Thomas’s Social Club for whom K.Shorthouse hit a 180, the only other maximum of the round was recorded by M.Gallett of Boldmere St Mikes.
Other teams winning through to the next round were Bishop Vesey, Pint Pot Flights, Oscott Sports, Erdington Arrows, The Boot, Old Oscott Arrows and The Oscott Social. The Digby claimed their game against The Towers and Boldmere Tap had a bye.
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The Forest of Arden Winter League played off the preliminary round of their Division Cup which saw current league leaders C’s Kings account for their local rivals, bottom of the table C’s Exiles with a 9-0 result. Crown at Shard End had a close 5-4 win over C’s Shamrocks while Highwood Gerry’s Boys had a bye into the next round. Highwood Arms versus C’s Bullets was a late result.
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All four of the games played in the Camp Hill League in week 16 finished with a close 4-3 result. League leaders White Swan Nomads had a bye and second in the table Sheldon Marlborough Flights took the opportunity to reduce the arrears to four points with their win at Emerald Club. Third placed Tyseley WMC are on the same 22 points as Sheldon Marlborough Flights following their home win over Journeys End Lions.
The league’s next meeting is on Sunday 18th November at the Wagon and Horses, B9 4ED, anyone interested in entering a team in the league for the new season or requiring any further information should contact Mark Standley on 07733-397704 or e-mail him at bigmark1@hotmail.co.uk
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The Stourbridge and District Monday Night played their doubles knockout down to the last sixteen pairs and winning through were C.Penn & R.Whale, M.Homer & K.Sprague, N.Cooper & M.Watosn, S.Mills & M.Rollinson, P.Whitehouse & J.Siviter, A.Nicholls & R.Riaz, B.Watts & K.Breeze, S.Blewitt & K.Bambrick, J.Batham & C.Penzer, R.Tipper & T.Stockton, F.Jones & C.Hipkiss, P.Poulton & M.Dangerfield, R.Pierce & S.Aitkens, J.J.Jackson snr & K.Forrest, T.Safe & S.Bills, V.Mitchell & A.Moreton.
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East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association made it eight wins in as many games in the Small Heath League when they handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their visiting team bottom of the table Sheldon Marlborough Flights. E.B.A.H.A. remain two points to the good on second in the table Heartlands Club who were 7-2 winners away to their nearest rivals Sheldon Marlborough Arrows who in third place are now four points behind their opponents and have played one game more than them.
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Studley Conservative Club completed their fixtures in the Henley and District League with a convincing 8-1 win at Beausale however it was not enough for them to win the league as Studley Cricket Club’s 6-3 win at Wythall RBL saw them finish five legs to the good on their rivals, both teams ended the campaign on 30 points six more than third placed Wootton Bears who won their last game against Dorridge 7-2.
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West Heath lost ground in the Kings Norton League title race when in game nine they surprisingly lost 4-3 away to Bournbrook who are nine places and eight points behind them. Leaders Avenue Social had a 7-0 home win over Dingle to put them two points ahead of second placed West Heath with a game in hand. Third in the league Rubery RBL are on the same 14 points as West Heath after they played their eighth game against Thurlestone and won 5-2.
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With just three more fixtures to play in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ have opened up a two points lead after winning 6-3 at Roebuck and their ‘B’ side doing them a favour by beating second in the table Bulls Head (Netherton) 5-4. There is a battle royal going on for third place as three teams, Delph Bell, Mount Pleasant and Dudley Sports ‘A’ are all on 46 points.
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The Pip Club League’s John Young Challenge Cup was divided into two divisions and winning through in division one were Belgrave Sports and Social Club, Birchmoor Club, Dolphin Wanderers and Queens Head. In division two making the last four were Progressive Club, Kettlebrook Club, Pip Club and Globe (Wilnecote).
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There are just one more week’s fixtures to play in the Netherton Thursday Night League but the title has long since been decided as Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club have already been declared champions, nevertheless still giving their all they won their latest game against Bulls Head 7-2 to put them on 63 points, nine more than runners up Riddins Tavern whose game with White Horse was postponed.
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The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League played the final of their Black Country Windscreens Trophy and taking the title with a ultimate 5-2 win over Horseley Tavern were Waggon and Horses.
Hayes Social and Sportsman will face each other in the final of the Consolation Cup.
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A 5-3 win against Glasscutters has taken the Silver End Sunday Morning League leaders Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ points tally to 77 and seen their opponents drop one place in the table to sixth. Second in the league Netherton Cricket Club had a convincing and somewhat surprisingly big winning score of 7-1 against reigning champions Woodside who are currently fourth in the table on 58 points, the Cricket Club are nine points off the top on 68 points. Third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club kept to within two points of second place by handing out an 8-0 whitewash to their visitors Railway.
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The Brierley Hill Friday Night League played off the finals of their singles knockout and taking the title with a 3-1 win over S.Skidmore (Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’) in the final was team mate J.Churchill. The last four games saw Ashwood players K.Harris and M.Flatman in turn lose to Skidmore and Churchill, both games by 2-1.
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No change at the top of the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League as all of the top six teams won in week seven, Coseley Tavern holding on to a two points lead at the top of the table with a 7-2 home win over New Inn while second placed Gornal Labour Club won 6-3 at home against Meadow Lark. Only average separates third and fourth placed Old Bulls Head and Five Ways who in turn won 6-3 at Chainyard and 5-4 against Netherton Cricket Club who were the only losers in the top seven teams.
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The Wheatsheaf, who after finishing the season fourth in the Cradley Tuesday Night League have won the League Cup after beating league champions Brickmakers Arms 5-3 in the final.
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Congratulations to Darryl Thorpe who with a final win over Paul Wells won the West Midlands Men’s Super League singles title. In the semis Thorpe beat Wayne Willis while Wells took out Shane Price.
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Of the ten fixtures played in game 16 of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League no fewer than six of them had 7-0 results, five of them going to teams in the top ten places.
League leaders Ashwood ‘A’ had a more moderate 5-2 win at Ten Arches ‘A’ to keep them two points ahead of their ‘B’ team and also the Swan, Ashwood ‘B’ winning 7-0 at home against King Arthur and the Swan winning by the same margin at Fox Inn (Lye).
The league will be holding their next meeting on Wednesday 14th November the Ten Arches, Penfields Road, Stourbridge. The draw for the preliminary round of the Shadow Cup will be made at this meeting plus all captains should note they should also bring all of their match cards.
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Sunbeam have lost their second place in the division one singles section of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League after losing their latest fixture at Gilberts Bar 6-1, Gilberts Bar replacing them in the number two spot with their superior average as both teams are on 34 points which ten fewer than leaders Riley’s ‘C’ who had a close 4-3 win at the Bull.
In the division two singles section leaders Wednesfield Legion lost for only the third time in 24 games when they went down 4-3 at home to Woodfield Social who are just two places off the foot of the division. Despite the defeat Wednesfield Legion hold on to pole position with 42 points which is a lead of eight over second placed Royal, Albrighton.
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