Last weekend West Midlands Youth Academy player 16 years old Connor Pickett from Wordsley in Dudley followed up his win in the Northern youth darts organisation singles over the weekend of the 13th and 14th July with a tremendous 4-3 final victory over BDO world youth champion Leighton Bennett to secure the BDO World Youth Festival of Darts Under 18s title at the Five Lakes Resort, Colchester Road, Tolleshunt Knights, Maldon, Essex CM9 8HX.
In the semi-finals Connor had a close 4-3 result over Nathan Potter with Bennett booking his final place with a 3-1 win over Jamie Tilley.
The final saw both players record two maximums but a 51 game shot was the most important statistic as it was that checkout the gave Connor Pickett the title, surely a player to watch out for in the future.
Connor Pickett
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There is just one rearranged fixture still to be played in the Camp Hill League between Sedgemere Devil’s Club and New Inn however the outcome will not affect the league title which has been won by White Swan Nomads who finished the season with 32 points two more than runners-up Roost Rebels. Both of the top two teams finished the season on a high with White Swan Nomads winning 5-2 at New Inn and Roost Rebels beating North Star 6-1.
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The Small Heath League played off the preliminary round of their League Cup which involved both of the league’s top two teams. Leaders East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association returned from Emerald Club with a convincing 9-0 result and not far behind them were second in the league Heartlands Club who won 8-1 against Wagon and Horses.
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With the Shirley and District Monday Night League fast approaching the halfway mark of their season leaders Dunky’s Boys took their unbeaten run to thirteen games with a 7-2 win at HSDT to open up a four points lead plus a game in hand on second in the table The Lodge who lost their home tie with sixth in the table The Wharf 5-4. The Lodge with 22 points are now joined on the same points by Highwood and The Lion who in turn won 8-1 at Saracens Jesters and Saracens Misfits, both teams having played one game less then Lodge.
With no change in the top seven places The Bears are currently fifth, their 9-0 win over Shirley Spartac leaving them just two points adrift of the three teams directly above them but six off the top.
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The Brierley Hill Monday Night League were engaged in the second round of their League Cup with seven of the eight games finishing with a close 5-4 result. Limes Club beat King William 6-3 and joining them in the next round will be Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’, Rose and Crown, Roebuck, Dudley Sports ‘B’, Brickmakers Arms, High Oak and Wombourne Pool Bar.
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Thomas Bent continues to lead the field in the Shirley Legion Double Top League after adding a 3-1 win over Steve Sidwell and a 4-0 success against Colin Geens to take his points from 24 games to 73. Mick Bown suffered 3-1 defeats to Jordan Ottley and Dave Heighway before recovering to win 3-1 against Antony Daly, however with two defeats in his three games he had to surrender his second place and drop to third behind Lee Harris who despite losing his second game of the night 3-1 to Gary Cleverley had previously beaten Dave Fisher 4-0 and rounded off the night with a 3-1 win over Kyle Bevan to give him 70 points from 25 games, he has played one more game than Bent but has three in hand on Bown.
Two players moved four places up the table this week Mark Gwalchmai from ninth to fifth and Steve Sidwell from twelfth to eighth.
Man of the match this week was definitely Thomas Bent who in his encounter with Steve Sidwell recorded a perfect six darts game breaking with 152 and checking out on 149, darting just doesn’t come any better than that!!
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Allen’s Sports Bar ‘A’ lost just one of their 34 games last season in the West Midlands Men’s Super League but after only their third fixture of the new campaign they lost 3-2 to Yeltz Bar ‘A’ and at the same time their number one spot as they dropped to fifth in the table. Bridgtown Social are the league’s new leaders, their latest 4-1 win over Gilberts Bar giving them 19 points and a slender one point advantage over second placed Woodside Inn who were 3-2 winners at ECC Sports and Social Club after ECC had taken the lead with an opening win from A.Teasdale over L.Slater, anchor-man M.Hampson was ECC’s only other winner as he accounted for M.Moore with a straight 4-0 win.
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Woodside ‘A’ have held on to pole position in the Silver End Sunday Morning League with a 6-2 win away to New Talbot, the win putting Woodside on 34 points just one ahead of the only team in the league to remain undefeated second placed Glasscutters ‘B’ who had a similar 6-2 win over Kings Head ‘A’.
Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club lost second place after going down 5-3 at Brickmakers Arms ‘B’ who in fourth place are just one point behind their opponents but have played one game more than them.
High Acres chalked up only their second win in 14 games when they won 6-2 at Woodside ‘B’ to go above their hosts in the table, Woodside ‘B’ now next to bottom.
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Week 21 in the Rowley Monday Night League saw wins for the top four teams, leaders Bell with a 160 break from Trevor Brennan winning 7-2 against Spring Meadow to stay two points to the good on their nearest rivals George who won 8-1 at Ex Serviceman’s ‘B’. Third in the table Cradley Sports and Social are a further two points behind after their 8-1 win against Wonder and in fourth place Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ won 6-3 at Tividale FC but are some eight points off the top.
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Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ did their Cradley Tuesday Night League title hopes no harm whatsoever when they handed their visitors Riddins Tavern a 9-0 whitewash. The win keeps Brickmakers three points ahead of second placed Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’, who with a 180 from Steven Tipper won 6-3 at Gate Hangs Well. Eighth placed Malt Shovel’s Steven Blewitt was in top form as he notched two maximums in a 5-4 win over Wheatsheaf who are three places above them with twelve more points.
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A 9-0 win for Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club over Fairfield in the Netherton Thursday Night League has maintained their nine point’s advantage at the top of the table as second placed Riddins Tavern won 7-2 away to Netherton Conservative Club. Riddins with 39 points are three ahead of third in the table Bulls Head after they suffered a somewhat surprising 5-4 defeat away to White Horse, nevertheless Bulls Head do have a game in hand in which a win would see them move up into second place.
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After the first two fixtures of the new season in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League Brickmakers Arms and Ten Arches are level on points and average after in turn they won 7-2 against Gigmill and Swan. Britannia, Stourbridge RBL and Glasscutters are all on the same undefeated four points as the top two Britannia and Stourbridge RBL sharing third place after the former won 6-3 at Bird (Stourbridge) and the latter had a 7-2 win over Fox Inn (Lye). Glasscutters are just four legs of average behind the top two after their close 5-4 win at Bird (Wordsley).
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After such a bright start to their campaign in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League with fifteen straight wins Tipton Sports for the second successive week have lost. Playing at home against second in the table The Vine they went down 5-2 and as a result have been replaced in pole position by their opponents who with 32 points have two more than them.
After Tipton Sports comes Dewdrop ‘A’ in third place, some six points behind with a game in hand after they won their latest against Island Inn 4-3.
Biggest win of the week went to sixth placed Miners Arms who beat Hayes Social 7-0.
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In division one of the Sutton and District Summer League Boldmere St Mike’s had a bye and as a result lost second place and dropped to third behind The Boat who won 7-2 at Boldmere Tap. Tap are four points short of leaders Golden Hind but with a game in hand, Hind winning 8-1 against bottom team Oscott Social.
Bishop Vesey have gone from third to top of division two, their 7-2 win at Red Lion seeing them replace Old Oscott Arrows after they went down 5-4 at Drakes Drum who as a result of their win move off the foot of the table.
Division Three’s Castle Vale Residents were the final team to lose their 100% win record as they suffered their first defeat in ten when they lost 5-4 against title rivals Digby Chuckers, however despite the defeat Residents hold on to pole position but now only by three legs of average over the Chuckers.
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The Brierley Hill Friday Night League is up to week fourteen and only two points separate the top three teams. Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ top the table, their 5-2 win at Miners (Wollescote) taking their points tally to 26 while second and third placed High Oak and Ashwood are both on 24 points, High Oak winning 5-2 at Gornal British Legion while Ashwood handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Dudley Sports but still trail on average.
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No change at the top of the Henley and District Summer League after the top two teams Studley Conservative Club and Studley Cricket Club both won 8-1, the Conservative Clun winning away to Wootton Bears and the Cricket Club at Village Inn to leave the former still two points ahead of their rivals.
Third in the table Wythall RBL won the local derby with Wythall Legion 6-3 to put them on the same 8 points as Studley Cricket Club.
At the other end of the table Dorridge moved up one place from next to bottom when they won 6-3 against Beausale who are at the foot of the table.
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The Pip Club League played off the finals of their Divisional Cups and winning the division one title with a final win over Belgrave Club were league leaders Bombay Bob’s Boys after they took out second in the division Belgrave Sports and Social Club in the semi-finals. Belgrave Club beat Glascote Club in their last four game.
The semis in division two saw Pip Club beat Dolphin and Wigginton Arms take out Kettlebrook Club. The title went to Pip Club when they defeated Wigginton in the final.
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Longbridge Social Club consolidated their number one position in the Harborne and District League with an 8-1 win over Avenue Social to hold on to their two points lead over Copper Fox and Cock Inn, the former won 7-2 against Quinton RBL and the latter had an 8-1 win away to Weoley Castle WMC. Longbridge have played seven games and Copper Fox six, both are undefeated. Fourth and fifth placed Bear and Weoley Castle Pub are a further two points behind with 10 points.
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It’s as you were at the top of the singles and doubles divisions of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League with Riley’s ‘C’ leading the singles with 30 points after adding a 6-1 win over their local rivals Riley’s A’ and Railway in second place still two points adrift after their 7-0 success over Mount Tavern.
A similar situation in the doubles division with Riley’s ‘C’ having a two points advantage at the top of the table over Railway, Riley’s ‘C’ beating their ‘A’ team 3-0 and Railway winning 2-1 against Mount Tavern.
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