Staffordshire v West Midlands
With confidence riding high following their opening day 22-14 home win over Cambridgeshire in Division One of the BDO Inter County Championships, West Midlands second fixture of a scheduled nine was an away game against neighbouring Staffordshire.
Saturday’s ladies ‘B’ game got off to a bright start as Shellbie Simmons beat Sam Prommetta 3-1 then Stella Sims won by the same margin against Natasha Birch and with a 3-2 win for Sophie Singh, who came from 1-0 and 2-1 down to Ann Price, and after only the first three games the away team were already in an unbeatable position.
Julie Robinson was first to make her mark for Staffordshire as she won 3- 1 against another Julie, this time Aston and with a further 3-0 win for Stephanie Ryan over Kelly Doleman, the hosts were back in the game trailing by just 3-2 with one to play.
The final encounter was between Maria Pickering (Staffordshire) and Heather Wright. The opening leg could easily have gone either way as both players had throws at a finishing doubles, however it was Heather Wright with a 32 game shot that won the leg with Pickering left nursing 20. From there on in it was all Heather Wright as she wrapped up a straight 3-0 victory and in the process earned herself the match award for her 18.11 average. The final score 4-2 to the West Midlands ladies ‘B’.
First blood in the men’s ‘B’ match went to Staffordshire as Dave Richards beat Adam Edgar 4-1. Although Matthew Dicken made it one each with his 4-2 win over Karl Hinks it was the home side that went ahead again in the third when Aiden Cope beat Mathew Moore 4-1.
A 105 outshot in the fourth game gave Trevor Carter a 1-0 lead over Dave Redding but with wins in the next three legs and a thirteen darter in the sixth it was West Midlands Redding who got the 4-2 win to make it two all.
For a third time Staffordshire took the lead when in the fifth game Martin Wheawall beat Mark Rollinson 4-3 and with a further 4-3 win for the hosts from Benjamin Hilditch against Gareth Johnston the home team were 4-2 up at the break. Hilditch opened up a 3-0 lead over Johnston which included a 122 finish in the second. Despite his commanding lead Johnston pegged him back to 3-3 before Hilditch had a game winning 118 game shot in the decider.
Matthew Coleman got the second half underway with a win for the West Midlands when he handed out a 4-0 whitewash to Adam Bailey, only to see Staffordshire restore their three games buffer in the eighth when Richard Platt won 4-3 against Jamie Rollinson.
The home side moved into an unassailable position in the ninth when Paul Wright added his 4-0 success over Scott Hall to their tally putting them 6-3 up all before West Midlands had their best run of the match as they chalked up three wins in a row to give a final result of six each.
Stephen Jones began the trio of wins as he went 2-0 up then 3-2 down to Dave Moors and then with wins in the last two legs beat him 4-3.
The penultimate tie produced West Midlands man of the match as Shane Price with a 4-1 win over Nick Burns took the award for his 29.14 average which included winning legs of 18,17,16 and 17 darts.
The final and match deciding game went one way then the other as Justin Evans (West Midlands) won the first leg against Kev Johnson in 21 darts. Johnson’s reply was a 20 darts leg. Evans went ahead for a second time in the third checking out in 22 darts, only to see Johnson fight back and win the next two legs in 20 and 17 darts to go within an ace of winning not only for himself but also for his team. For Johnson and Staffordshire it was not to be as Justin Evans sealed a 4-3 win with two more winning legs of 18 and 15 darts to give a 6-6 result in what was a superb fight back by the West Midlands men.
Similar to the ‘B’ team it was the fourth game before the West Midlands ladies ‘A’ lost as Cheryl Alcock opened their account with a 3-2 win over Sarah Cope after Cope had gone 1-0 and 2-1 up. Gemma Barrett doubled the lead with another 3-2 win and again it was the Staffordshire player, this time Susan Sherratt, who had gone 1-0 and 2-1 up.
Putting the block on any hopes of a Staffordshire win was Kat McLean, Kat won the opening leg against Colette Duffield only to see Duffield then go 2-1 up. Undeterred Kat McLean stuck to the task and with wins in the last two legs had a well-deserved 3-2 victory to give the visiting team a commanding 3-0 lead.
Kath Jenkins looked as though she who add the all-important fourth win as she went two up against Debbie Hollins, but with wins in the next three legs it was Hollins who got the 3-2 result.
With all of the opening four games going to a deciding leg the fifth was a completely different affair as Sarah Roberts, winner of many, many match awards for the West Midlands returned to her top form beating Anne Allsop 3-0 in 19,17 and 20 darts for a fantastic 26.84 average to give her the lady of the match award and at the same time chalk up the fourth and match winning game for her team.
The final game went to Staffordshire reducing the arrears to 4-2 when Di Holland-Martin had a 3-0 win over Jacqueline Maiden.
The first half of the men’s ‘A’ match saw the first five games all go with the first throw advantage with West Midlands stalwart Ian Jones giving them the early lead with his 4-2 win over Karl Merchant, Merchant having gone one up and then winning the fourth leg.
Danny Key was the man to cancel out the win from Jones a he beat Mark Craddock 4-2 but the lead was restored for the away team in the third when Scott Baker defeated Stewart Sim in four straight legs checking out in 17,19,20 and 12 darts. Baker’s game winning fourth leg seeing him hit scores of 100,100,137 and finishing with a fantastic 164 game shot, his win giving him an average of 29.47 which at the end of the day saw him collect the man of the match award.
For a second time Staffordshire drew level, this time thanks to John Burgess who had a 4-1 success against Alfie Jacques, nevertheless the sequence continued as Mick Baker defeated Andy Beardmore 4-2 to put West Midlands ahead for a third time and then with the run being broken in the last game of the half as Paul Wells beat James Hughes 4-3 at the midway point West Midlands held a lead of 4-2.
As the second half got underway Gavin Baker (West Midlands) took the lead three times against Steven Mason only to see Mason win the last two legs and the game 4-3. Nevertheless games eight and nine produced straight 4-0 wins for the West Midlands as Shaun Carroll and Daniel Nicholls in turn accounted for Callum Matthews and Nick Walton to open up a 6-3 lead in their favour.
A 2-0 lead over Stuart Livesley was not for Glen McGrandle to forge a win as he went down 4-2 after Livesley rattled off winning legs of 23,19,16 and 19 darts.
With the score standing at 6-4 to West Midlands the last two games of the day and the weekend both swayed one way then the other as in the penultimate encounter Ben Davis (Staffordshire) went 1-0 up against Owen Maiden, 2-1 down, 2-2, 3-2 down and then 3-3 before losing 4-3 and in the final game Steven Smith like his team mate Davis went 1-0 up and then he took leads of 2-1 and 3-2 before losing the last two legs and going down 4-3 to John Morris putting the final score at 8-4 to West Midlands men’s ‘A’ and giving, for the second successive fixture a convincing overall 22-14 victory.
Full Results:Division One:Staffordshire v West Midlands (14-22):Staffordshire names first):Men’s ‘A’:- Karl Merchant 2 Ian Jones 4, Danny Key 4 Mark Craddock 2, Stewart Sim 0 Scott Baker 4, John Burgess 4 Alfie Jacques 1, Andy Beardmore 2 Mick Baker 4, James Hughes 3 Paul Wells 4, Steven Mason 4 Gavin Baker 3, Callum Matthews 0 Shaun Carroll 4, Nick Walton 0 Daniel Nicholls 4, Stuart Livesley 4 Glen McGrandle 2, Ben Davis 3 Owen Maiden 4, Steven Smith 3 John Morris 4, Men’s ‘B’:- Dave Richards 4 Adam Edgar 1, Karl Hinks 2 Matthew Dicken 4, Aiden Cope 4 Mathew Moore 1, Trevor Carter 2 Dave Redding 4, Martin Wheawall 4 Mark Rollinson 3, Benjamin Hilditch 4 Gareth Johnston 3, Adam Bailey 0 Matthew Coleman 4, Richard Platt 4 Jamie Rollinson 3, Paul Wright 4 Scott Hall 0, Dave Moors 3 Stephen Jones 4, Nick Burns 1 Shane Price 4, Kev Johnson 3 Justin Evans 4, Women’s ‘A’:- Sarah Cope 2 Cheryl Alcock 3, Susan Sherratt 2 Gemma Barrett 3, Colette Duffield 2 Kat McLean 3, Debbie Hollins 3 Kath Jenkins 2, Anne Allsop 0 Sarah Roberts 3, Di Holland-Martin 3 Jacqueline Maiden 0, Women’s ‘B’:- Sam Prommetta 1 Shellbie Simmons 3, Natasha Birch 1 Stella Sims 3, Ann Price 2 Sophie Singh 3, Julie Robinson 3 Julie Aston 1, Stephanie Ryan 3 Kelly Doleman 0, Maria Pickering 0 Heather Wright 3.
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West Midlands v Dorset
With two 22-14 wins under their belts the West Midlands third of nine fixtures in Division One of the BDO Inter County Championships was a home tie with Dorset but it didn’t begin to well as the ladies ‘B’, who had won their first two fixtures, suddenly found themselves trailing 3-0. Donna Mabbatt kicked off proceedings for Dorset with a 3-2 win over Stella Sims and with 3-0 wins for both Lorraine Woodrow and Peri-May Yarrow over respective opponents Claire Hobbs and Shellbie Simmons the West Midlands had their backs to the wall.
Sophie Singh stopped the visitors charge when she handed out a straight 3-0 defeat to Kelly Stroud and with a 3-1 win for lady of the match Heather Wright who beat Sally Old with an 18.86 average the home side were still in with a chance of a draw.
Sharing the points was not an option as in the final game Dorset’s Trina Perry won 3-0 against Kelly Doleman to give the away team a 4-2 victory.
Unlike the ladies the men’s ‘B’ team had a much better start as in the opening two games both Trevor Brennon and Shane Price won without dropping a single leg the two players in turn winning 4-0 against Matthew Woodhouse and Daniel Perry. Taking the score along to 3-0 was Phil O’Brien who opened up a 3-0 lead over Robby Morris and although he was pegged back to 3-2 he then won the sixth leg in 15 darts with a 111 game shot for a 3-2 win.
Jamie Rollinson after losing the first leg to Nigel Lamb levelled with a terrific 154 finish and went on to clinch a 4-2 win to open up a 4-0 lead for the hosts.
Dorset got their first winning stripe on the board in the fifth when Kevin Smith beat namesake Kevin Harris 4-2 but by the midway point of the match the West Midlands had taken a 5-1 lead after Adam Edgar added his 4-3 win over Declan Harris to their account. Edgar went 1-0 up then 2-1 down. He opened up a 3-2 lead but was taken to a deciding leg which he won in 21 darts.
As early as the seventh game the home team were in an unbeatable position after Justin Evans began the second half with a 4-1 win over Danny Pearce and with a further 4-1 success for Mathew Dicken over Richard Perry the game was won as the Midlands side in front with an 8-1 lead.
It just got better and better as Stephen Jones defeated Damian Mudge with a 4-3 result, Jones losing the first leg then going 3-1 up and although Mudge won the next two legs it was Jones who got the verdict.
Game number ten saw Dorset get their second win when Henry Cooper beat Liam Kelly 4-3, the deficit reduced even further in the eleventh when Matthew Read won 4-0 against Martin Greenwood but a 9-3 win was achieved by the home team in the final game of the day when Gareth Johnston won 4-0 against John Clark. Johnston began with a 21 darts leg and went two up in 17, he made it three in 19 and rounded off his straight victory in 16 darts.
Gemma Barrett won the first leg against Samantha Kirton in the opening ladies ‘A’ match and after losing the next two legs drew level in the fourth but it was Kirton with the first throw advantage that won the decider, and it was that first throw advantage that ruled throughout the match with Dorset taking the lead and West Midlands cancelling it out.
The first player to cancel out Dorset’s lead was Cheryl Alcock who won 3-2 against Cathryn Campbell, only to see Sarah Chick beat Kath Jenkins 3-1 to put the visitors noses in front for a second time and speaking of a second time Sarah Roberts made it two consecutive lady of the match awards for West Midlands when she won 3-1 against Suzanne Trickett. After Trickett had won the first leg Sarah squared the game in the second in 16 darts and then with further wins in 29 and 17 took the award for her 23.66 average.
Dorset’s third winner was Julie Frampton who had a 3-1 win against Jacqueline Maiden but the draw was achieved in the final game when the home player Kat McLean handed out a straight 3-0 defeat to Katie Mitchell for 3-3 result.
Similar to the ladies ‘A’ the first four games of the men’s ‘A’ match all went with the first throw advantage. Dale Masterman was the player to give the away team the early lead as he beat Mark Craddock 4-1. Although West Midlands long serving player Ian Jones levelled with a 4-1 win over Richard Wright it was Dorset who took the lead again in the third when Scott Mitchell won 4-1 against Glen McGrandle.
It took a man of the match performance from Scott Baker to square the game for a second time, Baker beginning with a 15 darts leg and a 120 outshot and then following that with further winning legs of 19,15 and 17 darts to beat Mark Porter 4-0 and claim the match award for a superb average of 30.36.
Game number five saw the sequence broken as Neil Pointon won against Paul Allen, Allen going 1-0 and 3-1 up before losing 4-3 to give West Midlands a 3-2 lead. However it was honours equal at the break as Matt Yarrow won 4-1 against Gareth Johnston.
Dorset began the second half as they did the first with a win as Mark Grimes got the better of Shaun Carroll by a 4-1 margin and with 4-2 wins from Carl Beattie and Tommy Morris over their respective counterparts John Morris and Paul Wells the visitors had opened up a 6-3 lead. That lead was turned into a winning 7-3 margin when Lee Turle added his 4-1 win over Daniel Nicholls but the result was made a little more respectable when West Midlands last two players Mick Baker and Matthew Dicken in turn won 4-1 against Robbie Martin and Steven Earley to give a final score of 7-5 to Dorset.
The overall result was a close 19-17 win for the West Midlands making it three wins in a row and keeping them top of the Division One promotion table with 72 points six more than second placed London and fourteen more than third in the table Staffordshire.
Full Results:West Midlands v Dorset (19-17):West Midlands names first):Men’s ‘A’:- Mark Craddock 1 Dale Masterman 4, Ian Jones 4 Richard Wright 1, Glen McGrandle 1 Scott Mitchell 4, Scott Baker 4 Mark Porter 0, Neil Pointon 4 Paul Allen 3, Gareth Johnston 1 Matt Yarrow 4, Shaun Carroll 1 Mark Grimes 4, John Morris 2 Carl Beattie 4, Paul Wells 2 Tommy Morris 4, Daniel Nicholls 1 Lee Turle 4, Mick Baker 4 Robbie Martin 2, Matthew Dicken 4 Steven Earley 2, Men’s ‘B’:- Trevor Brennon 4 Matthew Woodhouse 0, Shane Price 4 Daniel Perry 0, Phil O’Brien 4 Robby Morris 2, Jamie Rollinson 4 Nigel Lamb 2, Kevin Harris 2 Kevin Smith 4, Adam Edgar 4 Declan Harris 3, Justin Evans 4 Danny Pearce 1, Mathew Moore 4 Richard Perry 1, Stephen Jones 4 Damian Mudge 3, Liam Kelly 3 Henry Cooper 4, Martin Greenwood 0 Matthew Read 4, Gareth Johnston 4 John Clark 0, Women’s ‘A’:- Gemma Barrett 2 Samantha Kirton 3, Cheryl Alcock 3 Cathryn Campbell 2, Kath Jenkins 1 Sarah Chick 3, Sarah Roberts 3 Suzanne Trickett 1, Jacqueline Maiden 1 Julie Frampton 3, Kat McLean 3 Katie Mitchell 0, Women’s ‘B’:- Stella Sims 2 Donna Mabbatt 3, Claire Hobbs 1 Lorraine Woodrow 3, Shellbie Simmons 0 Peri-May Yarrow 3, Sophie Singh 3 Kelly Stroud 0, Heather Wright 3 Sally Old 1, Kelly Doleman 0 Trina Perry 3.
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