Warwickshire County Darts travelled to the Magna Centre, Magna Way, Rotherham, Yorkshire where they took part in the UKDA Magic Weekend playing against Devon and Lincolnshire.
It was a weekend of mixed fortunes as in the Saturday ‘B’ games against Devon the ladies finished all square at 3-3 with Caroline Pike (19.49) their top player while in the game against Lincolnshire they ended up on the wrong side of a 5-1 scoreline with Caroline Pike (17.71) once again the lady of the match and on this occasion the solitary winner.
For the men’s ‘B’ they chalked up a convincing 10-2 win over Devon but then lost narrowly by 7-5 to Lincolnshire. Man of the match awards went to Mark Martin (26.37) against Devon and Martin Tonks (25.53) against Lincolnshire.
Sunday’s ‘A’ ladies games both finished all square at 3-3 with Sue Gulliver (22.10) taking the match award against Devon and against Lincolnshire it was Sue Gulliver again with a 22.22 average.
It was a good start for the men’s ‘A’ as they, like their ‘B’ side won 10-2 against Devon with Noel Grant taking the man of the match award for his superb 30.40 average but against Lincolnshire the ‘A’ side lost 9-3 with Noel Grant on the mark once again with a tremendous 30.70 average to clinch a double award for the weekend.
The overall scores for the weekend were Devon 10 Warwickshire 26 and Warwickshire 12 Lincolnshire 24. The two results leave Warwickshire second in the Elite Premier Division and although they have one remaining fixture to play against Glamorgan they are 22 points short of second placed Yorkshire and leaders Lancashire are out of reach as with 278 points they are a massive 48 points to the good.
———————————
For the West Midlands in the AON Championship Division of the UKDA National League their season can only be described as a somewhat kind of nightmare season as they ended their campaign with a 23-13 defeat to Sussex followed by a 12-24 defeat to neighbouring Staffordshire. The results leave West Midlands at the foot of the table with just 159 points, 23 short of safety and facing next season playing in division one.
———————————
Congratulations to Warwickshire County player Natalie Gilbert who after teaming up with WDF Lakeside World Championship Runner Up Kirsty Hutchinson won the Scottish Open. Following a superb performance over the fancied pair Deta Hedman and Beau Greaves, Natalie and Kirsty beat the Italian Pairing of Biagetti and Foschesato in the final.
———————————
In the last week of the season in the Four Oaks and District League the finals of the Brian Goodman and Ken Rust Cups were played off.
In the Brian Goodman Cup first division rivals Erdington Arrows and Red Lion squared up to each other, Red Lion took the early 3-1 lead but after that struggled to find the finishing doubles allowing Erdington Arrows to turn the tables and go on to lift the trophy finishing up 5-4 winners.
The Ken Rust final saw second division champions Heartlands outscore their first division opponents Old Oscott Arrows but it was the first division side that won the games and took the Ken Rust Cup with a 6-3 win.
———————————
The Sheldon and District Winter League had the finals of their Divisional Cups on the fixture card and in the premier division game divisional runners-up Sheldon Marlborough Arrows had a somewhat surprisingly large 7-2 win against a strong Dunky’s Boys team who finished third in the division.
The division one final was a very close affair with a surprising win for Yardley Ex Colts, who finished in the bottom half of the table, winning 5-4 against divisional runners-up Kingshurst Labour Club.
Division two champions Langley Flights had a more than convincing 9-0 win over Raven who finished next to bottom of the division.
———————————
With games fast running out in the Netherton Thursday Night League both of the top two teams Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club and Townsend Social Club are both on 60 points, the one big difference being that the Ex Serviceman’s Club have what should be a telling two games in hand on their rivals.
In the latest round of fixtures the Ex Serviceman’s won 6-3 at home against Netherton Sports and Social Club while Townsend in their home tie had to win the final game against next to bottom of the table Spring Meadow Social Club for a very close 5-4 success. Third and fourth placed teams Bulls Head and Clock played each other with Bulls Head just getting the edge with a 5-4 result.
———————————
The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League played the first round of their Memorial Cup in which league leaders Waggon and Horses had a 5-2 win at Sow and Pigs. The biggest winners of the round were Dewdrop ‘A’ who handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Horseley Tavern.
One other game was played which saw Vine ‘A’ win 5-2 at Dewdrop ‘B’.
———————————
In the final of the League Cup in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, league champions White Horse made it a fantastic double when they won 4-3 against Ten Arches ‘B’ who finished the season in fifth position six points behind their victors.
There was just one final rearranged fixture played, a local derby in which Bird in Hand ‘E’ lost 5-2 to Bird in Hand ‘A’.
———————————
Game number twelve in the Rowley Monday Night League saw leaders Bell lose for only the second time this season when they went down 5-4 at home to White Heath Tavern. Bell’s defeat now sees three teams at the top of the table all on 20 points. Bell are just one leg of average to the good on their Whiteheath opponents in second place and they in turn have an eight legs advantage over third placed Gate Hangs Well who won 6-3 at home against Wonder.
Fourth and fifth in the table White Swan and Plough and Harrow are both on 18 points, two short of the three teams above them.
———————————
In what was their ninth game of the season in the Silver End Sunday Morning League leaders Dudley Sports lost for the first time when in their home fixture third in the table Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club beat then 6-2. Sports hold on to pole position with 22 points from nine games while second placed Bell ‘A’ are one point behind them after they finished all square at 4-4 away to Black Horse ‘B’ who are fifth in the table. Dudley Ex Serviceman’s, despite being a couple of legs of average short of Bell ‘A’ are on the same points and have a game in hand on them.
———————————
An eight darts game from J.Batham helped leaders of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League White Horse to a 5-2 win away to fourth in the league Woodman. The win has seen White Horse open up a two points lead over second placed Cross (Oldswinford) who didn’t play this week. Ten Arches in third place missed the opportunity to narrow the gap between themselves and Cross as they lost 4-3 at home to middle of the table Church Tavern, they remain six points behind Cross and have played one game more than them, Woodman are on the same 24 points as Ten Arches.
Rose and Crown lost the leadership of the Shadow League when they lost 4-3 at home to Crestwood taking over at the top is Gate Hangs Well who won their fixture at Bird in Hand 5-2 to lead Rose and Crown on average.
———————————
The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League have played their singles and doubles knockouts down to the last four and lining up on finals night for the singles will be A.Fear (Gornal Labour Club), K.Foster (SevenStars), G.Marson (Old Bulls Head), J.Holding (New Inn) and for the doubles Sparrow / Bissell (Old Bulls Head), Darby / Homer (New Inn), Gray / Riaz (Gornal Labour Club), Ashcroft / McDermott (Chainyard).
———————————
Played six won six that’s the record for Church Tavern in the Netherton Tuesday Night League and in week six they added an impressive 7-0 win over Chop House to their tally to keep them three points to the good on their nearest rivals Netherton Sports and Social Club who were 5-2 winners at home against third placed Bulls Head. Bulls Head have been joined on 12 points by fourth in the league Wheatsheaf after their 4-3 win at Plough.
———————————
Round one of the League Cup was the order of the day for the Brierley Hill Monday Night League which saw two of the top three teams lose. Second in the table Roebuck lost 6-3 at Bridge who are ninth in the table and third placed Dudley Sports ‘A’ went down 5-4 at home to Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ who are sixth. No such problem for league leaders Talbot who won their home game with Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ 7-2.
Other teams to make it into the next round were Union, Pensnett Liberal Club, Rose and Crown 7, Brickmakers Arms and King William.
———————————
The Ashwood Premier League is up to week eight and in the latest round of fixtures leader Nick Fullwell made it a clean sweep on the night as he chalked up 7-0 wins against Paul Pollard and Matt Davies to take his points tally to 99 from fifteen games. Second placed Connor Pickett didn’t play this week and as a result drops two places to fourth with 80 points from fourteen games. Taking over in the number two spot is Chris Manoila, Chris who was formally placed third like leader Fullwell played two games and won them both 7-0, on the receiving end were Paul Pollard and Tony Bennett to give Manoila a total of 91 points from sixteen games one more than Fullwell.
A former leader of the league Tom Stockton is in third place Tom had games against Jon Underhill and Shane Passey and won both of them 6-1 to give him 85 points from 15 games.
———————————
The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League played the first leg of round one of their Knockout Cup. Current league leaders Gilbert’s Bar will take a narrow 4-3 lead over Cleveland into the second leg as will ECC who played against Red Lion, the only difference being is that ECC will have home advantage and Gilbert‘s will play away.
There were 5-2 wins for Hurst Hill, Railway and Stile who in turn played against Moreton Arms, Wednesfield Legion and Yew Tree.
Dog and Partridge and Woodfield both had a bye.
———————————