After suffering a 21-15 defeat away to Essex in their last fixture, the second of the season in the Premier Division of the UKDA National League, the Warwickshire County Darts Organisation will be hoping to return to winning ways this coming weekend when they will be travelling north to the Coppenhall WMC, 103 North Street, Crewe, CW1 4NJ where they will take on the local Cheshire team. Prior to the encounter Warwickshire are lying sixth in the league on 38 points with their hosts currently in a bottom of the table position with 12 points, however they have only played one fixture so far as their season opener at home to Lincolnshire was postponed until the 11th / 12th February 2023.
Lining up for Warwickshire will be, Men’s ‘A’:- Jamie Atkins, Gareth Braham, Kevin Dowling, Noel Grant, Steve Hine, Scott Hope, Tom Martin, Wayne Mynard, Jenson Walker, Jack Wareing, Matty Washbrooke, Chris Wickenden, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Carter, Adam Hancock, Nigel Heydon, Dave Hill, Mark Martin, Ian McFarlane, Karl Reynolds, Noah Rose, Mark Strong, Mark Tomlinson snr, Martin Tonks, Adam Wood, Reserves:- Carl Green, Dave Honey, Lee Miller, Darren Swords, Carl Winters, Women’s ‘A’:- Marian Conway, Natalie Gilbert, Sue Gulliver, Tammy Montgomery, Caroline Pike, Donna Pinch, Women’s ‘B’:- Wendy Adams, Nina Bolt, Courtney Hine, Angela Jones, Chloe McKivett, Hannah Meek, Reserves:- Melanie Jones, Denise Keyte, Lucy Keyte.
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In Division One of the UKDA National League West Midlands will be hoping to move off the foot of the table this coming weekend. They have only played one game so far in which they lost 19-17 at Leicestershire, their second fixture at home to Worcestershire put off until the 18th / 19th February 2023.
In what should be their third fixture they will travel to the Kesgrave Social Club, Edmonton Road, Kesgrave, IP5 1EE where they will take on high riding Suffolk who are currently placed second in the division just one point behind leaders Derbyshire who have 46 points.
Hoping to get West Midlands first win on the board will be, Men’s ‘A’:- Gavin Baker, Scott Baker, Michael Baker, Kevin Bambrick, Shaun Carroll, Adam Johnson, Ian Jones, Ash Khayat, Ryan O’Connor, John Platt, Richard Platt, Darren Williams, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Craddock, Dean Fullwood, Sam Guest, Ben Johnson, John Morris, Kieron O’Mahoney, Neil Pointon, Ian Stanton, Adam Teasdale, Robert Thompson, Gaz Watts, Jamie Woodhouse, Reserves:- Sean Craig, Roger Harris, Karl Hughes, Paul Price, Kevin Taylor, Women’s ‘A’:- Claire Hobbs, Jacqueline Maiden, Sarah Maybury, Kat MacLean, Jodie Rowlands, Jacqueline Simmons, Women’s ‘B’:- Gemma Barrett, Debbie Davies, Kelly Doleman, Kath Jenkins, Sophie Pinches, Shellbie Simmons.
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After gaining promotion from division three last season in the UKDA National League, Black Country lost their opener away to West of England 20-16 but they were quick to recover as in the second fixture at home against Norfolk they won 19-17. They will be hoping to add to that win this coming weekend when they travel to take on Gloucestershire who finished as runners-up behind them last season. The fixture will be staged at the Wooton Hall Club, 138 Barnwood Road, Gloucester, GL4 3JS.
After completing the opening two fixtures Black Country are sixth in the table with 38 points and their hosts next to bottom on 34 points, should be quite a tight game.
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For only the second time in sixteen games Copper Fox lost in the Kings Norton League when playing away against fifth in the table Northfield they returned on the wrong side of the 5-2 result. However despite the defeat they hold on to pole position albeit they have had their lead reduced to just two points as second in the league Thurlestone had a convincing 6-1 win playing away against next to bottom of the table Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club, the win keeping them two points to the good on third placed Rubery Social Club and four better off than fourth and fifth placed Bournebrook and Northfield.
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No change in the top three teams in the Premier Division of the Sheldon and District Winter League with leaders Sheldon Marlborough Arrows making it three straight wins with a 6-3 home success over Sheldon Dukes, Terry Webster notching a maximum for the winners and Neil Parsonage recording a ten darts game. Second in the table Langley Arrows went one better with a 7-2 win at Raven Arrows who drop one place to fifth in the table. Third in the division Dunky’s Boys have only played two games, they made it two wins for those two games when they won 6-3 at Hollywood Social.
There were 6-3 wins for the top two teams in division one as leaders Shirley Misfits beat their hosts and previously third in the division Journeys End and second placed Yardley Ex Colts won at Hornet who are bottom of the division.
Just one leg of average separates the top two teams in division two Brian’s Flights despite winning their home tie with third in the table Iron Horse Rebels 5-4 drop to second place behind new leaders Hampton and Solihull Cricket Club who won 7-2 at home against Trident Spears. Iron Horse Rebels first defeat leaves them two points adrift of the top two teams but hold on to third place.
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It’s as you were for the top six teams in the Harborne and District League as leaders Northfield Conservative Club won 7-2 at The Mill to stay two points ahead of second placed Bugle Horn who are the only team in the league not to have lost so far but they have only played eight games.
Third in the league Northfield Town are two points short of the top team after adding their latest 8-1 win at Bourneville and they have a game in hand on the Conservative Club. Fourth in the table Smethwick Cricket Club were also8-1 winners as they accounted for their hosts Avenue Social. Fifth and sixth placed Copper Fox ‘M’ and Copper Fox ‘R’ played each other with ‘R’ winning 6-3 putting them on the same ten points as ‘M’ but from two fewer games played.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played off the first round of their Doubles Knockout and making it through to the last sixteen piars were A.Whitehouse & W.Page, A.Nicholls & R.Riaz, S.Russell & J.Lock, J.Harper & A.Marson, S.Skidmore & J.Churchill, N.Cooper & D.Appleby, A.Dimmock & K.Aspinall, N.Lane & D.Hand, A.Smith & R.Pitt, K.Safe & T.Safe, V.Mitchell & F.Jones, M.Jones & G.Marson, S.Hall & M.Hall, A.Moreton & C.Moreton, I.Bishop & L.Zirra, J.Glazzard & C.Slater.
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Just the two remaining rearranged fixtures played in the Camp Hill League which saw league champions Aston Inn Nomads win 4-3 at Tyseley Bears who prior to the game were second in the table, however Bears defeat cost them the runner-up spot as in the other fixture Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club won 5-2 away to bottom of the league Sedgemere Devils Club to finish on 22 points, six short of the champions but two more than Tyseley Bears who finished third.
The Shadow League title went to Tyseley WMC who with eight pints were six to the good on the rest of the field.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ not only lost for the first time in four games in the Netherton Thursdauy Night League but also lost their number one perch at the same time. Playing away against fourth in the league Townsend Social Club the Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’, despite a maximum from their Paul Tonks lost 5-4, their nearest rivals Clock won their home game with Bulls Head 5-4 to move up from second to top of the table with an unbeaten eight points from their four games, they are now the only unbeateb team in the league.
Townsend’s win keeps them in fourth place but they are on the same six points as their second placed opponents and third in the table Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ who had an 8-1 home win over Spring Meadow.
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The final of the Memorial Cup in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League went to the wire with the result not achieved until the very last game of the night. With the score at three each it was Wayne Hobday who gave his team mates from Dewdrop ‘A’ the title with Miners Arms ‘A’ finishing as runners-up in what was a very close and entertaining game.
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Only one rearranged fixture played in the Rowley Monday Night League this week which saw fourth in the league White Swan win 7-2 at Wonder who are just three places off the foot of the table. The win sees White Swan remain fourth on 40, eight short of leaders Bell and four behind third placed Clock (Whiteheath).
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After the opening five fixtures have been played in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League only average separates the top three teams and all three teams won their latest fixtures with straight 7-0 scorelines. Quarry Bank Labour Club top the table after their win at home over The Princess who drop five places to eleventh, second placed Cross (Oldswinford) are four legs of average short of the Labour Club following their home success over Cat Inn and third placed Ten Arches who are a further one leg of average behind also played at home and won against Mount Pleasant.
At the other end of the league table the bottom team Glasscutters lost 7-0 at The Bell and next to bottom Britannia were also 7-0 losers at Crestwood.
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After losing their number one spot, and having to share it with Gornal Labour Club, Old Bulls Head, after just one week have returned to the top of the table in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League. Old Bulls Head added a 7-2 win at Red Cow to their account to put them on 14 points and one leg of average to the good on Gornal Labour Club who won 6-3 at Five Ways. Third in the league Seven Stars are also on 14 points after they won 5-4 at home against Pensnett Liberal Club but are way behind the two top teams on average.
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Allens Bar ‘A’ made it a straight eighteen wins from eighteen games in the Black Country Men’s Super League when they won their latest fixture against third in the table Yeltz Bar ‘A’ 4-1. Although second placed Railway Tavern have a game in hand they are some nineteen points behind the leaders. The defeat for Yeltz Bar ‘A’ has seen them drop one place to fourth behind their local rivals Yeltz Bar who won 5-0 at home against Horse and Jockey ‘A’ to put them five points ahead of their ‘A’ side.
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With games now fast running out in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League leader Scott Baker added yet another straight 8-0 win to his tally when he beat Simon Pritchard to give him a total of 270 points from 29 games with him having just two more to play. Second in the league Ben Johnson has three games remaining but is a huge 37 points short of Baker. Third and fourth in the table Jon Blakemore and John Simms have both completed their assigned 31 fixtures and in turn are on 226 and 215 points.
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Gilbert’s Bar was the setting for the Gilbert’s Halloween Darts Knockout which attracted a total of 41 players and making their exits in the quarter-finals were Jonny Partridge, Chris Hill, Ben Johnson and Anthony Dent. The last four games saw Dan Astbury hand out a 5-0 whitewash to Scott Hope while Andy Hyland, who also had a comfortable win beat Richard Hosey 5-1. Hyland continued his good form in the final and ran out the convincing 6-1 winner.
As champion Andy Hyland received £250 while runner-up Dan Astbury collected £100. There was £40 for each of the losing semi-finalists Scott Hope and Richard Hosey.
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