2000-12-01

October saw the second fixtures in the BDO Inter Counties Championships and West Midlands travel south to take on Suffolk in division two. Revenge for last seasons 24-12 defeat must have weighed heavy on the minds of the travelling team.
Saturday’s games began with a win for the hosts as Jean Prewitt kicked the ladies ‘B’ game off with a straight 3-0 win against Teresa Johnstone. Val Arnold cancelled out the home team’s advantage with a similar 3-0 win against Wendy Harden, which at the end of the day, Val’s 12.63 average was enough to win her the match award.
Suffolk took the lead again with another three straight legs success, this time it was Sharon Hook who came up trumps in her encounter with Brenda Phillips. Game four saw the pattern contiue as the home side’s Nicky Doidge beat Janet Cox without conceding a leg. Claire Hobbs (West Mdlands) was always in control of her game with Angie Topper, but nevertheless made hard work of her 3-1 win as she found finishing doubles hard to come by. However, a win was a win and more importantly Claire kept West Midlands in the fight, they still had a chance of salvaging a draw after trailing 3-1.
Issy Hurren and Rose Sanders were the two ladies in the hot seat for the all-important fifth and final game. Issy opened up a 2-0 lead before Rose won her first leg. A tremendous 101 finish from Rose reduced the arrears, but it was all in vain as Issy, with double one clinched a 3-1 win and at the same time a 4-2 win for her team.
The men’s ‘B’ could not have wished for a better start as Ron Johnson, after leading 2-0 was pegged back to level terms and then went on to win 3-2. Peter Hadley doubled the advantage when he accounted for Steve Warren, a 3-1 victory including a 106 checkout in the first leg. Jamie Parsons, with a man of the match performance kept the ball rolling. He had a sixteen darts opener, which was matched by his counterpart David Ling in the second leg. Parsons then decided the issue with 18 and 16 darts, leaving Ling without a throw for a finishing double. Parsons average 28.08.
Bill Hadley and Roger Kinsella were also winners for the West Midlands. Three legs were all Hadley needed against Andy Whitehead to push the scoreline along to 4-0. Kinsella, in his tie with Lee Hammond took one more leg as he won 3-1, just before Suffolk chalked up their first and only win of the first half. It was a close game with Dave Blackburn getting the verdict over Martin Tibbetts. Blackburn won the first, Tibbetts the second. Two in a row gave Blackburn the 3-1 win.
Suffolk began the second half where they left the first, on a winning note. Cavan Thake, from one up against Steve Brindley, then found himself 2-1 down. The following two legs were close, but it was Thake who got the doubles first for his 3-2 win. Craig Harrod stretched Suffolk’s run to three consecutive wins when he beat Frank Johnson 3-0 to bring the hosts back into the match at 5-3. Al Edwards looked all set to reduce those arrears even further when he stormed to a 2-0 lead over Fred Parsons. Not to be outdone by his son Jamie, Fred clawed his way back into the match. He won the third leg with a 38 finish, the fourth in seventeen darts and the decider in twenty darts to win 3-2 and guarantee at least a draw for his team mates.
Suffolk, now fighting for the best possible result, a share of the spoils had Darren Wood step up to the oche. Wood was always in control, but nevertheless was taken to a deciding leg by Nick Walters before securing his win. Joe Biggs (West Midlands) won the opening leg of the penultimate game against James Carpenter. He then lost his way a little on finishing doubles and allowed Carpenter to steal a 3-1 win and leave the result for the second time that day hinging on the last game.
The first leg went to the home team’s Stuart Greenhaugh. However, his lead did not last long as Clive Francis won the next two legs. Greenhaugh pushed every inch of the way and won the fourth leg, but failed at the last hurdle when he could not finish in the fifth and Francis did, for a personal 3-2 win and a 7-5 team success.
Sunday’s games began with a nip and tuck affair by the ladies. Ann Daniel got the home side off to a winning start with her 3-0 win over Claire Downing. Frances Allen replied for the West Midlands, twice coming from behind to eventually defeat Karen Cudmore 3-2. The third consecutive game went against the darts when Tracey Wooton beat gill Cook 3-1, putting the hosts ahead again. It took a lady of the match performance from seasoned campaigner Rose Mycock (20.37) to level once more. Rose taking the lead three times before getting the verdict against Sue Talbot. Two apiece with two to play both sides had everything to play for.
For the first time in the match the visitors took the lead. Angie Perry, with a 3-1 result accounted for Sylvia Rogers to put her team within an ace of victory. Katrina Reid saved the day for Suffolk, forcing a 3-3 draw as she beat Sue Smith 3-0 in the final game.
First blood went to the West Midlands in the men’s ‘A’ game, Mick James getting the edge on Garry Prime with a 3-1 win. Peter Green inflicted a rare defeat on Ian Jones and even more rare a straight 3-0 defeat. Carl Wilkins stormed to a 2-1 lead after losing the opener to Ade Arnold (West Midlands). Arnold levelled after Wilkins had failed on his finishing doubles in the fourth and then romped to a 3-2 win with a great fifteen darts leg.
From 2-1 up the Midlanders finished the first half on a downward slope. Vic Lloyd, lost in three legs to Lee Topper, Steve Parkes suffered an off day and finished on the wrong side of a 3-1scoreline, the same score by which Paul Johnson lost to Phil Westwood, giving Suffolk what appeared to be a comfortable 4-2 advantage.
Steve Penwright was in fine form as he kicked off the second half with a 3-0 success over Lee Harlow. Penwright recording a 130 checkout in the third leg and reducing the deficit to 4-3. As Steve finished with a ton plus outshot Avtar Singh began with one. Playing against Micky Rush Singh won the opener with a 116 finish. Rush bettered that with a 125 game shot and with two more wins in the next two legs he won the contest 3-1 and gave Suffolk a two games breathing space again.
Gary Taylor (West Midlands) was involved in a tough game with Nicky Bloom. Taylor, in seventeen darts went one up. Bloom’s response was immediate. With 3×100 he won the second and then took the lead with an eighteen darts leg. Taylor bounced back with a similar eighteen darts leg to square the match and followed that with a 21 darts leg to win 3-2. Paul McKerry (Suffolk) was given very little chance in his game with Tom Aldridge. Aldridge produced top form to beat McKerry 3-0 and average 27.83 to earn himself the match award and put West Midlands back on level terms at five each with two to play.
Andy Honeyman was the player to keep the home team’s hopes of victory alive when he twice came from behind to win 3-2 against Jonathon Platt, to put the pressure well and truly on West Midlands man Dave Robbins in the last game against Paul Gardiner. Robbins handled the pressure superbly. Two nineteen darts legs gave him a 2-0 lead. He then, to the cheers of his team won the third in seventeen darts, giving him a personal 3-0 win, the men’s ‘A’ a 6-6 draw and the West Midlands an 18-18 draw.
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The West Midlands Super League has got its new season underway and the early pacesetters in the men’s league are Wednesbury. An opening 7-2 win over Coseley and a 5-4 success against Langley as seen them amass twelve points. Also on twelve points from two games are Wednesfield, who have lost 5-4 to Warley and beaten Great Wyrley 8-1. Tipton, champions of the men’s league for so many seasons, must look on the title as their personal property, are currently lying in a mid table position on eight points. However, they have only played one game, an 8-1 affair against Oldbury.
In the ladies league Warley, the only team to boast a 100% record after only two fixtures are top with six points. Wednesfield, also on six points lost their curtain raiser against Warley 3-2.
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In division two of the Four Oaks and District Darts League Jim Taylor (S.S.Mary & Johns Flights), who has played in the league for three seasons, won his very first game. Following his success Jim now appears to be on a roll as he romped to his second win as his side beat Boldmere Mixed 6-3 and completed his hat trick when he won in the fixture with Kings Arms, despite his team going down 6-3. Well done Jim keep up the good work.
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I would like to thank all subscribers for their continued support throughout the year and wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. By the way where did that year go?
Let’s hope 2001 will be a successful year for participants in all sports but obviously darts in particular.
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