2002-11-01

Gilberts Bar, Willenhall, is the West Midlands new home venue for their campaign for promotion from division four of the BDO Inter Counties Championships and what better way to start the season than with a home win. Not only a win, but also the Midlander’s best win since they beat Bedfordshire 26-10, in their division three away game in April 1998.
Playing against Pembrokeshire Teresa Johnston was the first player to the oche for the ladies ‘B’ team taking on Karen Thomas. Both ladies struggled, especially on doubles; nevertheless it was Teresa who got the straight 3-0 verdict. The second game between Debi Hackett (West Midlands) and Coralie Jones was a similar affair, the major difference being that it was the Pembrokeshire player who grabbed the 3-0 win. Teresa Johnson, winner of four of the nine lady of the match awards for the West Midlands last season was on at number three. Teresa continued where she left off. She beat Cheryl Jones 3-0, averaged 15.99 and took the match award.
At 2-1 up the home team were looking pretty good, Pembroke though were not prepared to sit back and accept defeat. Tracey Hawkins Green had a 3-0 win over Ann Jones to level the match and then with a 3-1 success by Sue Phillips against Jean Tibbetts, the advantage was reversed, the visitors 3-2 ahead with one to play.
Sarah Jenkins (Pembrokeshire) hit three tons in her opening leg against Kath Jenkins and although Kath found a 140 in the second it was not enough to stop her opponent going 2-0 up. The third leg could have gone either way when both players had throws at a finishing double. Kath was the eventual winner, but this only delayed what proved to be the inevitable as Sarah ton the leg in 24 darts giving her a 3-1 victory and her team a 4-2 win.
The men’s ‘B’ team included a few new faces; the first was on at number one, Dave Evans. Dave had a good start hitting 3×100,121 and 135 in his 3-1 win over Mark Sabin and averaged 24.21. Ron Johnson began well by winning the opening leg against Stuart Jeremiah, but finally went down 3-1 to square the match.
Another new signing, Richard Foster was at number three. Foster began his county account in style. 99 plus 3×100 saw him win the first leg against Jeff Henshaw in eighteen darts, followed by a twenty darts leg to go 2-0 up. Missed doubles cost him the third leg as Henshaw checked out in 24 darts. But the Midlands man clinched the game with a 100 outshot in 21 darts, not only a 3-1 win but also the man of the match award with his 24.90 average.
Fred Parsons made it 3-1 with a clinical 3-0 victory over Eifon Davies and with a 3-1 success from Viv Gould against Paul Phillips things were looking good. Jamie Parsons was the last player of the opening half taking on Pembrokeshire’s Chris Jenkins. Jenkins drew first blood with a 23 darts leg. Parsons levelled in 17 darts and went ahead with a drawn out 27 darts leg. Despite his fight back Parsons was unable to hold onto his lead and Jenkins came bouncing back with 20 and 18 darts legs to secure a 3-2 win.
The lead was pegged back even further to 4-3 when Paul Smith beat Paul Johnson 3-2 after Johnson had twice cancelled out his advantage. Veteran Joe Biggs, with finishes of 20-40 and 80, returned the home team to winning ways a 3-2 win over Martin Thomas restoring a two games cushion. From there on in it was all West Midlands. Mervyn Field won 3-1 against Royston James, Adrian Hammersley got the verdict in the five legs tussle with Steven Smith, then John Pountney recorded a neat 3-0 win over his counterpart Michael Jenkins to make it 8-3 with one to play. Anchor man Frank Johnson emulated Pountneys game down to the last detail. Playing against Steven Hill, Johnson won 3-0 and in the process finished with exactly the same average as his team mate 20.88, giving an overall 9-3 result.
As Pountney and Johnson’s results were similar, so were the ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams. The ladies ‘A’, in double quick time trailed 3-0. Gwyneth Hughes beat Claire Hobbs, Julie Gore beat Sue Smith and Heather Goffin beat Angie Perry, all results were 3-1. Janet Hubbard’s (17.26) lady of the match performance stopped the rot. She defeated Enfys Hill, again by 3-1, the important thing being she kept the hopes of a draw alive for her team mates. Unfortunately the game was put beyond the hosts reach when Hayley Francis took out Rose Mycock, unbelievably with yet another 3-1 scoreline, leaving just one to play and 4-1 down.
Claire Downing was last player for West Midlands, Myra James for Pembrokeshire. Claire came up trumps and won the game by …….. NO – 3-0!!! The final score 4-2.
The men’s ‘A’ team could not have wished for a better start. Chris Hickman lost the first two legs to Billy Edwards, but roared back in style in 19,17 and 19 darts to win 3-2. No such problem for Mick James, he had a straight 3-0 win against Les Morgan. Steve Brindley’s game with Darren Owens saw Steve go one up then Darren go into a 2-1 lead. Brindley drew level with a great 118 game shot and then win the deciding leg to win 3-2.
With a 3-0 advantage West Midlands next player was the previous day’s man of the match Richard Foster. Eighteen darts was all he needed to win the opener against Jeff Davies and nineteen was all that Jeff required to get back to level terms. After narrowly missing a 170 outshot Foster wrapped up the leg in seventeen darts to go within an ace of victory. Davies stormed ahead in the fourth leg hitting 98,140,100 and 123 to leave himself on double twenty after only a dozen darts, Foster meanwhile was still left with 204. Davies missed his double, Foster scored 54. Again Davies failed and left double five, Foster, now requiring 150 stepped up to the oche and calmly checked out giving him a 3-1 result. Richard’s average, 27.94, at the end of the day gave him the match award, his second of the weekend.
I played for, and have been closely associated with the West Midlands county, through this very column for many years and I personally cannot remember anyone winning both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ awards on the same weekend. Undoubtedly there is someone out there who is now going to let me know either they did it or they know someone who did. I would really appreciate it if they would let me know. I can be contacted on 01902-883387 or alternatively my e-mail address is [email protected]
Back to the match, now 4-0 up and confidence is rising throughout the West Midlands team. Darren Williams steps up to the board to take on Lee Drummond. The Pembrokeshire man won the first leg, which could easily have gone either way. A 140 plus 137 gave Williams the edge in the second, which he won comfortably in sixteen darts. A 180 in the third leg helped Williams to another leg and a 2-1 lead. Drummond pulled back to level terms when he won, what turned out to be the penultimate leg. Three straight tons at the start of the fifth and final leg as opposed to his opponents two gave Darren the breathing space he required to reach his double first and move the running total along to 5-0.
Rounding off the half was Ian Jones. With his usual consistent and precise game he beat Mark Lewis 3-1, which was the game the West Midlands had been looking for, it was the point of no return for the visitors, an overall 19-11 scoreline, every win from her on in was a bonus, the fixture was won.
Colin Davies had to work hard for his win in the first of the second half. Lee Chenery won the first in 17 darts, Davies the next two in 21 and 17. Chenery hit back again to square the game in 22 darts, forcing a decider to be played. It was neck and neck all the way, Chenery missed a 71 checkout, Davies stepped up and won the tie with a game shot of 60.
Game eight saw the away team gain their first winner of the match. Martin Thomas. The first leg was a long drawn out affair with Taylor eventually getting the decision. Thomas then took control. He won the next three legs in 17,20 and 17 darts to win 3-1 and get his side’s first stripe on the board. Apart from a 131 checkout by Paul Smith in the second leg, Steve James had a reasonable comfortable 3-1 victory. This was not the case for Steve’s team mate Nick Walters. Nick twice went ahead against Neil Lewis, but Lewis never gave up and ran out a 3-2 winner. Just the opposite for Martin Tibbetts (West Midlands) as he twice came from behind to beat Robert Hughes 3-2 to give the hosts a 9-2 lead.
The final score was 9-3 as Chris Jenkins won 3-0 against Avtar Singh in the last game, but it was the weekend’s result of 22-14, giving the West Midlands a total of 25 points and the leadership in the promotion table that is the most encouraging aspect. Hopefully they will now go on and build on this start and gain promotion back to the third.