The Sheldon and District Winter League is fast reaching the end of it’s season and as a result have been busy with various finals, in the singles knockout it was Saltley Amateur Gardeners Tony Randell who will have his name added to the winners silverware, a 160 break plus an eight darts leg against John Sidwell (Olton RBL) in the final helping him to a straight 2-0 win. In the last four Randell had a close 2-1 verdict over Jason Evans (Glebe Community Association), while Sidwell beat Kevin Richards (Pavilions) 2-0.
Saltley Amateur Gardeners also supplied the winners of the doubles knockout. Tony Randell just missed out on adding the doubles title to his singles win when team mates Simon Edwards and Lee Molyneux beat him and his partner Tom White 2-0. Both semi finals were also 2-0, Edwards and Molyneux beating Darren and Derek Wright (Yardley Ex Colts) and Randell and White defeating Alan Caddick and John Randell, another two Saltley players.
In the divisional League Cup finals, the premier title went to the league runners up Saltley Amateur Gardeners, who beat champions Olton RBL 5-4. The division one knockout was won by the division winners New Firs Flights with a final 6-3 success against Forget-Me-Not.
Castle Vale Residents Association won the division two cup, with a narrow 5-4 verdict over Custard House, the same scoreline as the division three final in which Langley Hall Sports and Social beat George V.
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On the league front in the Tamworth Sports Bar League second placed Sports Bar “180” played away against third in the table Boot Inn. The result was a 4-3 win for the home team to leave them eight points adrift of their rivals, but with two games in hand.
In the players league leader Trevor Barrs (Sports Bar “180”) lost for only the third time in 18 games when he went down against Boot Inn’s Darren Hunt. Barr’s however holds on to the top spot with Mark Tomlinson (Three Horse Shoes) just three points behind him with a game in hand.
In the semi final of the league’s Three Tuns Trophy, league leaders Three Horse Shoes played second placed Sports Bar “180” and romped through to the final with a 4-1 result. In the other semi Boot Inn accounted for Sports Bar with a 4-2 win.
The final saw Three Horse Shoes record a clean sweep, beating Boot Inn 4-0.
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On the last night of the Four Oaks and District League’s season the finals of the Brian Goodman and Ken Rust Cup’s were played off. Third division champions Drakes Drum were unable to stop division one’s Plough and Arrows racing to a 5-1 lead and eventually go on to win the Brian Goodman Cup 6-3.
The final of the Ken Rust Cup was fought out between two division one teams. The Fox Inn took the first three games before Anvil Nomads rallied to reduce the arrears to 3-2. With two games to play the Fox held a 4-3 lead, but with wins from M.Harris and J.Frost the Fox Inn won the contest 6-3.
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The Small Heath League staged two rearranged fixtures which saw both games finish with a 6-3 result. Cobs Bar hosted Redhill Tavern, confidence high for the home side after two straight wins. Cobs Bar finished as winners, the result taking them to the top of the Shadow league.
The other fixture at the Wagon and Horses, the home team opening up a 3-0 lead over the visitors, Emerald Club. Emerald Club fought back to level the game at 3-3, but the Wagon regained their composure and ran out the 6-3 winners over their mid table rivals.
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Leaders of division one in the Pip Club League Red Lion, playing at home against fourth in the table Dolphin were surprisingly held to an 8-8 draw. Nevertheless, Red Lion hold on to pole position, but are now joined by Bulls Head (Polesworth) who after their 9-7 win against J.W.Belgrave Club have the same 15 points, but have played one game more than Red Lion.
At the other end of the division Birchmoor Club have moved off the foot of the table following their 9-7 away win over Belgrave Club.
Pip Club have lost the number one spot in division two after going down 11-5 away to their nearest rivals Sports Bar “180”, who have now replaced them in the top position.
The league have also been busy with their divisional cup knockouts and in the first division there were wins for Bulls Head (Polesworth), Progressive Club and Red Lion, who in turn defeated Dolphin, J.W.Belgrave Club and Birchmoor Club.
In division two Travellers and Sports Bar “180” both won at the expense of Two Gates Club and Pip Club.
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The Camp Hill League have got their new season underway and it is very pleasing to see that their numbers are increasing each year. In the season 2010 / 2011 the number of teams in the league was a disappointing four, then in 2011 / 2012 this rose to eight and in the current 2012 season there are an encouraging twelve teams.
Early pacesetters in the league are Forgers and Ladboys who have both won their opening two games, Forgers heading the table with a superior average. Custard House are the only other 100% winners, but they have only played one game so far.
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The Consolation Cup has been on the agenda for the Forest of Arden Winter League together with the Presidents Cup. The semi finals of the Consolation Cup brought together two first and two second division teams. In the all first division battle Old Bill and Bull got the better of Highwood with a 6-3 result. The second division tussle was won by Greville Arms, again a 6-3 scoreline against local rivals Greville Arrows.
In the final of the Presidents Cup division one runner’s up Riley’s Red Arrows got the better of their local rivals and divisional champions Riley’s Flights with a final 5-4 victory.
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For the tenth consecutive season the Dougie Bowen Memorial Trophy was staged at the Raven, Hodge Hill. A total of 28 players entered the competition and raised a magnificent £110 which was donated to Cancer Research.
In the last eight there were wins for Tony Comerford, Mark O’Donnell, Terry Blakemore and Ian McFarlane. O’Donnell beat Comerford 3-1 in the semi finals, while McFarlane had a straight 3-0 success against Blakemore. The final was a very close affair with Ian McFarlane just getting the 3-2 edge on his opponent Mark O’Donnell.
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