Congratulations to Warwickshire’s Tony Randell on winning the second Riley’s Masters Championship from a total of 1300 players who entered the competition. Ninety four of those players, from all over the country took part in the finals
Qualifying from Riley’s Erdington Randell in the best of eleven legs final beat Essex man Shaun Lovett 7-3 to clinch the top prize of £1,000 from a total prize pool of £3,250. Randell a regular on the local darts scene hit three maximums and 6×140 in the final plus he recorded a 141 checkout to give him an overall average of 79.98 to Lovett’s 76.95.
In the last eight Randell beat Dennis harbour 5-3 and booked his final place with a close 6-5 win over Dave Wicks. Lovett’s quarter final saw him win 5-1 against Jamie Ellam and then secure a last two place with a 6-2 win over Steve Evans.
———————————
Both of the top two teams in division one of the Four Oaks and District League experienced upsets in week five, leaders Red Lion Flights went down 5-4 away to fifth in the table Drakes Drum and second placed The Nomads lost by the same scoreline away to Old Oscott WMC. The table now sees Red Lion Flights still top with eight points from five games, with The Nomads, Sutton Sports and Old Oscott Arrows all just two points behind, The Nomads however have a game in hand on the other three teams.
In the second division top team The Beehive earned a valuable two points over their nearest rivals Anvil Nomads. A narrow 5-4 win for Beehive, but it keeps them two points ahead of both Anvil Nomads and Brookvale Social, who have both played one game less than the leaders.
White Lion, the only unbeaten team in the league took their winning run to five games with a 7-2 home win over bottom team Boldmere Oak. Bishop Vesey rescued their match against Cross Keys Arrows taking the last two games for a 5-4 win to keep them just two points behind White Lion.
———————————
Jason Lowe and Mark Bastable (Bulls Head) retained their doubles title in the Rowley Monday Night League with a final win over Brian Dolman and Dan Nicholls from Allens Sports and Social Club.
The final was a high scoring affair with three maximums, 3×160 and a 152 break.
———————————
At the halfway stage in the Warwickshire Men’s Super League, with most teams having completed nine fixtures reigning champions Coventry Bishopsgate once again lead the way with 63 points. Brandon, who are just two points adrift of the leaders are in second place with Birmingham Midland Red, who have only played eight games in third place on 50 points.
———————————
From the 35 teams in the Sheldon and District Winter League there are only two with a 100% win record, Saltley Amateur Gardeners and Crown Arrows, the former in the premier division and the latter in division two.
Saltley made it nine out of nine with a close 5-4 home win over Iron Horse, who are just two places off the bottom. Nevertheless the win maintained Saltley’s four points lead Crown at Olton, who won 7-2 at George V and Crwon at Shard End, who gave their hosts, Kingshurst and District labour Club, a 9-0 whitewash, Neil Parsonage in fine form recording two ten dart games.
In division two Crown Arrows also have four points lead after beating bottom of the table Meadway Sports and Social 6-3. Second placed Shirley RBL Misfits won 5-4 At Emerald Flights.
Division one produced a top of the table clash between leaders Raven and their hosts and nearest rivals EBAHA. The outcome was a 5-4 win for Raven giving them16 points from nine games and leaving EBAHA two points adrift with a game in hand.
———————————
With leaders Highwood ‘A’ not playing this week Olton Crown and Harvester took full advantage beating in turn Greville Arrows 7-2 and Riley’s Red Arrows 6-3 to move within two points of the division one leaders in the Forest of Arden Winter League, although Olton have now played one more game than both Highwood ‘A’ and Harvester.
In the second division Chelmsley Town had a comfortable 6-3 home win against Highwood ‘C’ to keep them four points clear at the top of the table with Sheldon Flights, Riley’s Wings and Highwood KB all on eight points.
———————————
With all of the domestic games completed the Cradley Tuesday Night League are running down their season with cup finals, the latest being the doubles knockout.
Both of the semi final games finished with a 2-0 scoreline, T.Stockton and R.Tipper (Brickmakers) accounting for B.Neale and A.Cowley (Jays Bar). The second last four play off saw P.Hadley and S.Hill (Yeltz Bar) beat W.Weston and C.Hart (Chainmakers ‘B’).
Stockton and Tipper continued their excellent run in the final going on to beat Hadley and Hill with a straight 3-0 result.
———————————
Cup finals were the order of the day for the Camp Hill League, first the League Cup which saw Cotterills Lane beat Wagonners and taking the honours in the Consolation Cup were Scruffy Ringers with Shaftmoor Lions runners up.
———————————
A 7-2 home win over Cottage Spring has seen Brickmakers ‘A’ go top on average of the Netherton Thursday Night League, with the losers dropping down from second to third in the table. Second placed Rose and Crown also won 7-2 in their game with Bull and Bladder, but they have played one game more than the leaders. Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club are also on the same 18 points as the top two teams following their 5-4 win against Brickmakers ‘B’, plus they have a game in hand on Rose and Crown.
———————————
The top two teams in division one of the South Birmingham League, The Crown and Mackadown Social squared up to each other this week and the result was a 5-4 win for The Crown to give them six points from their opening four games. Mackadown drop one place and taking over in the number two spot is Riley’s Kings, the only team in the two divisions able to boast a 100% win record. Kings 6-3 home win over Punch Bowl was their third consecutive win and leaves them level on points with The Crown with a game in hand.
In division two there were a couple of shock result’s, Coleshill Social lost pole position after going down 5-4 away to fifth in the table Smithswood Social, this being Coleshill’s first defeat of the campaign and third placed Banbury Flights suffered a humiliating 8-1 defeat away to sixth placed Iron Horse and as a result drop down three places.
———————————
The Pip Club League had the Divisional Cup on their fixture card and the winners going into the next round from division one are, Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth), Bulls Head (Two Gates), Wilnecote Club, who had a surprising win over Belgrave Club and Dolphin.
The division two winners were Royal Oak (Polesworth), White Lion, Old Liberal and Travellers.
———————————
It was a good week for Sports Bar in the Tamworth League as they chalked up their first win of the season’s seven games so far, a 5-2 home win over Wigginton, which see’s Sports Bar move off the foot of the table and be replaced by their opponents. Third placed Old Liberal House lost ground in the title race as they lost 4-3 away to Longwood, who are in the bottom half of the table.
No change at the top as leaders Fox and Dogs won 6-1 at home to Dolphin ‘B’ and their nearest rivals Dolphin ‘A’ won by the same margin at home to Mile Oak Rovers.
———————————
Week six of the Riley’s Sunday Knockout League saw Mike McFall win the ‘A’ knockout with a close 4-3 result against Will Naylor. The final was a very high scoring affair with Naylor hitting 2×180,3×140 and 4×100 to McFall’s 9×100,2×121,134,3×140180 and also record a 13 darts leg.
The win see’s McFall go level with Ian McFarlane on 44 points at the top of the table, McFall also has the advantage of having played one game fewer than his rival. Naylor’s defeat in the final puts him in third place, but some eight points behind the leading duo.
The ‘B’ knockout was won by Brendan Lysaght, a 3-1 verdict against Paul Lawrence in the final. Again it was a high scoring game with 5×100 and 140 from Lawrence and 2×100,140 and 180 by Lysaght. Lysaght’s win places him fifth in a table of 14 on 34 points and leaves Lawrence rooted at the foot of the table.
———————————