Red Lion Flights hopes of winning the division one title in the Four Oaks and District League suffered a setback in match ten as they lost 6-3 at Sutton Sports to leave them trailing new leaders Sutton Sports by four points and lying in third place behind The Nomads, who had a 7-2 win at Old Oscott Arrows to give them 16 points, just two short of the leaders with a game in hand.
With a 7-2 win against Deer’s Leap Stags, Drakes Drum move above Old Oscott Arrows and take over fourth place in the table. Old Oscott WMC needed the last leg of the final game to clinch the points against The Greyhound.
In division two, for the second week running Boldmere Sports lost 5-4, their latest defeat coming from the hands of divisional leaders The Beehive. Nevertheless Boldmere hold on to second place with 12 points, but now have Anvil Nomads and Brookvale Social joining them on the same number of points. Anvil had a bye this week while Brookvale required the last two games to beat Bromford Lions 5-4.
Bishop Vesey, second in division three had a somewhat surprising 6-3 defeat away to third in the table Pint Pot Flights and are now four points adrift of leaders White Lion, who won 7-2 at Crown Warriors and have played one game fewer than their rivals. Fourth placed Cross Keys Arrows had a comfortable 8-1 win at Boldmere Oak.
Only one maximum this week and that was recorded by Crown Warriors Chris Hollender.
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The premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League threw up an intriguing fixture in week thirteen with second and third placed Crown at Olton visiting Crown at Shard End. The result was a 6-3 win for the hosts, who now change places with their opponents and go two points ahead of them on 20, but six adrift of leaders Saltley Amateur Gardeners, who took their winning run to an unbeaten thirteen game with a 6-3 home success against Highwood ‘A’, who are fourth in the table and on the same 18 points as Crown at Olton.
EBAHA fell two points behind division one leaders Raven when they lost 7-2 at fourth placed Riley’s Rags. Raven were 7-2 winners in their tie at Willclare Sports and Social, to leave the home side six points off the top and four behind EBAHA, with a game in hand on both of the teams above them.
Crown Arrows had their four point’s buffer at the top of division two reduced to two points when they surprisingly lost 5-4 away to Greville Arms, who are placed fifth and six points behind their visitors. Baldwin Bears took advantage of Crown’s defeat beating Meadway Sports and Social 7-2 to keep them in the title chase.
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The South Birmingham League had their singles knockout on the fixture card and winning the title was The Crown representative Neil Parsonage. Runner up in the competition was Will Naylor from Riley’s Kings. Losing semi finalists were Martin Partridge (The Crown) and Dave Clinton (St John’s).
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club gained an important win when they won their home tie with Brickmakers ‘A’ 5-4. The defeat has seen Brickmakers drop two place in the table to fourth and Ex Serviceman’s hang on to their three points lead at the top of the table. Prince of Wales have moved into second place following their 9-0 whitewash of their hosts Bull and Bladder and Rose and Crown third after a 6-3 home win against Chainmakers. Rose and Crown have a game in hand on Prince of Wales a win would see them replace their rivals in second place.
The league have also been busy with their singles knockout and board winners making it to the last eight are, R.Tipper, C.Shellis, M.Hall (Brickmakers ‘A’), R.Carr (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club), P.Wells (Prince of Wales), G.Morton, A.Turley (Brickamkers ‘B’), K.Harris (Springfield Social Club).
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The first round of their Presidents Cup was the order of the day for the Forest of Arden Winter League a couple of division two teams creating something of a surprise for their division one opponents, Highwood ‘C’ beat The Grange 5-4, Highwood KB won 6-3 against Crown Arrows. In the all division one clash The Crane won 5-4 against Greville Arrows, and the division games saw Sheldon Flights had a massive 8-1 win against Highwood Exiles and Ivy Leaf Bulls lost 5-4 to Greville Arms.
Other winners through to the next round are Harvester, Riley’s Red Arrows and Highwood ‘A’.
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The Crown handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors Fairfield to put them top of the Rowley Monday Night League after two fixtures. Other teams with maximum points from two games are, Ivy Bush ‘Z’, Springfield Social Club, Allens Sports Bar and York Road Sports and Social, The Bell, on two points have only played one game so far.
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The Small Heath League had their 501 singles knockout on the agenda and claiming the title with a final win over Emerald Club’s Neil Parsonage was another Emerald Club player Peter Yardley. Losing semi finalists were Dave Heighway (Gulp Tribe) and Paul Webster (Custard House Flights).
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Week two of the Cradley Tuesday Night League saw some big results as Roost ‘A’, Crown ‘A’ and Jays Bar all won their away games against respective opponents Bulls Head, Prince of Wales and Roost ‘B’ 8-1.
The table so far see’s Crown ‘A top on average from Hawne Lane Tavern, Roost ‘A’, Chainmakers ‘A’ and Crown ‘B’.
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Not much change in the Pip Club League as the top seven teams all won this week. The top five all had big wins, leaders Bulls Head ‘A’ (23 points) beat Longwood 13-3, second placed Birchmoor Club (20 points) beat Longwood 16-0, third in the table Dolphin (19 points) won 14-2 at Royal Oak, Belgrave Club (18 points) are fourth and also won 14-2 against Bulls Head ‘B’ and Wilnecote Club, who are fifth on 18 points were another team to win 14-2 away to Two Gates Club.
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The final of the ‘A’ knockout in the Riley’s Sunday Knockout League contained no fewer than 30 scores of a ton or more. Trevor Frost was the 4-3 winner against Neil Parsonage and hit 180,7×140 and 6×100, while Parsonage had top shots of 4×140,9×100,118,121 and 125.
The ‘B’ fina; was contested between Matt Willetts and Ian McFarlane, with the latter the 3-0 winner hitting 180,140,137,2×125,100 and also recorde an eleven darts leg.
The league table see McFarlane to of the pile with 84 points from 11 games, with Mike McFall second on 78 points from ten games. Trevor Frost is third with 70 points and Brendan Lysaght fourth on 60.
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Congratulations to Dean Stewart, who battled his way through a really tough field of Warwickshire players to win the county play off for the Gold Cup Singles Competition.
Stewart reached the final after defeating top players such as Rob Hawker, Mark Strong and in the semi finals England international Tom Aldridge.
From the other half of the draw Graham Hall emerged as Stewart’s final opponent, Hall beating an in form Mark Westgarth, who in his first leg checked out in ten (10) darts hitting 140, 180 and 145 to leave double eighteen, which he shot first dart. Hall then went on to win the tie 3-2. In the semi final Hall faced Antony Allen who was looking to make it a hat trick of Gold Cup singles titles, but Hall went on to clinch a win, unfortunately his luck ran out in the final and Stewart became the 2013 / 2014 champion and will represent Warwickshire in the national finals at Lakeside in July.
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The Tamworth League played off the finals of their Andrew Evans Memorial Cup. In the semi finals Old Liberal House beat Sports Bar ‘180’ 4-1, league leaders Fox and Dogs had a clean sweep 4-0 win against Mile Oak Rovers.
Once again in the final it was all Fox and Dogs as they romped to a 4-1 victory to take the title.
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