In their latest premier fixture in the Riley’s BDO Inter County Championships Warwickshire, with a 20-16 verdict made it three wins in a row and moved two places up the table to third with 125 points to leave them 34 behind leaders Yorkshire and 17 adrift of second placed Lancashire.
Saturday saw both the men and women win their games, the men 8-4 with Tom McGlone (29.17) their top player and the women 4-2 with Angela Jones taking the match award with her 19.87 average.
The men’s ‘A’ team had an 8-4 victory with another Tom taking the man of the match award, this time it was Tom Aldridge with a terrific 32.49 average. After going one down to Bob Foster, Aldridge then bounced back with tremendous legs of 17, 12, 14 and 15 darts.
The women’s ‘A’ did not have the best of days going down 5-1, Trina Gulliver (21.04) their sole winner.
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After two consecutive defeats West Midlands returned to winning ways in division two of the Riley’s BDO Inter County Championships when they returned from Suffolk with a 19-17 victory. However, despite the win West Midlands drop one place in the table to fifth with 119 points, 26 off top placed Cleveland and 16 behind second in the table Derbyshire to leave them with an uphill battle for a promotion spot.
Sarah Roberts (20.31) made it six consecutive lady of the match awards in the ‘B’ side’s 4-2 defeat, while Jacqueline Maiden was the top player for the ‘A’ side as they finished all square at three each.
There were mixed fortunes for the men, the ‘B’ team recording a vital 9-3 win with Sean Carroll taking the match award with his 28.90 average. Ian Jones took the ‘A’ team’s award for the second consecutive game, but despite his superb 30.83 average the team lost out 7-5.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League had cup games on their fixture card. In the quarter finals of the Punch Bowl Crown at Shard End beat their fellow premier division rivals Old Bill and Bull 8-1, while premier leaders Saltley Amateur Gardeners, who have won all sixteen of their league fixtures went down 5-4 away to fourth placed Crown at Olton/
In the other two games division one leaders Raven won 5-4 away to premier division opponents Sheldon Dukes and division one side Shard End Social beat Willclare Sports and Social, also from division one, 5-4.
In the first round of the Sheldon Shield, Riley’s Rags chalked up the biggest win of the round, an 8-1 success at Emerald Club. Custard House were not far behind with a 7-2 home win against Langley Hall Flights. There were 6-3 wins for Langley Hall Arrows and Banbury Club in turn defeating Meadway Sports and Social and EBAHA.
Other teams winning through to the next round were, Yardley Ex Colts, Crown-Forget-Me-Not, Baldwin Bears and Holy Souls.
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It’s as you were at the top of division one in the Four Oaks and District League with just one leg of average separating the top two team The Nomads and Sutton Sports. As the end of season fast approaches both team showed signs of nerves in their latest fixtures. The Nomads needed the last two games to clinch a 5-4 win at Red Lions Flights and Sutton Sports had to win the final game in their home tie with Old Oscott Arrows to seal the points.
Second division champions The Beehive won 5-4 against Brookvale Social, the latter battling it out with Anvil Nomads for the runners up spot as Anvil Nomads won 5-4 at The Fox to put them on the same 14 points as Brookvale, but just ahead on average. Also in the frame for the second place is Boldmere Sports, who are level on average with Anvil Nomads and two points behind them, but they play each other in the final game of the season.
White Lion’s 7-2 win at Crown Warriors has confirmed them as division three champions having won all twelve of the games they have played. With only a couple of games remaining the runners up could be any one of three teams Pint Pot Flights, Cross Keys Arrows or Bishop Vesey. They are all level on 16 points but Cross Keys Arrows do have a game in hand.
J.Frost (Bromford Lions) chalked up his second maximum of the season and W.Mynard (The Nomads) also found the three treble twenties this week.
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The top four teams in the Netherton Thursday Night League all won this week, so Rose and Crown’s 6-3 home win over Brickmakers ‘B’ keeps them in pole position, but only on average as Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club are on the same 39 points following their 7-2 win over Prince of Wales and have played one game fewer than Rose and Crown.
Surprisingly the way all of the results went this week there was not one positional change in the league.
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Mackadown Social lost their second place in division one of the South Birmingham League when they went down 7-2 away to divisional leaders The Crown. Riley’s Kings were also 7-2 winners against Punch Bowl, the win taking them to within two points of Crown and into the number two spot.
St John’s continue to lead division two and maintain their two points lead after a 5-4 home win over Toby Jug. Iron Horse are second and won their tie with Coleshill Social 6-3.
On the individual scene there were 180’s for A.Hoey (Crown) and A.Kavanagh (Mackadown Social) and a 160 break for Punch Bowl’s A.Willis.
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Semi finals week in the Pip Club League, the Sports Bar Knockout in division one seeing wins for Bulls Head ‘A’(Polesworth) and Wilnecote Club against respective opponents Belgrave Club and Birchmoor Club.
In the division two games White Lion and Two Gates Club accounted for Bulls Head ‘B’ (Polesworth) and Longwood.
The Shadow League semi finals for division one saw wins for Bulls Head (Two Gates) and Pip Club at the expense of Dolphin and Sports Bar ‘180’.
The division two final will be contested between Travellers and Old Liberal as they in turn defeated Anchor Inn and Royal Oak (Polesworth).
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Week two in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League and the new leaders of division one are Oxbarn and Riley’s ‘C’ who are level on points and average. Both teams won 6-1 playing away, Oxbarn beating former leaders Merry Boys and Riley’s winning at Railway. Otter and Vixen are the only team to have played two and won both, they had a close 4-3 verdict at Victoria.
In division two five teams remain unbeaten, Castle, Boat ‘A’, Wednesfield Legion ‘A’, Riley’s ‘B’ and Wednesfield Cons.
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Chainmakers ‘A’, third in the Cradley Tuesday Night League suffered a somewhat surprising defeat at home to Netherton Sports and Social ‘B’, who as a result moved up the table from twelfth to ninth.
Crown ‘A’ continue to head the table, their 5-4 home win over Members Club making it seven straight wins and maintains their two points lead over Brickmakers, who also 5-4 as hosts to Crown ‘B’.
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The Forest of Arden Winter League staged the singles knockouts and taking the men’s crown was S.Shepherd. The women’s title went to S.Kingdon, who made it a tremendous double after winning the mixed doubles event with A.Howell.
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The Small Heath League played off their Presentation Night 501 Singles competition and claiming the honours was Gulp Tribe representative Nick Walker, who had a final victory over Emerald Club’s Peter Yardley.
Losing semi finalists were, Ada Radbourne (Redhill Wanderers) and Steve Whitaker (Wagon and Horses).
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Westminster Lions lost ground in the Camp Hill League as they lost 6-1 away to Scruffy Ringers. Scruffy Ringers move up two places to third, while Westminster drop two places to fourth.
Leaders Cotterills Lane Club made it seven wins in a row beating bottom of the table Devil’s Club 6-1. Gulp Tribe take over the second place following their 5-2 win against Bordesley Labour Club.
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The Tamworth League produced a top of the table clash this week when leaders Fox and Dogs played hosts to their nearest rivals Dolphin ‘A’. The result was a convincing 5-2 win for Fox and Dogs to give them 120 points from 14 games and took their undefeated run to fourteen games, Dolphin ‘A’ are now 13 points adrift of the leaders.
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Crown, Springfield Social Club and Ivy Bush ‘Z’ continue to be unbeaten in the Rowley Monday Night League. Crown, who had a massive 8-1 win at Hunting Tree lead the field on average, with Springfield Social second after a 7-2 win at Ivy Bush ‘Z’. Third placed Ivy Bush ‘Z’ won 6-3 at Fairfield.
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A 7-2 home win over Aston Flights made it 15 straight wins for Riley’s in the Aston League and gives them a clear four points lead over second placed Sportsmans Rest, who handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors Safe Harbour. Also recording a 9-0 win was fourth placed Red Lion over hosts Cross Keys. Heartlands, are in third place and they had a close 5-4 win at home to Golden Hind.
Three players hit a maximum in week 16, B.Hughes (Red Lion), B.Trayhern (Old Oscott WMC) and J.West (Erdington Arrows.
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