The end of the season is fast approaching for the Four Oaks and District League and with the domestic issues all resolved cup games have been the order of the day. In the quarter finals of the Brian Goodman Cup Red Lion Flights were too strong for The Fox winning all seven games played. Sutton Sports likewise won comfortably against Cross Keys Arrows. Deer’s Leap Stags were losing 3-1 against Old Oscott Arrows but recovered to win the next four games. White Lion took the first two games off The Beehive but lost the next five to lose 5-4.
In the semi-finals The Beehive took the first three games off Red Lion Flights before struggling and eventually running out 5-4 winners. The final game of the evening was the closest with Sutton Sports pushed all the way by Deer’s Leap Stags, winning the last game 2-1 to take the match.
In the Ken Rust quarter finals Bromford Lions took five of the first six games to beat Pint Pot Flights and Brookvale Social won 5-2 against Bishop Vesey. In the semi-finals Brookvale Social lost 5-2 to Drakes Drum and Bromford Lions beat Anvil Nomads 5-4.
Second and third division teams competed for the Challenge Cup title the quarter finals saw Bishop Vesey beat Cross Keys Arrows 5-2, Anvil Nomads lost 5-3 to The Beehive, The Fox beat Boldmere Oak 6-3 and Bromford Lions overcome Pint Pot Flights with a 5-2 scoreline. In the semi-finals Bishop Vesey won 5-3 against The Fox and Bromford Lions stormed to a 5-1 win over The Beehive. I. Matthews Bromford Lions and K. Reynolds The Beehive hit maximums.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League staged the early rounds of their doubles knockout and winning their way through to the last sixteen for finals night were, G.Thomas & S.Winters, T.Randell & T.White (Saltley Amateur Gardeners), B.Charlton & R.Franks, I.Lloyd & L.Barberan (Rileys Rags), A.Kavanagh & D.Young, M.Heaven & G.James (Mackadown Social), D.Sutton & C.Horsley, G.King & D.Adams (George V), J.Evans & R.Parry (Iron Horse), C.Roberts & P.Crook (Sheldon Social), J.Prince & N.Parsonage (Crown at Shard End), P.Nunn & P.Yardley, J.Sidwell & B.Nixon (Crown at Olton), D.Mortiboys & R.Earl (Raven), D.Reid & D.Allen (Willclare Sports and Social), K.Green & G.Green (Kingshurst and District Labour Club).
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Brickmakers ‘A’, third in the Netherton Thursday Night League table suffered a setback to their title hopes when they lost their home tie with fifth placed, and local rivals Brickmakers ‘B’ 6-3. Leaders Rose and Crown were held to a close 5-4 by mid table Bulls Head to put them on 45 points and keep them in pole position with Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club also on the same number of points after winning their home tie with White Swan by a massive 9-0. However, despite the big win Ex Serviceman’s remain in second place still trailing on average, but they do have a game in hand on Rose and Crown.
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An 8-1 home win over Pavilions has seen Riley’s Kings draw level on points with The Crown at the top of division one in the South Birmingham League, trailing only on average. In the other first division game played Mackadown Social consolidated their third place in the table with a 6-3 win away to bottom of the table Farthings.
In division two St John’s made it twelve wins from thirteen games when they won their home fixture against Toby Jug 6-3. The chasing pair of Banbury Club and Iron Horse saw the former gain a 5-4 win.
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Divisional Cup semi finals were on the agenda for the Pip Club League and in the division one games league leaders Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) beat Bulls Head (Two Gates), but the somewhat surprising result of the round was the win by Wilnecote Club, who are currently fourth in the table and they beat second placed Dolphin.
In the division two games top team Travellers went out of the competition to Old Liberal, while their nearest rivals for the second division title Royal Oak (Polesworth) won against White Lion.
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Week ten in the Cradley Tuesday Night League and the table is now beginning to show the possible contenders for the title. The top four teams are now opening a gap between them and the rest of the field. Crown ‘A’ continue to head the table, their 6-3 win at Wheatsheaf maintaining their unbeaten run and taking their winning tally to ten games. Second placed Brickmakers had a huge 8-1 win away to middle of the table Netherton Sports and Social ‘B’ to leave them four points off the top with 16 points, but with a game in hand. Chainmakers ‘B’, who have played ten game’s are third, level on the same 16 points with Brickmakers after winning their home tie with Yeltz Bar by 8-1. Members Club are fourth, a 7-2 home success over Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’ giving them 14 points from nine games.
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Otter and Vixen are the new leaders in division one of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League, they kept up their 100%win record with a 4-3 home success against Riley’s ‘C’, who were formerly second in the table and unbeaten. Oxbarn lost the top spot due to them having a bye this week and drop to third undefeated in four, they and Otter and Vixen are the only undefeated teams in the division.
Division two saw success for many of the lower placed teams, Dog and Partridge moved up one place to fourth from bottom after handing out a 4-3 defeat to second in the table Wednesfield Legion ‘A’, their first loss on five. Pavilion also moved up one place to fifth from bottom, they also handed out a first defeat to their hosts Wednesfield Cons. Wolverhampton Sports Arena moved well away from the foot of the table with their 5-2 win at Castle, who drop two places to sixth.
Boat ‘A’, are now the onlt 100% winners in the division, their latest game seeing them win 4-3 at home to Wednesfield Legion ‘B’.
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Crown, Springfield Social Club and Ivy Bush ‘Z’ all took their unbeaten run to ten games in the Rowley Monday Night League. Crown head the table on average after an 8-1 win at Britannia Inn, while second placed Springfield Social Club had a closer 5-4 home win over Allens Sports Bar, who are fifth in the table. Ivy Bush ‘Z’ beat their local rivals Ivy Bush ‘A’ 6-3.
At the other end of the table bottom team Hunting Tree chalked up their first win of the campaign beating their hosts Victoria Inn, who are two places above them, 7-2.
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Gulp Tribe march on in the Small Heath League making it five straight wins with a 7-2 home success over Victoria New Club. Gulp now have a four points lead over four teams, Sheldon Marlborough Flights, Emerald Club, Shannon’s and Westminster Lions, Emerald, Shannon’s and Westminster all have a game in hand on the leaders.
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The top two teams in the Camp Hill League, Cotterills Lane Club and Gulp Tribe met on the latter’s board this week and the result was a 4-3 win for the hosts, this was Cotterills first loss in eight, but nevertheless remain in pole position with 14 points, two ahead of Gulp Tribe and four in front of third in the table Scruffy Ringers, who won 6-1 away to Bordesley Labour Club.
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There was a top of the table clash in division one of the Forest of Arden Winter League, with second placed Olton Crown beating Highwood ‘A’ by a massive 8-1 to replace at the top of the table..
There was also upset for Riley’s Wings in division two as they lost their second place, dropping to fourth following a 6-3 home defeat by Sheldon Flights, who moved up one place to second.
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There was no change at all in the Tamworth League table this week, the top three teams all recorded wins, leaders Fox and Dogs took their unbeaten run to sixteen games with a 6-1 win at Mile Oak Rovers, while their nearest rivals, Dolphin ‘A’, who are 12 points adrift beat local rivals Dolphin ‘B’ 7-0. Third placed Old Liberal House beat Tam O’Shanter 5-2.
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