2014-06-01

In division two of the Riley’s BDO Inter County Championships West Midlands penultimate fixture of the season was an away game with Wiltshire, one which the west Midlands just had to win to have any outside chance of promotion to division one. After chalking up their best win of the campaign in their previous fixture with Northamptonshire, whereby all four teams recorded wins, confidence should have been riding high.
The ladies ‘B’ saw Jacqueline Simmons open up with a win in the first leg against Freda Squires, but the Wiltshire player took advantage of some missed doubles by Simmons and went on to win 3-1. Gemma Barrett (West Midlands) took the first leg against Lorraine Kemp only to see her opponent win the next two. Gemma kept her nerve and levelled in the fourth and after Kemp had left double two in the decider Gemma produced a tremendous 114 finish to clinch a 3-2 win and also the match award with her 17.23 average.
The home side took the lead again in the third when Julie Woolf beat Doreen Kaye 3-0 and extended their lead to 3-1 when Sue Lane beat Claire Hobbs 3-1 after losing the first leg.
Samantha Maiden began well against Kylie Murphy (Wiltshire) winning the first leg with Murphy still way back on 149. Both players had darts at double twenty in the second leg, but it was Murphy who found it to level the game. She then took the lead with double sixteen in the third leg and after failing on doubles in the fourth allowed Maiden to check out on 54 to force a decider. The last leg could have gone either way despite Maiden having first throw at a finishing double, fortunately her early misses were not costly as she wrapped up the leg and the game with a 40 outshot and a 3-2 win.
Jacqueline Maiden was not so fortunate, she won the first against Stacey Day, lost the next two and took the game to a fifth and final leg when she won the fourth, but it was Day who got the vital double twenty to secure a 3-2 win and a 4-2 win for her team.
Avtar Singh was twice pegged back to level terms by Michael Duggan before he sealed a 3-2 win and the man of the match award for his 25.63 average in the first of the men’s ‘B’ games. Adam Johnson doubled that lead with a straight 3-0 win against Paul Oakley before the home side chalked up their first winner. Providing the win was Joseph Brock-Hoskins, who fell behind twice to Gary Watts but went on to win 3-2.
The two games buffer in favour of the West Midlands was restored when Glen Cullen beat Scott Millin 3-1 for a 3-1 lead, a lead which quickly eroded as Ronald Ashton won 3-1 against Mark Watkiss Allen, Stuart Maundrell beat Jamie Barrowman 3-2 and Paul Woolf accounted for Jordan Singh with a similar 3-2 result to turn around the advantage and give Wiltshire a 4-3 lead.
Robert Thompson’s 3-1 win over Andrew Southam cancelled out the home teams lead, but only momentarily as Martin Harle won 3-1 against Mark Craddock and Nick Budgen beat John Mycock 3-2 to put the hosts 6-4 up and just one game away from victory.
A sterling 3-0 win from West Midlands Martin Angell kept his team in the game and with a further straight legs win from Karl Hughes over Kevin Barefoot, the result was a 6-6 draw.
Similar to the men’s ‘B’ game the ladies ‘A’ began with an award winning performance, Heather Wright was first on and faced up to Jaine Telling. Heather made short work of her task recording a convincing 3-0 win with a 19.27 average. Doubling that lead was Sarah Roberts. Sarah had won all seven of the previous match awards and narrowly missed out again as she beat Joanna Hooke 3-0 and averaged 17.89.
Tina Rowlands (Wiltshire) was the first player to help the home team’s cause, for the third time in a row it was 3-0 Tina beating Lisa Astbury. Jackie Crew assured her team mates of at least a share of the spoils when she twice came from behind against Erica Hartnett and went on to win 3-2.
Kim Fellos (West Midlands) began well taking the first leg off Carol Bowers, but then lost out 3-1 and if only Kath Jenkins had been a little luckier on finishing doubles she could have won the final game against Kayleigh Woolf, as it was she came from 2-0 down to 2-2 and then lost the last leg to finish the game at 3-3.
The men’s ‘A’ now needed to emulate their 8-4 win from their previous game against Northamptonshire to complete an overall victory. For a third time over the weekend the award winner was first on and taking the stage for the ‘A’ team was Michael Baker, who in a see-saw game against Dan Butler came out the 4-3 winner with a 25.07 average. Sean Carroll had to come from behind no fewer than three times before clinching a 4-3 win against Matthew Aubrey to double West Midlands lead.
David Lewis and Dave Wicks were in turn 4-1 winners against John Platt and Paul Price to square the match at 2-2, before Gavin Baker’s 4-1 win over Robert Bowers put the West Midland noses in front again. The two games advantage looked to be on the cards when Mark Rollinson went two up against Adi Acott and then 3-1 up to move within one leg of his win, but it was not to be as Acott rattled off three wins in the last three legs for a 4-3 success.
Game seven saw the home side take the lead for the first time in the match, Terry Smith’s 4-2 win over Richard Platt giving them a slender 4-3 advantage. The lead was not long lasting as Neil Pointon, despite going two down to Paul Boulton went on to win 4-2, checking out on 142 in the third leg. Danny Coyle was another player to record a high finish a fabulous 161 but it was not enough to avoid a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Lee Evans to put Wiltshire 5-4 up.
With only three games to play Ian Stanton stepped up to the mark for West Midlands to level the match for a fourth time. Ian lost the opener to Matt Harris then went 3-1 up with Harris winning the fifth before Stanton checked out on double five for a 4-2 win. Peter Wyse went 2-0 up and 3-2 up against Chris Daglish, but didn’t confirm his win until the final leg, a 4-3 success to give West Midlands a 6-5 lead with the final game being contested by Ian Jones, a man who many, many times has won vital games for the county.
Playing against Jones was Anthony Moulden, who had just 18 darts in both of the first two legs and found himself trailing 2-0. Moulden levelled the game with two fifteen darts legs and went ahead in 17. He then won the tie with another seventeen darts leg, a 4-2 win with an award winning 28.63 average, Jones meanwhile, who had been on a double in every leg apart from the third, finished with a 27.69 average, the best on the day for the West Midlands, but the win for him or his team was not to be, the result all square at 6-6.
The overall result was 19-17 to Wiltshire, which effectively rules out promotion for the West Midlands as they 164 points, 14 behind second placed Somerset and their final game of the season is a home tie with top of the table Cleveland.
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The Ripley Elite Darts Singles League have kicked off their new premier division season with a record 34 players. Newcomers this season include former PDC finalist and full time professional Kirk Shepherd, plus nine darts hero from this year’s PDC World Championships Kyle Anderson and making a return after a season’s break is Aden Kirk, fresh from his triumph over Phil Taylor. Wayne Pepper is another player making a return after a season’s break.
With quality players such as these and many more the Somercotes Club should provide some very entertaining and top class darts matches.
Full line up for the premier division is, Daz Brown, Ash Spencer, Dave Allcock, Reece Spurr, Jo Oldershaw, Ant Parry, Daz Sinfield, Dave Fritchley, Peter Slater, Alan Evans, Jim Beardmore, Tony Palfreyman, Paul Baker, Ian Richardson, Andy Brittland, Ash Fisher, Steve Pashley, Ian Allcock, Paul Hodges, Ash Wood, Kev Wragg, Ty Ward snr, Aden Kirk, Wayne Pepper, Kyle Anderson, Kirk Shepherd, Daz Sullivan, Wayne Howe, Kyle Machin, Craig Freeman, Steve Richards, Keith Cooper, Colin Rich and Ian Byard.
The newly named Sleeping Beauty Beds Division One is looking forward to a titanic battle for honours with many new players this season. Former county stars Andy Gillott, Chris Hill and Andy Houghton must be amongst the early favourites and another player that must fancy his chances is Andy baker, making a return after a season’s break. Other newbies include Steve Doherty, Rob Coggins, Mark Whitelem, Jez Connell, John Clark, Simon Baker, Jack Daykin, Lauren Jackson, Neil Hunt and Chris Taylor.
New sponsors Sleeping Beauty Beds owner Alan Clegg aims to add a few sponsored in house competitions and is also sponsoring the first prize of £1,000 in the June REDSL Open.
The full list of division one players is, Mark Whitelem, Andy Houghton, Rob Coggins, Andy Gillott, Tony Jacklin, Rich Hassall, Anthony Pearce, Mike Ivekich, John Upton, Ben Connell, Neil Beresford, Chris Hill, John Rice, Jez Connell, Andy Selby, Ty Ward jnr, Phil Bell, Chris Taylor, Martyn Cutbush, Steve Darcy, Martin Richards, Lee Stanley, John Bush, Paul Croson, Andy baker, Alan Clegg, John Clark, Simon Baker, Jack Daykin, Lauren Jackson, Steve Doherty, Neil Hunt and Kelly Dean.
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The Four Oaks and District League wound down its season with cup finals the first of which was the Central Container Services sponsored Individual Doubles. Last year’s winners M.Archer and W.Mynard (The Nomads) lost 3-2 to M.Partridge and J.Prince (The Beehive) in an outstanding high scoring final that went to the wire.
In the Coronation Shield division one champions Sutton Sports retained their title, inflicting a heavy 8-2 defeat on their divisional runners up The Nomads. The Norman Day Cup also saw the title holders hang on to their crown as The Beehive beat Bishop Vesey 8-2. The Challenge Cup was a much closer affair with Bromford Lions just edging out Bishop Vesey 5-3, Bishop Vesey, despite losing two finals on the night made Bromford Lions fight all the way for their result.
On the last night of the season, the finals of the Individual Singles, Brian Goodman and Ken Rust Cups were played off. The Derek Masters Individual Singles was won by R. Hawker from Sutton Sports who convincingly beat M. Horacek of The Nomads 3-0. In the Brian Goodman Cup The Beehive met Sutton Sports. Sutton Sports dominated the match with only K. Reynolds from The Beehive able to take a game from the League Champions.
The highlight of the evening came in the last match the Ken Rust Cup. Drakes Drum took the first four games from Bromford Lions and needed just one more to secure the Cup. Bromford Lions however were not ready to concede and took the fifth game 2-0. This was the start of a monumental fight back, every one of the remaining games was won in the final leg, Bromford Lions taking the last four games to turn a 4-0 deficit into a 5-4 win.
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It was a close finish to division one of the Forest of Arden Winter League with Highwood ‘A’ and Crown Arrows, the top two teams playing each other in the final game of the season for a title decider. The result was a 7-2 win for Highwood ‘A’ to put them on 24 points with 86 legs for and leaving Olton Crown second also on 24 points but with 85 legs for, how close was that!!
Division two saw leaders Chelmsley Town lose 5-4 away to their nearest rivals Highwood KB, but despite the defeat Chelmsley still won the title with 26 points four more than Highwood KB.
The league also played off their Presidents and Consolation Cup’s. The final of the Presidents Cup saw Highwood ‘A’ beat Sheldon Flights, while in the final of the Consolation Cup Olton Crown defeated Highwood Exiles to claim the crown.
Winners of the men’s doubles knockout in the Forest of Arden Winter League are B.Nixon and J.Sidwell, while S.Kingdon and A.Edwards took the women’s title.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League staged their doubles knockout and because of holiday commitment two teams were unable to make the finals. In the first of the semi finals R.Carr and N.Fullwell (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club) were taken the full three legs distance by J.Archer and J.Southall (Fairfield) before booking their final place with a 2-1 win. S.Siviter and K.Chambers (Springfield Social Club) won their tie with R.Tipper and A.Galeb (Chainmakers) 2-0.
The final was another 2-0 scoreline with Carr and Fullwell beating Siviter and Chambers.
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Nick Fullwell was triumphant again when in the eighth Annual John Westwood Memorial Knockout, staged at the Pensnett Social and Welfare Club, he beat fellow West Midlands player Mark Rollinson to clinch the £200 first prize. The final went the full nine legs distance with Fullwell coming out the 5-4 winner. Rollinson collected £100 as runner up and there was £50 for the losing semi finalists Ian Jones and Pat Pace. Quarter finalists C.Sparrow, C.Hickman, K.Banbrick and M.Flatman each received £20 for a total pay-out of £500.
The event raised £249.72 for charity from what was another very successful and well supported day.
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The South Birmingham League played off the finals of their League Cup, in the semi’s The Crown beat Coleshill Social 9-0 and Riley’s Kings win 5-4 against Mackadown. In the final league leaders The Crown beat second in the table Riley’s Kings 5-3
The Jimmy Walker Cup was won by the Punch Bowl, who in the final had a 5-3 win over The Dog after they had handed out a 9-0 whitewash to Smithswood Social in the semi’s. The Dog had won their last four game against The Trident 5-3.
In the division two cup finals both of the semi’s finished with a 6-3 result. There were wins for Iron Horse and St John’s, who in turn took out The Dog and Coleshill Social.
Although the final was between the top two teams in the division the result was a convincing 5-0 win for leaders St John’s.
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