Reigning champions of the premier division in the Sheldon and District Winter League Saltley Amateur Gardeners are slowly seeing their crown drift away from them, undefeated in last season’s 22 games they have so far this campaign lost four of the eleven played. The latest round of fixtures saw Saltley go down 6-3 at home to fourth in the table Mackadown Social to leave them lying in fifth place six points adrift of leaders Crown at Olton.
Division two leaders remain the only unbeaten team in the league taking their winning run to eleven with an 8-1 home win over Emerald Flights to give them a four point’s lead over second placed Maggies who won 6-3 at Shirley RBL Flights.
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The Beehive consolidated their grip on the on the division one title in the Four Oaks and District League beating current league champions and second in the table Sutton Sports 6-3 to open up a four point’s gap between the two top teams. Red Lion and Old Oscott Arrows in turn won 6-3 at Brookvale Social and 5-4 at Golden Hind Arrows to put both teams on 10 points, two less than Sutton Sports.
In division two Golden Hind won 6-3 away to third in the table Old Oscott WMC keeping them two points ahead of Boldmere Sports who beat Pint Pot Flights 5-4 in a very closely fought contest which was won in the final game. Another close affair was the one between Plough and Arrows and Erdington Stars, the former going 4-0 up then being pegged back to 4-4 before winning the final game for a 5-4 victory.
Division three leaders Anvil Nomads had a bye The Fox in second place drew within two points of the top team with a 6-3 win at Erdington Arrows.
Just one maximum recorded this week and that was supplied by Brookvale Social’s W.Naylor, R.Stanton (The Fox) not far behind with his 177.
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Springfield Social Club held on to their six points lead in the Netherton Thursday Night League with a comfortable 7-2 win at The Widders. Second in the table Netherton Sports and Social went one better with an 8-1 home win over The Bell. Third and fourth placed Bulls Head and Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club both won 6-3 against respective opponents Pensnett and Bromley and White Swan. Sixth in the table Fairfield were the only losers in the top six, they lost 5-4 away to Brickmakers who are fifth.
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The Brierley Hill Monday Night League got their 2015 season underway and reigning champions Blue Brick ‘C’ began where they left off winning 7-2 against Rose and Crown (Brierley Hill). Last season’s runners up Dudley Sports ‘B’ were not as fortunate as they lost 5-4 at Bulls Head (Netherton).
Emulating their ‘C’ team Blue Brick ‘B’ were also 7-2 winners in their tie at Roebuck and making up a trio of 7-2 wins was Old Star ‘B’ who won at The Griffin.
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The Cradley Tuesday Night League started their new campaign with the first round of their Harry Siviter Memorial Cup biggest winners of the round were Chop House who beat Bulls Head 7-2. Members Club ‘B’, Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’ and Brickmakers Arms were 6-3 winners against Plough and Harrow, Roost ‘B’ and The Gate, while White Horse, Crown ‘A’ and The Vine each won 5-4 at the expense of Crown ‘B’, Members Club ‘A’ and Wheatsheaf.
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The Small Heath League made its way to the half way point of the season this week Cobs Bar were looking to enter the second half of the season on the back of a win over the Mitre who were looking to maintain their own title challenge. A strong start to the match by the visitors saw them take an early 3-0 lead from which they never looked back and went on to win 6-3.
Playing at home Emerald Flights took on the league dark horses Wagon and Horses and after an even start to the game the visitors took charge with better finishing securing a 6-3 win against a team who will fancy their chances in the shadow league.
The Gulp were looking to maintain their lead at the top of the table against Emerald Club who in turn were looking to win points for their challenge at the top. After taking the opening game the visitors were then pegged back before squaring the game at 2-2, from there the Gulp took charge winning the final games to secure a 7-2 victory and remain two points clear at the top of the table.
Warwick Arms and Sheldon Marlborough Flights were involved in a close encounter the hosts just falling short as they went down 5-4.
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After completing thirteen fixtures Brandon lead the Warwickshire Men’s Super League with 98 points, Coventry Bishopsgate some eight points behind them are their nearest rivals.
Birmingham Court Oak are in third place and have a game in hand on the two teams above them but they are 18 points behind Bishopsgate and a massive 26 adrift of Brandon.
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The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League have reached the halfway point in their season and top of the table Ashwood got there handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts The Cat (Wordsley) to put them on 36 points, six more than Britannia and Ten Arches, who both have a game in hand on the leaders. Britannia won 7-2 at The Fox (Lye), while Ten Arches had a bye.
At the other end of the table there was a rare win for Shrubbery Cottage, their second in seventeen when they won 7-2 against middle of the table Quarry Bank Conservative Club.
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Due to them having their game with Bridgtown Social postponed Crown lost pole position in the West Midland Men’s Super League. Taking over the number one spot is Landywood Snooker Club who won their home tie with bottom of the table White Swan 7-0 to give them 47 points from 7 games, Crown have played the same number of games and are three points behind Landywood.
Wednesfield FC won 4-3 at Staffordshire Knot to give them 43 points from eight games and third place in the table, while fourth placed Cleveland Arms lost ground as they went down 4-3 at Allens Sports Bar to leave them seven points behind Cleveland.
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It was cup week in the South Birmingham League, in the Knockout Cup there were big wins for the top two division one sides, leaders Crown-Forget-Me-Not beating division two’s second placed Trident 7-2 and Crown at Shard End, who are second in division one won their home fixture against The Dog (third in division two) 9-0.
Toby Jug (div one) won 8-1 against The Kingfisher (div two), St John’s (div one) lost 5-4 against The Raven (div one).
In the Jimmy Walker Cup second division leaders Coleshill Social lost 5-4 at home to division one’s Punchbowl, the remainder of the matches were between division two teams and winning through were Banbury Flights and The Gate who won in turn against Smithswood Social and Poachers Pocket.
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It was not a good week for Olton Crown in division one of the Forest of Arden Winter League as they lost their unbeaten record and it was to their nearest rivals Highwood ‘A’. Prior to the fixture Olton were top of the table, but following their 5-4 home defeat they drop to second place trailing behind Highwood ‘A’ on average as both teams have 16 points.
Just one other result from division one which saw third placed Journeys End beat bottom of the table Ivy leaf 7-2.
In division two there was good and bad news for the three Highwood teams, third in the table Highwood KB lost at home by 8-1 to second in the table Highwood ‘C’ and next to bottom Highwood Exiles lost 5-4 at Sheldon Flights.
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The Camp Hill League played off their Ladies Singles and Mixed Doubles competitions. In the singles Bordesley Labour Club player Sue Kingdon beat Sheila Carter form Holy Souls in the final to clinch the title.
Losing semi finalists were E.Cumiskey (Bordesley Labour Club) and Jean Forde (Devil’s Club). Sue then made it a terrific double when she teamed up with Luis Barberan to win the doubles knockout. Runners up were Ann and Mick O’Sullivan from Holy Souls.
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Birchmoor Club remain in the number one spot in division one of the Pip Club League after a convincing 7-1 win away to bottom team Two Gates Club. Wilnecote stay hot on the heels of the leaders with a 5-3 win at Tamworth Motor Spares keeping them within one point of Birchmoor.
The top four teams in division two all won, with big wins for the top three, leaders J W Belgrave winning 11-5 at Old Liberal, second placed Sports Bar ‘180’ having a 12-4 win at Bulls Head ‘B’ (Polesworth) and Pip Club won their home game with Globe ‘B’ 10-6. Globe ‘A’ are fourth and they had a much closer 9-7 win as hosts to Gate (Amington) who are fifth.
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