The Sheldon and District Winter League have got their new season underway and the early leaders in the premier division are Castle Vale Residents who followed up their opening 7-2 win over The Pirates with a closer 5-4 success against East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association. Saltley Amateur Gardeners were unable to make it three consecutive title wins last season but have begun this current campaign with two 5-4 wins over The Pavillions and the current reigning champions The Lyndon.
In division one just two legs of average separate the top four teams Sheldon Marlborough Flights, Highwood KB’s, Willclare Sports and Social and Holy Souls all having the perfect start of two wins in their opening two games.
Crown Arrows have begun their season in division two with two impressive 8-1 wins against Meadway Sports and Social and Emerald Flights to give them a three legs average lead over Maggies who also began their season with an 8-1 win over Greville Arms and followed that with a 5-4 home win against Shirley RBL Misfits. Highwood Arrows are third on the same four points as the two teams above them but trailing in average.
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Court Oak took their unbeaten run in the Kings Norton League to eleven games when they won 4-3 away to fifth placed Stirchley United, not such good news for Kings Norton RBL though as they lost their second place to Hillyfields after losing 5-2 to them at home, both teams are now on 16 points Hillyfields slightly ahead on average the two of them six points behind Court Oak with a game in hand.
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Three teams are on 18 points at the top of the Netherton Thursday Night League, a 6-3 win by Rose and Crown at The Widders keeps them in pole position on average from second placed White Swan who had a similar 6-3 home win over Fairfield. Third in the table Bulls Head played away to The Bell and like the two teams above them were 6-3 winners, however they have played and won all six games of their games as opposed to the two teams above them having played seven and lost one.
At the other end of the table Pensnett Liberal Club chalked up their first win in seven when they won 6-3 at home against White Horse to put them Crown and White Horse all on three points.
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With all the domestic fixtures completed the South Birmingham League played off the semi finals and final of their Rose Bowl Consolation Cup, the first of the semi’s saw Toby Jug, who finished next to bottom of group one lose 5-3 to Smithswood Social who are next to bottom of group two. The second of the semis brought together the bottom teams of both groups with the group one team The Bell beating Kingfisher 5-2.
The final was another triumph for the group two side as Smithswood Social ran out 5-3 winners against The Bell.
Smithswood Social
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It was Knockout Cup final week in the Forest of Arden Summer League and taking the honours was Journeys End who made it a fantastic treble having won the Division One title, the Division One Cup and now the Knockout Cup with a close but nevertheless a decisive 4-3 win against next to bottom of the division Greville Arrows whose D.Duggan notched a maximum.
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It was top half against bottom half this week in the Camp Hill League, leaders HMS Lions made it five straight wins when they handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Wagon and Horses to stay two points ahead of the rest of the field while second in the table Cotterills Lane Club had a 5-2 home win against Lady Westminster. Holy Gulp are third and they beat bottom of the table Devil’s Club 6-1.
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Keep It In The Family suffered their first defeat of the new season in the Winmau Centre Monday Night League when they went down 38-10 to reigning champions and current table toppers The Untouchables. With 110 points Untouchables are just one point ahead of Misfits in second place who had a similar 38-10 win against Barney Army.
In addition to the top two having won all three of their opening fixtures third placed What Are Thoooes also made it three straight wins when they beat Bulls Hitters 30-18 to put them on 96 points 14 fewer than The Untouchables.
Four players Dan Edmunds (The Untouchables), Neil Salter (Misfits), Owen Maiden (What Are Thooose) and Bob Lockley (What’s The Point) all recorded two 180’s, there was one each for Andy Busby (The Untouchables), Matthew Barnfather (Barney Army), Martin Wellsbury (Here For The Beer) and Alex Simmons (Bulls Hitters).
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The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League have got their new season underway and reigning champions Ashwood could not have wished for a better start as they kicked off with a 9-0 whitewash over High Acres, Brickmakers Arms, who finished last season in fourth place were also 9-0 winners at The Swan while Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge), Queens and Ten Arches ‘A’ were not far behind as in turn they defeated Bird ‘B’, Garibaldi and Shrubbery Cottage 8-1.
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There was sweet revenge for The Vine in the final of the Black Country Windscreens Trophy in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League defeating Old Hop Pole 5-2 after they had lost to them in last season’s final.
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A final reminder that the Winmau Centre in the Wolverhampton Sports Arena, Racecourse Road, Wolverhampton, WV6 0QU will also be staging the latest of its second Thursday in the month knockouts tomorrow night with a guaranteed top prize of £100 for just a £5 entry fee.
Deadline for entry is 7-45 pm on the night with an 8-00pm start, games will be best of seven legs of 501 up to the semi finals when they will go to best of nine and then play the best of eleven in the final.
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A top of the table clash in the Halesowen Monday Night Ladies League has seen former leaders White Horse drop to second place after losing 4-3 to their nearest rivals Spring Meadow who have taken over pole position but only on average as both teams have 30 points, in the Captains Cup Black Horse have been ousted from their number one spot after losing to The Widders and again its Spring Meadow who go top after a win against White Horse.
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Kevin Lane has put himself within striking distance of Kevin Harris who leads the Winmau Centre Thursday Night Champions League on 191 points from 36 game’s, Lane in second place is only six points adrift with two games in hand which could net him 14 points. In his last two games Lane helped his cause with a 6-1 win over Adam Hill followed by a 7-0 success against Liam Whale. Third in the table Mick O’Neill also won his two games 4-3 against Adam Hill and 7-0 against Liam Whale but trails Lane by seven points and has played one game more than his rival.
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Rose and Crown (Brierley Hill) suffered a shock 5-4 home defeat at the hands of the Liberal Club in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League as Rose and Crown were third in the table and drop to fourth with 46 points and the Liberal Club thirteenth, eighteen points behind them.
The top two teams are still battling it out for the title Dudley Sports ‘C’ hold on to the top spot with 58 points after a 6-3 home win against Roebuck while second placed Bridge ‘B’ won 5-4 away to Dudley Sports ‘A giving them 56 points, after the leading duo comes a gap of eight points to third placed High Acres who have also played one game more than the leading pair.
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Brickmakers Arms stay on course for the Cradley Tuesday Night League title as they won their home tie with Bulls Head 6-3. Crown ‘B’ with a convincing 8-1 win over Members Club ‘B are second on 50 points, two less than Brickmakers but no result has come in for Crown ‘A’ who are third and they have 48 points from only 29 games and so have two games in hand on the leaders and wins in those games would put them on level points but would go top with the better average.
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Little change at the top of the Black Country Premier League as the top three teams all won in week nine, leaders Blackheath Beechers kept their 100% win record intact by handing their hosts Hounds of Wynall a 12-0 thrashing while second placed Britannia Bulldogs beat Springfield Rifles 10-5 to leave them just two points behind Beechers and see their opponents drop from third to fifth in the table and leave them six points off the top. Woodside Poaches take over third place their 9-7 win against Railway Buffers taking their points tally to 14.
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Victoria were the only losers in the top three teams in division one of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League a surprising 4-3 home defeat by Chillington Club who are just four places off the foot of the table with only nine wins from 24 games while Victoria are on 36 points and have 18 wins, however their loss sees them drop one place with Riley’s ‘C’ replacing them in the third spot, their 6-1 win over Bradmore ‘A’ giving them a total points of 38 four less than second placed ECC who also won 6-1 at Wednesfield Legion ‘A’ to keep them within two points of leaders Wednesfield FC who had a 7-0 home win over Dog and Partridge.
The top of the table remains the same in division two as top team Whitmore Reans WMC won 7-0 at Moreton and second placed Pheasant with the same scoreline beat Red Lion, both teams are on 38 points with Whitmore just having the edge by one point of average. Third in the table Roebuck were 5-2 winners against Three Crowns to give them 36 points two fewer than the leading duo but they have played one game less than both of them.
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A 5-2 home win by Riley’s ‘A’ over Village Inn guarantees the hosts the league title in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night league as they now have 54 points from 30 games and their nearest rivals Otter and Vixen are on 48 points after beating Whitmore Reans WMC 5-2 and with just three games to play Riley’s ‘A can be caught on points but not on average.
At the foot of the table the bottom two teams played each other and it was next to bottom Brewood British Legion who got the 5-2 result against bottom team Dog and Partridge.
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