After a 20-16 reversal away to Cambridgeshire in the premier division of the BDO Inter County Championships Warwickshire were quick to bounce back to winning ways with a 19-17 home win over Hampshire onsolidating their fifth place in the table and putting them just one point behind fourth placed Cambridgeshire.
Saturday’s games saw the ladies ‘B’ win 4-2 with Marian Conway taking the match award with her 17.89 average in a 3-0 win over Jaine Heaton. The men’s ‘B’ finished all square at 6-6 with Ted Evetts their top man with a tremendous 31.02 average when he beat Conner Bevis 4-2 winning the tie with a final thirteen darts leg.
The ladies ‘A’ suffered their second successive defeat and their fifth in seven games as they went down 4-2, Trina Gulliver once again the lady of the match as she stormed back to top form with a 3-0 win over Nikki Stevens with winning legs of 19,16 and 15 darts to record a superb 30.06 average. The men’s ‘A’ recorded their fifth win of the season a 7-5 result with anchor man Dean Stewart taking the match award with his 30.54 average in which he won 4-2 against Bradley Kirk in 13,17,17 and 16 darts.
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West Midlands in division two of the BDO Inter County Championships played hosts to Northamptonshire and continued their successful season with their sixth win in seven games but the fixture didn’t get off to the best of starts as the ladies ‘B’ were handed a 6-0 whitewash. The men’s ‘B’ made it five wins and two draws when they beat their opponents 8-4, Robert Smith taking the match award with a fantastic 31.31 average as he won the opening game against Curly Connelly 3-0 in 15,18 and 15 darts.
Sunday’s games saw the ladies ‘A’ maintain their unbeaten record with their best win of the season a 5-1 result with Sarah Roberts (26.84) winning the lady of the match award for a fifth time this season. The men’s ‘A’ shared the spoils with a 6-6 result Ian Jones their top man with a 4-2 win over his namesake Chris Jones. Ian won the second leg in 18 darts and took the last three all in 15 darts and amazingly all with an 81 game shot to give an overall win of 19-17 to keep West Midlands second in the promotion table one point behind leaders London and four ahead of third placed Berkshire.
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With Court Oak already confirmed as champions of the Kings Norton League having won all 28 games so far and having an eight points lead over the rest of the field the battle is on for the runners up spot. Stirchley United must be favourites as they are currently second with 44 point and three games to play while third and fourth placed Toby Jug ‘A’ and Hillyfields are both on 42 points and have two to play.
All of the top three teams had wins this week while Kings Norton RBL lost 4-3 away to Court Oak and dropped one place to fifth, taking over their fourth place was Hillyfields with a 5-2 win at Bulls Head.
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Mick Baker with 112 points and four games to play is the current leader of the Winmau Centre Thursday Night Champions League however Kevin Harris with a 6-1 win over Ken West followed by a 7-0 success against Liam Baker has drawn level on the same 112 points as Baker but has played one game more.
It could well be that the title is not decided until the final game of the season when the leading pair will square up to each other, that should be quite an encounter. With a £300 prize on offer plus a twelve months sponsorship deal with Winmau both players have everything to play for.
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The semi finals of the Divisional Cups in the South Birmingham League went pretty much to form except for one of the division one games which saw Coleshill Social beat Raven 5-4, Coleshill having lost all six of their league fixtures so far. The other division one game produced a convincing 8-1 win for Erdington Members Club over St John’s.
In the division two games Smithswood Social lost 6-3 to The Gate and The Dog beat The C’s 5-4.
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Olton Crown division one champions in the Forest of Arden Winter League completed their fixture card with a 6-3 win over Crown Arrows to end the season with an unbeaten ten wins. Runners up Journeys End wound their campaign down with a 7-2 success at home to Riley’s Red Arrows and finished eight points behind the champions.
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No change at the top of the Harborne and District League as the top three teams all recorded wins this week. Leaders Court Oak made it thirteen straight wins with a 6-3 home win over Smethwick Labour Club, K.Bedder hitting a maximum for the winners. Hillyfields ‘A’ are second and they had a huge 8-1 win at Weoley Castle WMC to leave them just two points adrift of Court Oak with 24 points. Third in the table Crazy Horses with a 180 from S.Bourne won their home tie against bottom of the table Avenue Social 7-2 to put them on 20 points.
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Mick Bown with a 3-2 win over Brian Lawton and 3-1 success against Dave Fisher is back at the top of the Shirley Red Lion Premier League with 41 points from 16 games. Another Mick, this time Gorst has stormed up the table with 3-2 wins over Andy Hoy and Dave Hesketh, a 3-0 win against Steve Heeks and a 3-1 victory over Ken Hopton to take over in second place just two points behind Bown with two games in hand.
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Fourth placed Shirley Legionnaires were the only losers in the top four teams in the Shirley and District Monday Night League going down 6-3 away to Highwood Bears who are in a mid table position. Leaders Highwood were 8-1 winners away to bottom of the table Shirley Spartac and remain two points ahead of Shirley Red Lion who won 7-2 at Legion Royals. Reigning champions Crown Jewels are third with 14 points after their 7-2 win at Solihull Sports Club, John Sidwell and Karl Attwood notching maximums for Jewels.
Other players to hit 180 were Tony Birmingham (Sharmans Cross) and Sean Tootill (Cider House).
Blue Bell chalked up only their second win in nine when they beat Sharmans Cross 6-3.
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Played nineteen and nothing but average separates the top two teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League, a 7-2 win away to bottom of the table Cat Inn (Wordsley) keeps Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) just ahead of Ten Arches ‘A’ who won 6-3 at home against fourth in the table Brickmakers Arms, Brickmakers now on the same 32 points as Britannia and Ashwood all three teams four points off the top.
In Britannia’s 5-4 home win over New Inns M.Frost recorded a 160 break and G.Cartwright produced a maximum 170 finish.
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Dewdrop have lost pole position in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League after losing 4-3 at home to Old Hop Pole who move up from seventh to fifth in the table, Dewdrop going down to second. Taking over the number one spot is The Vine whose 4-3 win at Merry-Go-Round sees them lead Dewdrop and Island Inn, who won 4-3 against Hayes Social, on average as all three have ten points.
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The Red Lion Erdington staged the Four Oaks and District League’s Central Container Services sponsored Richard Winslow Pairs Cup which was contested by 32 pairs. The quarter finals were dominated by the division one leaders Boldmere St Mikes whose R.Hawker and S.Paling plus A.Kimberley and B.Linnecor won through to the semis.
K.Reynolds and K.Deeley (The Beehive) defeated team mates S.Harvey and S.Bettson 2-0 and the only none first division pair to advance were S.Holmes and M.Archer (Bishop Vesey).
In the semi-finals it was both pairs from Boldmere St Mikes that made it to the final and taking the title for a second successive year were A.Kimberley and B.Linnecor with a final 3-1 win over Hawker and Paling.
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Members Club were the sole losers in the top five teams in the Cradley Tuesday Night League their 5-4 loss away to Bulls Head seeing them drop to sixth place. A 7-2 win at Roost ‘B’ keeps White Horse in pole position two points ahead of White Swan and Crown (Station Road) who in turn won 6-3 against Wheatsheaf and 7-2 over Hawne Lane Tavern.
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Dudley Sports ‘C’ reigning Brierley Hill Monday Night League champions with a perfect 16 points from their eight games have opened up a four points lead at the top of the table their 7-2 home win over Queens Head plus the 5-4 defeat of The Bridge by Bulls Head which sees Bridge drop from second to fifth on 10 points. Bulls Head, The Bell and Pensnett Liberal Club are all on 12 points, Bell and the Liberal Club both winning 5-4 against respective opponents Dudley Sports ‘B’ and Brickmakers Arms.
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It was a good week for the bottom teams in the Brierley Hill Friday Night League as Roebuck who are at the foot of the table won 5-4 away to fourth placed Pensnett Liberal Club and next to bottom Dudley Sports had a similar 5-4 win at Brickmakers Arms who are the current league leaders. Bulls Head (Netherton) who are just above Dudley Sports again were 5-4 winners in their home tie with The Bell who are now only two points above them.
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For the first time in the five games played so far in the Camp Hill League Devil’s Club chalked up their first win a convincing 6-1 success at home against bottom of the table Station Flights. At the other end of the table leaders Cotterills Lane Club made it five straight wins with a 4-3 result at New Inn. Holy Souls stay on the same ten points as Cotterills with their 5-2 win over Wagon and Horses.
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The Halesowen Monday Night Ladies League were involved in their League Cup in which the local derby between Townsend ‘A’ and Townsend ‘B’ saw the ‘B’ team win 5-2. Other winners were White Horse, Spring Meadow and Round of Beef.
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The Pip Club League played round two of their Open Cup with wins for Belgrave Club, Bulls Head ‘A’ (Poleworth), Progressive Club and Prince of Wales.
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Springfield Social Club are setting the pace in the Rowley Monday Night League making it eight unbeaten games with a 9-0 win over middle of the table Whiteheath Tavern. The win keeps Springfield two points in front of Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ who have moved up one place to second following their 7-2 win over The Bell, this being Bell’s first defeat and as a result forfeited their second spot.
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Samson and Lion took their unbeaten run to six games in the Pensnett and Bromley Tuesday Night League and opened up a two points gap between them and the rest of the field when they beat second in the table The Bridge 5-2 who in turn are two points to the good on third placed Pensnett Welfare Club ‘A’ who beat Saracens Head 7-0.
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The Wednesbury and Darlaston Wednesday Night League played off their doubles knockout and taking the title with a final win over Paul Dicken and Debbie Loon (Civil Defence) were Ryan O’Connor and George Arnold (Staffordshire Knot).
Losing semi finalists were Mick James and Cav Timmins (Staffordshire Knot) plus Tom Hargroves and Kieron Stanford (Red Lion).
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The West Midlands Men’s Super League staged their play off for the BDO Gold Cup Singles and winning through were Shaun Carroll, Glen McGrandle (Landywood ‘A’, Michael Baker (Staffordshire Knot) and Paul Price (Cabin), in the last eight they defeated in turn Chris Mason (Bridgtown), Gaz Watts (Landywood ‘A’), Peter Wyse (Bridgtown) and John Mycock (ECC).
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There were wins for the top four teams in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League leaders Riley’s ‘A’ handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Pheasant, second placed Whitmore Reans WMC won 4-3 at home to Moreton. Claregate despite a 5-2 home win over Brewood British Legion dropped one place to fourth as Riley’s ‘B’ won 6-1 against The Bull, that one leg difference separating the two teams.
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Prince of Wales ‘A’ took their points tally to 104 in the Tamworth League when they beat Wigginton ‘B’ 6-1, they have a nine point’s advantage over second placed Fox and Dogs who won their home tie against Wigginton ‘A’ 7-0.
In the Players League Martin Edwards (Fox and Dogs) and Mick Chater (Prince of Wales ‘A’) are both on 27 points at the top of the table but Chater has played one game more than Edwards.
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The Bishopsgate Club, Foleshill Road, Coventry, CV1 4JJ on Saturday 26th March will be hosting their Easter Round Robin with the format best of four legs with three points for a win and one for a draw. Roll call 12.30pm with a start at 1.00pm. Cost of entry is £5 with a £250 prize fund.
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This coming Friday at the Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club, Foliot Fields, off Stoney Lane, Yardley a South Birmingham League Select will take on a Forest of Arden League Select in a bid to raise money for the “Help Harry Help Others” charity.
Doors will open at 7.30pm till late, there will be a raffle and a free buffet.
For more information contact Sue Kingdon on 07703-812332 or e-mail [email protected] or visit www.foadartsleague.co.uk
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The Bridge Inn, Moss Grove, Kingswinford will be staging their Bridge Inn Kingswinford 501 Darts Knockout this coming Saturday. For a £5 entry fee there is a guaranteed £100 prize pot plus all entry fees will be paid out.
Registration will close at 1.30pm with a 2.00pm start. For further details contact either Ben on 07914-480553 or Dean on 07725-940762.
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