Division two of the Four Oaks and District League produced a crucial game between leaders Golden Hind Arrows and Bishop Vesey. Golden Hind Arrows clinched a vital 5-4 win over second placed Bishop Vesey and now need just one more win to take the divisional title as their opponents are now four points behind them and are the same four points clear of third placed Erdington Arrows who beat Boldmere Tap 6-3.
Bottom of the second division The Park came so close to getting their first win going 4-3 up but then lost the last two games and the match 5-4 to Brookvale Social.
The first division title contenders Boldmere St Mikes and The Beehive put in strong performances this week both winning 8-1 against respective opponents Boldmere Sports and Social and Old Oscott Arrows to leave St Mikes two points ahead of Beehive who have a game in hand.
M.Compton (Old Oscott Arrows) hit his fifth 180 of the season and M.Wild (Boldmere St Mikes) his third, G.Kimberley (Golden Hind) and D.Quirk (Boldmere Tap) also recorded maximums.
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With one game to the halfway mark in the Shirley and District Monday Night League’s season Highwood took their unbeaten run to ten games when they handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their local rivals Highwood Bears and at the same time maintained their two points lead over second placed Shirley Red Lion who were 7-2 winners at home against Shirley Legionnaires. Reigning champions Crown Jewels are third two points behind Red Lion after an 8-1 win over Cider House.
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A 6-3 win by The Dog over The Gate in division two of the South Birmingham League has taken them into pole position leading Banbury Flights on average as both teams are on 20 points but Banbury have played one game fewer than The Dog and with games fast running out neither of the teams can afford to lose.
Division one champions Mackadown Social added a 6-3 win at Raven to their tally to keep them six points to the good on second placed Erdington Members Club with one game to play.
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The Forest of Arden Winter League played off the semi finals of their Pairs Cup and Journeys End who are second in division one had a close 8-7 win over third in the table Sheldon Marlborough Arrows. There was a similar situation in the other last four game with division two teams Sheldon Marlborough Flights who are second in the table taking on Ivy Leaf but there the similarity ended as the 13-2 win went to third placed Ivy Leaf.
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The South Birmingham and Forest of Arden Leagues were involved in a charity game at the Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club. Both leagues submitted a select side of fourteen players and although the result was a 10-4 win for the South Birmingham League the result was inconsequential as the biggest winner was the charity the event was in aid of which was the Harry Moseley “Help Harry Help Others” charity for which a fantastic amount of £550 was raised.
In addition to the main event there was also a doubles game which saw Noreen Harris and Jack Sidwell win 2-1 against Jake and Ben Liggins. The youth game between Joe Partridge and Alex Edwards was won 1-0 by Edwards.
Another night is planned whereby the two leagues will join forces and take on the Gulp Charity team at the Crown, Olton, again the proceeds will go to the Harry Moseley Charity.
South Birmingham Select (Left) and Forest of Arden Select (Right)
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A reminder that Riley’s Snooker Bar, Solihull will be staging the latest of their Last Sunday of the Month Open’s this coming Sunday and it will carry a guaranteed payout of £110 for the winner, £70 for the runner up and £20 for each of the losing semi finalists, all for just a £5 entry fee. Entries will be accepted up to 1.30pm on the day.
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Spring Meadow suffered their first defeat in five games in the Halesowen Monday Night Ladies League when they lost 4-3 at home to The Bell. Despite the loss Spring Meadow hold on to pole position but now only on average from both White Horse and The Bell. Although they won The Bell dropped down one place to third behind White Horse whose 6-1 win over Round of Beef gave them a slender two legs of average lead on The Bell.
The Bell also beat Spring Meadow in the Captains Cup to replace them at the top of the table.
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With just one scheduled fixture remaining in the Kings Heath League the majority of teams have outstanding games still to play and it’s those outstanding games that will decide who will finish behind Court Oak as runners up. Toby Jug ‘A’ are currently second on average from both Hillyfields and Stirchley United all three teams have 44 points, however Stirchley have only played 27 games compared to their two rivals having played 29 and must be favourites to finish in the number two spot.
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The Winmau Centre have got their new Monday Night League season underway and the early pacesetters are The Untouchables who finished last season in third place behind champions What Are Thooose and Misfits. Untouchables began the new campaign with a resounding 46-2 win over Double Trouble and have a lead of six points over 3 Yam Yams and A.Stokie, formerly What Are Thooose, who won 40-8 against Keep It In The Family. For the Yam Yams Owen Maiden hit a fantastic four maximums, James Owen notched two for Is It In who won 26-22 against The Outcasts and there was one each for Adam Teesdale and Steve Gough (What’s The Point), Dave Lewis (Keep It In The Family, Euan McGovern (3 Yam Yams), Neil Salter (Here For The Beer) and Jimmy Handley (Is It In).
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Mick Gorst and Mick Bown have swapped places at the top of the Shirley Red Lion Premier League after Bown, who was previously top of the table, followed up his 3-0 win over Chris John with a 3-1 defeat by Steve Sidwell while Gorst had 3-0 wins over both Mark Cater and Steve Thomas to give him a total of 48 points three more than Bown.
Third placed Paul Higgins is level on 42 points with Steve Sidwell and Dave Hesketh but he has not only games in hand on Sidwell and Hesketh but also on Gorst and Bown and is definitely a player to keep an eye on as he has climbed up the table with a 3-0 win over Steve Thomas and 3-1 wins against Mark Cater and Dave Fisher.
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The Pip Club League played the first round of their divisional Challenge Cup and in the division one games Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth), Sports Bar ’180’, Prince of Wales and Wigginton all won through to the next round.
Winners from the division two games were Globe (Tamworth), Globe (Wilnecote) and Progressive Club, Globe Trotters had a bye.
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T & R Bar have gone from second to top of the Wednesbury and Darlaston Wednesday Night League after their 5-4 win over The Vine. Former leaders Horse and Jockey move down to second place after suffering their first defeat in four games a 6-3 reversal by third placed Staffordshire Knot. T & R with four wins are now the only unbeaten team in the league.
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Holy Gulp had their first defeat of the season in the Camp Hill League when they lost 5-2 away to undefeated leaders Cotterills Lane Club. Holy Gulp are now just two points ahead of Grange Social Club and Hay Mills Lions who in turn won 5-2 at home to New Inn and 4-3 away to Devil’s Club.
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It’s as you were at the top of the Cradley Tuesday Night League with all of the top four teams winning. A 5-4 home win over Chop House keeps White Horse in pole position with 16 points two ahead of Crown (Station Road) and White Swan, Crown winning 7-2 at Gate Hangs Well and White Swan having a close 5-4 verdict at Rose and Crown.
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The Vine have dropped from the number one position to third in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League following their 4-3 home loss against Old Hop Pole. Dewdrop with a 6-1 win over Albion take over at the top of the table with 12 points, Island Inn are on the same points after their 7-0 win at Horseley Tavern.
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Bulls Head (Netherton) were the only losers in the top five teams in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League a 5-4 defeat at High Acres seeing them drop from second to fifth in the table. Leaders Dudley Sports ‘C’ continued their good form taking their winning run to nine games with a 7-2 win at Blue Brick to give them a maximum 18 points. The Bell moved up into second place from third with a similar 7-2 win at Griffin while third placed Pensnett Liberal Club who are on the same 14 points as Bell won 6-3 at Queens Head, The Bell have a game in hand on both the leaders and the Liberal Club.
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Miners (Wollescote) trail Brickmakers Arms who are top of the Brierley Hill Friday Night League on average, but they reduced that to just two legs when they won 8-1 at Roebuck and Brickmakers were 7-2 winners at The Cross (Oldswinford).
Fourth in the league Pensnett Liberal Club suffered a blow and went eight points behind the top two when they lost 5-4 away to Dudley Sports who lie next to bottom of the table.
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Crazy Horses lost ground in the Harborne and District title race as they finished 5-4 losers in their away game against Smethwick Labour Club who are fifth in the table, Crazy Horses hold on to their third place and are four points to the good on fourth placed Avenue Flights who lost 7-2 at home to second in the table Hillyfields who join leaders Court Oak on 26 points but have played two games more than Court Oak.
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With the Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) and Quarry Bank Conservative Club fixture cancelled Ten Arches ‘A’ with an 8-1 win at The Swan have taken over from Bird ‘A’ at the top of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League, however should Bird ‘A’ win against Quarry Bank they would return to the number one position on average as both of the top two teams would then be on 38 points.
After the leading pair come three teams Britannia, Ashwood and Brickmakers Arms all on 34 points.
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Week nine of the new Rowley Monday Night League season and Springfield Social Club stretched their unbeaten run to nine games with a 7-2 win at Roost. Springfield’s nearest rivals Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ with a maximum from Dave Shilvock won 6-3 at Ivy Bush ‘Z’ to remain just two points off the top. Third placed The Bell had an 8-1 home win against Yeltz Bar and are a further two points behind with a game in hand on the two teams above them, Peter Evans chalking up a 160 break for the hosts
Other players making their mark on the night were Christopher Eaves (Beech Tree) with a 149 outshot and Jess Archer (Haden Cross ‘Z’) who recorded an eight darts leg.
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Holy Gulp got the new Small Heath League season off to a flying start with a massive 9-0 win over Moseley All Service to become the early season pacesetters closely followed by Mitre who won their home game against Emerald Flights 8-1 and East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association who had a 7-2 home win against Emerald Club.
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Riley’s ‘A’ had an upset in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League when they lost 4-3 at home to Cleveland Arms, but they hold on to pole position as they have a more superior average than either Riley’s ‘B’ or Whitmore Reans WMC, Riley’s ‘B’ beating Brewood British Legion 5-2 while Whirmore Reans had a bye, all three teams have ten points. Cleveland Arms, after a late start to the season are slowly but surely climbing up the table and with two wins from their first two games are the only team in the league that are undefeated.
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Progressive Club are bottom of the Tamworth League table but in their latest fixture against Sports Bar ‘180’, who are in the top half of the table, they recorded their second win in thirteen games, a close but nevertheless 4-3 victory.
Prince of Wales ‘A’ continued their pursuit of honours with a 7-0 win over Belgrave Club giving them a total of 114 points, Fox and Dogs who are second have 103 points after their 5-2 win at Globe Inn.
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