It was cup week in the South Birmingham League, the league have introduced a new cup into their itinerary this season the Edna Meek Memorial Cup, Edna, who sadly passed away in early September despite not being a player herself turned up every week with her husband John who before suffering ill health played for Banbury Flights, the cup is played for by teams in the lower part of each group.
The final turned out to be a one sided affair with group three’s wooden spoon winners Toby Jug losing 7-0 to the team that finished just above them The Dog.
The Dog Team
John Meek presenting the cup to the Dog
In the Rose Bowl final group two champions Erdington Members Club beat group three winners Mackadown Social 5-4.
Erdington Members Club
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Big wins for the top two teams in division one of the Sheldon and District Summer League, leaders Iron Horse Flights winning their home tie with Pavillions 8-0 and second placed Langley Hall Sports and Social Arrows keeping within two points of Iron Horse with a 7-1 win at East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association.
The Harvester were held to a 4-4 draw by fourth placed Iron Horse Arrows in division two but hold on to pole position with a three points lead over second placed The Pirates who won 5-3 at Sheldon Dukes and have a game in hand on the top team.
A 6-2 home win over Yardley Ex Colts guarantee’s Highwood KB’s the division three title as they have three games still to play and a three points lead over second in the table Crown Arrows who only have one remaining fixture.
Small Heath Amateur Gardeners did their title hopes no harm as they handed out an 8-0 whitewash to their hosts Langley Hall Sports and Social Flights to keep them four points to the good on Ridgemere Flights who have a game in hand.
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The Four Oaks and District League kicked off their new season with the preliminary round of their Brian Goodman Cup, the biggest winners of the round were St Thomas’s Social Club who beat Rosey Mac’s 8-1. Last season’s Boldmere St Mike’s lost their final game of the campaign and the title and gifted it to The Beehive, there was a little compensation for them as they hosted The Boat (formerly The Beehive) in the cup and beat them 6-3.
Other teams to win through to the next round were Plough and Arrows, Boldmere Tap, Old Oscott Arrows, Pint Pot Flights, Erdington Club, Bishop Vesey and Golden Hind.
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The Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club Singles League staged a division knockout and due to the lack of numbers played it as a Round Robin affair. Winner of the premiership group was Paul Sunner, the championship division Alan Wale and division one Dave Brown, all three winners having won two games the title was decided on average and Paul Sunner with five winning legs to Alan Wale and Dave Brown’s four was declared the winner.
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Cotterills Lane Club with a 6-1 win at Wagon and Horses in the Camp Hill League took their unbeaten run to eight games and in the process extended their lead at the top of the table to four points as second placed Holy Gulp lost 4-3 away to Hay Mills Social Club, Holy Gulp and Hay Mills are now both on 12 points, Cotterills have 16.
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Chris Thomas has taken his points tally to 29 at the top of the Shirley Red Lion Premier League after beating Mark Cater 3-0 and Dave Hesketh 3-1 in which he hit a maximum. Andy Hoy lost his second place as he was held to 2-2 draws by both Mick Bown and Mark Gwalchmai and with 23 points drops to fifth place. Taking over the number two spot is reigning champion Mick Gorst whose 3-1 win over Mark Gwalchmai and 3-0 success against Steve Sidwell has put him within five points of Thomas with a game in hand. Third in the table Mick Bown is also on 24 points with Paul Higgins on 23 in fourth place.
In addition to the 180 hit by Thomas there were four others coming from Brian Lawton, Paul Higgins, Mick Bown and Andy Hoy.
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Week 20 saw current leader of the Winmau Centre Thursday Night Champions League Kevin Harris lose 4-3 to fourth in the table Robert Pierce giving him a total of 187 points from 36 games. Louis Burley in second place also suffered a 4-3 defeat in his tie with Martin East who is in the bottom half of the table however Burley did recover to win by the same margin against Chris Fox to give him 185 points from 35 games. Current champion Mick Baker in third place is still in with a tremendous opportunity of retaining his title as he added a 7-0 win over Liam Baker and a 5-2 success against Chris Manoila to take his tally to 173 but he has played four games fewer than Harris and three less than Burley.
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The first round of the League Cup was on the fixture card for the Brierley Hill Monday Night League and Blue Brick progressed to round two with a fantastic 9-0 win over Roebuck. League champions Dudley Sports ‘C’, who lost just one of their thirty league fixtures finished on the wrong side of a 5-4 result away to Pensnett Liberal Club who finished the season some six places and 26 points behind Dudley Sports ‘C’, also winning through to round two were Dudley Sports ‘A’, The Bell, New Talbot, The Swan, High Acres and The Bridge.
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There were defeats for the top two teams in division two of the Kings Norton League as leaders Rubery RBL lost 4-3 away to third in the table Grant Arms and second placed Weoley Hill Cricket Club lost by the same scoreline at Cotteridge Social, nevertheless Rubery have won the divisional title as Weoley have completed their fixtures and Grant Arms like Rubery still have one game to play but cannot catch Rubery on average but could take the runners up place from Weoley.
The results from division one saw no change in the league positions E57’s 6-1 win over Reds giving them the runners up spot eight points behind champions Court Oak who still have one game to play.
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An 8-1 win over Gulp Tribe leaves East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association as the only undefeated team in the Small Heath League after only two fixtures. Cob’s Bar like Gulp Tribe also lost for the first time as they were beaten by Mitre, again the score was 8-1 leaving Mitre second in the table two points behind East Birmingham.
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The Winmau Centre Monday Night League have got their new season underway and the early pacesetters are What’s The Point who have amassed a total of 85 points from their opening two games and a lead of ten over their nearest rivals The Outcasts with third placed Supermongs another one point adrift.
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The Aston League have completed week one of their fixtures and roaring into the number one spot is Red Lion with an 8-1 win over St Thomas’s Club. Kingstanding Ex Serviceman’s Club are just one leg of average short of the leaders after their 7-2 home win over Erdington Club.
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With games fast running out just two points separate the top five teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League. Current leaders Ten Arches ‘B’ did their title hopes no harm as they handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts Kingswinford Conservative Club to keep them just ahead of Brickmakers Arms on average after they won 8-1 at Crestwood, both of the top two teams are on 64 points with the leaders having played one game more than the three teams nearest them Brickmakers, Ashwood and Ten Arches ‘A’. Fifth placed Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) won 7-2 at Garibaldi to give them 62 points but they have a game in hand on the three teams above them and two in hand on Ten Arches ‘B’ and could well make a late run to steal the title.
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The Winmau Centre in the Wolverhampton Indoor Community Sports Stadium will be staging an Open Darts Knockout on Saturday 15th October which will carry a guaranteed prize pot of £1,000 with £500 going to the eventual winner, £250 to the runner up and £125 for each of the losing semi finalists, all for just a £10 entry fee.
Entries will be accepted on the day between 11.00am and 12noon, all players PDC, BDO and county are welcome to enter.
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Brickmakers Arms have been ousted from their perch at the top of the Brierley Hill Friday Night League, their 4-3 defeat away to third in the table Pensnett Welfare Club ‘B’ seeing them drop three places to fourth in the table. Pensnett Welfare Club ‘A’ are the new leaders their 5-2 win at Dudley Sports taking the winning run to five games, they are just ahead of their ‘B’ team on average as they and Samson and Lion, who won 4-3 at Netherton Cricket Club ‘B’ have also won all of their game so far. At the other end of the table Ten Arches moved off the bottom with their first win a 5-2 success away to Lenches Bridge who replace their victors at the foot of the table.
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A 7-2 win against Crown ‘Z’ (Netherton) has seen White Horse get one hand on the winners silverware in the Cradley Tuesday Night League as they now have 52 points from 27 games and with just three more to play they are four points to the good on second in the table Crown (Station Road) who had a close 5-4 win at Bulls Head.
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A 7-0 win at Crown by Dudley Sports takes their undefeated run to twelve games in the Netherton Thursday Night League and with Bulls Head losing 4-3 at home to fifth placed Fairfield a gap of six points had opened up between Dudley Sports and White Swan who have taken over second place from Bulls Head following their 4-3 win at Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club.
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It’s so close at the top of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League that a 4-3 defeat away to Gornal Conservative Club has seen Britannia drop from second to fifth in the table but level on the same 28 points as their victors in third place.
Ashwood ‘A’ lead the field with 34 points their latest game seeing them win 5-2 away to Wombourne Cricket Club to keep them four points ahead of second placed Miners Welfare who had a similar 5-2 win over bottom of the table Hare and Hounds, then comes Gornal Conservative Club, Brickmakers Arms and Britannia all on 28 points.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League played their 3-A-Side knockout down to the last eight teams and winning through were Steve Plant, Martyn Jeavons, Arran Parsons (Penn Bowling), Lee Jordan, Jamie Daly, Allan Davies (Roebuck), Shane Yeomans, Mark Lowbridge, Cy Warrilow (Victoria), Reece Cook-Lucas, Justin Evans, Pete Taylor (Gilberts Bar), Paul Boddison, Michele Pritchard, Paul Walters (Riley’s ‘A’), Kec Jones, John McHale, Dougie Palmer (Ukrainian Club), John Newell, Richard Matton, Sarah Maybury (Boat), Lee Smart, Simon Ward, Steve Hillman (Wednesfield Legion ‘C’).
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After completing 25 of a scheduled 30 games three teams Springfield Social Club, The Bell and Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ are all on 46 points at the top of the Rowley Monday Night League. Springfield are top on average after adding a 6-3 win over Haden Cross ‘A’ while second placed Bell had a close 5-4 verdict over Fairfield, Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ reduced the average deficit on the top two with a 7-2 win over their ‘B’ team.
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There were 6-1 wins for both The Nutan and Lanesfield RBL in the 301 League of the Bilston and District League, while in the 501 league The Nutan and Allens Sports Bar ‘B’ were 3-0 winners in turn against White Hart and Triangle/
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Cleveland Arms extended their average lead over second placed Whitmore Reans WMC in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League when they beat Jones Road 6-1 while their rivals had a much closer 4-3 win away to Brewood British Legion. There were defeats for both third and fourth placed Riley’s ‘A’ and Riley’s ‘B’ as in turn they lost 5-2 and 4-3 to Moreton and Claregate.
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There was a top of the table clash in the Wednesbury and Darlaston Wednesday Night League when leaders Staffordshire Knot beat second placed Horse and Jockey 5-4.
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The Royal, Albrighton will be staging knockout number six when on the 17th December they stage their Christmas Open, entry will cost £5 with a £200 top prize for the winner plus £100 for the runner up and £35 for the losing semi finalists based on 32 plus entries. Anyone requiring any further information should contact Simon Pritchard on 07933-246173.
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I would like to thank the Directors of Holdens Brewery, George Street, Woodsetton, Dudley for agreeing to take up the sponsorship of the Birmingham Mail weekly darts column. Last year the brewery celebrated its centenary, one hundred years of brewery traditional Black Country real ales it’s a real privilege and pleasure to be associated with such a well established Black Country business.
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