The only two undefeated teams in the league and the leading duo in division one of the Four Oaks and District League The Boat and Boldmere St Mikes squared up to each other in what was the last game of the first half of the season. Described as the ‘Clash of the Titans’ the result turned out to be a decisive 6-3 victory for The Boat despite R.Hawker taking his tally to four maximums when he notched a further two for Boldmere St Mikes. The Boat now go into the second half with not only an unbeaten run of eight games but also a two points lead over St Mikes.
There was heartbreak for Plough and Arrows, after going 4-2 up at home against Drakes Drum they lost the final three games to go down 5-4 and end the first half of the season without a league win.
So fierce is the competition in division two that no fewer than three teams are tied on the same 12 points at the top of the table and only two points separate the top five. St Thomas’s Social Club beat Erdington Club 6-3 to remain in pole position on average while The Boot and Red Lion had 7-2 wins against Rosey Mac’s and The Duke to put them second and third in the table respectively. The Fox and Erdington Arrows are both on ten points two adrift of the top three teams
I.Taylor (Plough and Arrows) and M.Archer (Bishop Vesey) both recorded maximums in week nine.
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South Birmingham League division one leaders Erdington Members Club were held to a close 5-4 win by The Raven who are in the bottom half of division while second placed Mackadown Social chalked up a massive 8-1 victory over next to bottom The Trident to keep them within two points of Erdington with a game in hand. Crown at Shard End in third place are on the same ten points as Mackadown, they won 7-2 away to bottom team Crown Arrows.
There was a shock for division two leaders The Dog as they returned from The Kingfisher on the wrong side of a 5-4 result, Kingfisher are just two places off the foot of the table. Second placed Toby Jug with a 5-4 home win over The C’s have now drawn level on ten points with The Dog.
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Journeys End took their unbeaten run in division one of the Forest of Arden Winter League to five games when they won 8-1 at Greville Arrows to keep them four points ahead of second in the table Highwood KB who were 5-4 winners at Ivy Leaf, D.Williams hit a maximum for Ivy Leaf.
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After the opening three fixtures in the Kings Norton league West Heath and Stirchley United are the only two teams to have won all three games, Hillyfilelds ‘B’ and E57 are also undefeated but they have only recorded two results so far.
In the five games played this week no fewer than three of them had a 7-0 scoreline, leaders West Heath were one of those 7-0 winners as they played at home against next to bottom of the table Bear and Staff. Hillyfields ‘A’ and E57 were the other 7-0 winners beating in turn Toby Jug Flights and Coldstream. Second in the table Stirchley United were not far behind as they recorded a 6-1 win at Cotteridge Social which leaves them just one leg of average short of West Heath.
Hillyfields ‘B’ and E57 are both on four points from two games to leave them two behind the leading duo with a game in hand while Rubery RBL and Hillyfields ‘A’ who also have four points have played three games.
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It was League Cup semi finals week in the Small Heath League, league leaders East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association reaching the final with a win over next to bottom of the table Cob’s Bar, and making up the final will be Gulp Tribe who took out the league’s current bottom team Emerald Club.
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The Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club Singles League staged their Christmas Knockout and in the last four games there was a straight 2-0 win for Paul Brown over Mark O’Donnell while from the other half of the draw another Paul, this time Sunner accounted for Dave Humphries with a closer 2-1 verdict.
The final also went the full three legs distance with Brown just getting the edge.
Paul Brown
On the league front honours went to Dave Howlett (Premiership Winner), Alan Wale (Championship Winner) and Kevin Salsbury (Division One Winner). The divisional knockout winners were Paul Sunner (Premiership), Alan Wale (Championship) and Dave Brown (Division One) with Paul Sunner also winning the 501 knockout.
Dave Howlett and Paul Brown (Left), Alan Wale and Paul Brown (Right)
Left Paul Sunner (Premiership K/O winner), Right Dave Brown (Division One Knockout Winner) both with Paul Brown
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After fourteen games there is still very little to separate the top two teams Pensnett Welfare Club ‘A’ and Brickmakers Arms in the Brierley Hill Friday Night League as both teams are locked on 24 points. The latest round of fixtures saw Pensnett Welfare Club ‘A’ hand out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Ten Arches who are just two points to the good on bottom team Fox Inn (Lye). Brickmakers Arms were 5-2 winners in their home clash with The Bell to leave them trailing the leaders by seven legs of average but importantly staying two points ahead of third placed Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ who were another team to hand out a 7-0 drubbing as they accounted for The Gate (Colley Gate).
Shock of the week was provided by Lenches Bridge who moved off the foot of the table and up three places when they won their away game against Pensnett Welfare Club ‘B’ who as a result drop one place in the table to fifth.
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The Royal, Albrighton staged their Christmas Knockout and taking the top prize of £140 was Newport man Dave Pallett who in a very closely fought final was taken the full eleven legs distance by Andy Roberts from Oakengates before sealing the title with a 6-5 result.
In the semi finals Pallett had a 5-2 win against Dave Bayton while Roberts had a more convincing 5-0 success against Steve Groucott.
Left Dave Pallett (winner) and Andy Roberts (Runner Up)
As runner up Roberts received £70 and there was £20 for each of the losing semi finalists.
In the first round losers Plate Knockout it was Will Roberts (Oakengates) with a 4-2 scoreline against Codsall’s Simon Pritchard that won the event and the £20 that went with it, Pritchard collecting £10.
Left Will Roberts (Winner) and Simon Pritchard (Runner Up)
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The Pip Club League had round one of their Divisional Cups on the fixture card and in the division one games there was just one surprising result, that of bottom team Birchmoor Club beating fourth placed Sports Bar ‘180’. Joining Birchmoor in the next round will be Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth), and Queens Head, Winning Post went through with a bye.
In division two there were wins for Pip Cub and Globe (Wilnecote) with Royal Oak and Old Liberal both having a bye.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League are rounding off their season with various knockouts the latest of which were the 3 A-Side plus the 21 and Under events. In the 3-A-Side final the 3-1 result went to the Gilberts Bar trio of Reece Cook-Lucas, Pete Taylor and Justin Evans with Shane Yeomans, Cy Warrilow and Mark Lowbridge (Victoria) runners up.
In the 21 and Under competition Gilberts Bar provided no fewer than three of the last four players, in the semi finals Justin Evans got the better of team mate Mark Lloyd, while Reece Cook-Lucas, the other Gilberts player took out Ryan Bourne (Wednesfield FC).
In the final Justin Evans continued in the superb form he had shown throughout the knockout and ran out the 3-0 winner against his fellow Gilberts Bar player Reece Cook-Lucas.
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Finals were the order of the day in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League, Louis Burley beat Tony Durnall in the singles final while the doubles title went to Paul Bromley and Mark Bromley with Wayne Horton and Adam Cullum runners up.
In the Knockout Cup final Riley’s ‘B’ won against Moreton with the Consoaltion Cup title going to league champions Whitmore Reans WMC after they defeated Brewood British Legion in the final.
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At the halfway stage in the Black Country Premier League Blackheath Beechers lead the way with 28 points, a lead of four on second in the table Black Country Belters.
Going into the last fixtures of the half Beechers were 12-1 winners at HBD while Belters had a closer 9-5 home win over Britannia Bulldogs who are in sixth position on 18 points.
Third in the table Woodside Poachers are just one point behind Belters after losing their game at Windmill Hill Warriors 10-5.
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In the semi finals of the Mile Oak Rovers Challenge Cup in the Tamworth League there were wins for Sports Bar and Globe Inn who in turn defeated Fox and Dogs and Old Liberal House.
On the league front after week five Three Tuns (Fazeley) lead the way on 33 points with Sports Bar ‘180’ on 30 in second place, there then comes a gap of six points to third in the table Wigginton ‘B’ but they have only played three games and have two in hand on the leading duo.
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As this is the final column of 2016 I would like to wish all contributors and readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.
I would also like to say thank you for all of your continued support, without you, the readers there would be no darts column.
The next column will appear on the 11th January 2017, but in the meantime continue to send through all of your results and information as you get it as it will be included in that column.
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