As is the norm over the Christmas and New Year period local leagues, pubs and clubs are involved in knockouts and 2016/2017 was no exception.
The South Birmingham League staged their Mixed Doubles event which attracted an encouraging 24 entries. The final went the full three legs distance with Mohammed Anwar and Zakia Awan just getting the 2-1 verdict over Luis Barberan and Charlie Kingdon.
Winners Zakia Awan and Mohammed Anwar with Sue Kingdon (Organiser) centre.
Both of the last four games finished 2-0 with Anwar and Awan beating Lynn Coulson and Gavin Jones while Barberan and Kingdon accounted for Diane Hudson and Mark Allen.
There was one late league result from division two in which The Bell beat The Gate 5-4.
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The Forest of Arden Winter League were another league to play off their Mixed Doubles competition in which mother and daughter Sue and Charlie Kingdon both reached the semi finals. Sue with partner Simon Edwards won their last four game 2-1 against Phil Carter and Laura Vann while Charlie who was teamed up with Luis Barberan won by the same margin against Courtney Burns and Tim Jones.
The Kingdon final saw Sue and Simon clinch the title with yet another 2-1 verdict with Charlie and Luis finishing as runners up.
Winners Sue Kingdon and Simon Edwards with league treasurer Trevor Edwards (Centre)
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For the second consecutive week The Boat defeated Boldmere St Mikes in the Four Oaks and District League, after beating their fierce rivals 6-3 in the league they won 9-6 in the Coronation Shield to book their semi final place. Golden Hind and Erdington Club were level until the final game which gave Golden Hind a close 8-7 victory. The Boot led Old Oscott Arrows until the fourth game which Old Oscott Arrows won 3-0 and despite a valiant effort Boot lost the final game 2-1 to give Old Oscott Arrows the 8-7 win.
In the Norman Day Cup Erdington Arrows took an unassailable 8-1 lead to finally win 9-6 against The Fox while Drakes Drum had a comfortable 10-5 win against Rosey Mac’s. The tie between Pint Pot Flights and Old Oscott WMC was level until the final game which saw Pint Pot Flights win 3-0 for a 9-6 result. Some excellent darts from The Duke’s G.Chamberlain who hit 2×140,121,100 and had a 116 game shot but it was not enough to avoid a 12-3 defeat to St Thomas’s Social Club.
Over the Christmas break the league played the second round of their Brian Goodman and Ken Rust Cups. In the Brian Goodman Cup Boldmere St Mikes lost the first game against Plough and Arrows but took the remaining eight for a convincing 8-1 win. Erdington Club beat Boldmere Tap by the same 8-1 scoreline while Bishop Vesey were 7-2 winners against division two leaders St Thomas’s Social Club. Old Oscott Arrows lost by the narrowest of margins 5-4 to Golden Hind.
In the Ken Rust Cup there was another tight 5-4 game in which Red Lion took the honours in the eighth game against Erdington Arrows, The Boot also won 5-4 in their tie with The Fox.
In the other games The Boat beat Old Oscott WMC 6-3 and Rosey Mac’s lost 8-1 to Drakes Drum.
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Round one of the League Cup in the Kings Norton League produced a local derby clash between Hillyfields ‘A’ and ‘B’ respectively placed fourth and second in the league table so it was more than surprising when the ‘B’ side won by a huge 7-0 margin.
West Heath and The Coppice in turn won 5-2 against Rubery RBL and Bear and Staff while there were close 4-3 wins for Billesley, Cotteridge Social and E57 at the expense of respective opponents Toby Jug Flights, Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club and Stirchley United.
On the league front West Heath have been ousted from their number one perch after losing 4-3 at home to Hillyfields ‘A’ and replacing them in pole position is Stirchley United who won their home game against Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club 6-1 to give them a two points lead over five teams Hillyfields ‘B’, West Heath, Hillyfields ‘A’, Rubery RBL and The Coppice. Hillyfields ‘B’ have a game in hand on the leaders, they and Stirchley are the only undefeated teams in the league.
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The Small Heath League played off their singles knockout and the final turned out to be an all East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association affair between Terry Webster and Colin Wyatt.
Taking the title with scores of 140,123,5×100,2×120 breaks plus an eight darts game was Terry Webster, Wyatt’s reply was 140,132,2×100 and a 100 break.
Losing semi finalists were Ashley Lattimer (Cob’s Bar) and Dave Heighway (Gulp Tribe).
The semi finals of the league’s doubles knockout both finished with close 2-1 scorelines as G.McCormack and M.Cain beat J.Frost and S.Cain and T.White and L.Robinson won against P.Webster and C.Wyatt.
The final was a straight 2-0 win for White and Robinson with McCormack and Cain runners up.
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The singles title for the Camp Hill League went to Hay Mills Social Club representative Simon Edwards who defeated team mate Pete Yardley in the final.
John Taylor, another Hay Mills Social Club player went out in the last four play offs together with Neil Parsonage from Cotterills Lane Club.
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The Averages Knockout was the order of the day for the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League and in the division one final Jimmy Handley (Riley’s ‘D’) was taken to a deciding leg by Steve Jones from Wednesfield Conservative Club before sealing his 3-2 victory.
Going out in the last four were Mark Lowbridge (Victoria) and Justin Evans (Gilberts Bar).
The division two play-off was another win for Riley’s as ‘A’ team player Paul Boddison beat Andy Busby (Dog and Partridge) 3-0.
Matt Evans (Woodfield Social Club) and Harry Small (Sunbeam) both made their exits in the semi finals.
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Week fifteen of the Brierley Hill Friday Night League saw Pensnett Welfare Club ‘A’ lose their top position in the table as they lost 5-2 at home to third placed Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ who have now joined them on the same 24 points.
Taking over in pole position with a two points advantage over their rivals is Brickmakers Arms who were 5-2 winners away to Miners (Wollescote).
Pensnett Welfare Club ‘B’ gained a vital 6-1 win over their hosts Netherton Cricket Club ‘B’ to lift them one place in the table to fourth while their opponents drop two places to sixth.
At the other end of the table there was a rare win for Fox Inn (Lye) who for only the second time in fifteen games chalked up a win. Playing at home Fox won 4-3 against The Gate (Colley Gate) to see them move two places off the foot of the table and be replaced by Lenches Bridge who lost their home game with Britannia 4-3. Ten Arches are next to bottom after their 5-2 defeat at Dudley Sports, Lenches, Ten Arches and Fox are all on the same four points with only average separating them.
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The West Midlands Men’s Super League staged their singles and doubles finals at their home venue Gilberts Bar, Willenhall. From a field of 79 players Scott Baker (Allens Sports Bar ‘A’ ) retained his singles title beating up and coming player Matthew Moore (Crown ‘B’) 4-1 in a high quality final. Losing semi finalists were Ash Khayat (ECC) and Reece Colley (Pensnett Welfare Club).
The doubles title went to Robert Smith and Jason Lowe (Crown ‘A’) who won 4-2 in the final against Matthew Dennant and Gary Watts from Landywood ‘A’ who were attempting to make it three wins in a row but failed at the last hurdle.
Going out in the semi’s were Paul Wells and Mathew Tedstone (Crown ‘A’) and Matthew Coleman and Greg Parkes.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League are three quarters of the way through their season and
despite a major upset the title will go to Ashwood ‘A’ who with 44 points from 24 games have a six points lead at the top of the table, their latest 6-1 win being at Crestwood. The battle for the runners up position is being so fiercely fought that only two points separate the chasing five teams, Brickmakers Arms and Gornal Conservative Club are both locked together on 38 points with exactly the same average with a game in hand on the leaders, Miners Welfare are also on 38 points then comes Ashwood ‘B’ and Britannia each having 36 points from 24 games.
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After completing the opening six games in the Pip Club League the Main League sees Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) and Queens Head the only two teams from a starting line-up of thirteen the only ones to remain unbeaten. Bulls Head ‘A’ lead the field with a massive average advantage over Queens Head, both teams having 12 points. In the latest round of fixtures Bulls Head ‘A’ won 9-0 against Progressive Club and Queens Head were close behind with an 8-1 win at Royal Oak. Third placed Winning Post are on 10 points.
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The Ashwood, Wordsley was another pub to run a Christmas Knockout and taking the top prize was Chris Williams with a narrow 3-2 win over West Midlands star Nick Fullwell in the final, both players had straight 2-0 wins in the semis Williams beating Reece Colley and Fullwell winning against Jamie Rollinson.
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On Saturday 28th January the Britannia Inn Sports Bar, 75 High Street, Wollaston, Stourbridge, DY8 4NY will be staging a 501 double start and double finish darts knockout with a a top prize of £250 plus prize money down to the losing quarter finalists all for a £5 entry fee.
Registrations will be taken between 12noon and 1.30pm with a 2.00pm start.
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