Warwickshire County Darts Organisation move into the final third of their season in the premier division of the BDO Inter County Championships this coming weekend when they travel to Wales to take on Glamorgan in what should be a win for the away side as they are currently in fifth place with 114 points and their hosts are lying next to bottom with 94 points.
Lining up for Warwickshire will be Men’s ‘A’:- Tom Aldridge, Jamie Hughes, Dean Stewart, Richard Foster, Bob Nixon, Rob Hawker, William Naylor, Mark Carter, Mark Westgarth, Nigel Heydon, Simon Power, Antony Allen, Men’s ‘B’:- James Hykin, Mangal Singh, Mark Strong, Anthony West, Charlie Symons, Tom Ryan, Luke Kennedy, Carl Green, Matthew Edgar, Peter Hughes, Graham Hall, Ian Shaw, Reserves:- Noel Grant, Ian McFarlane, Ted Evetts, Simon Fairbrother, Tom Martin, Andrew Foulkes, Tom McGlone, Women’s ‘A’:- Trina Gulliver, Natalie Gilbert, Donna Pinch, Kerry Bambridge, Caroline Pike, Sue Gulliver, Women’s ‘B’:- Angela Jones, Melanie Hill, Helen Rigg, Chloe McKivett, Nina Bolt, Marian Conway, Reserves:- Lisa Deslandes, Wendy Adams, Denise Keyte.
———————————
In division one of the BDO Inter County Championships second in the promotional table West Midlands will play hosts to Oxfordshire who are fourth in the table and with both teams vying for promotion it could well be a very close result, however West Midlands have an eleven points lead on their visitors and with home advantage that could prove to be the deciding factor and take the local county another step nearer promotion to the premier division.
Selected to play for the West Midlands are Men’s ‘A’:- Gavin Baker, Michael Baker, Shaun Carroll, Scott Baker, Nick Fullwell, Sam Guest, Ian Jones, Ashe Khayatt, Glen McGrandle, Jonathon Platt, John Morris, Gary Watts, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Craddock, Danny Coyle, Matthew Dicken, Louis Venes, Mark Hampton, Dean Mills, Neil Pointon, Danny Nicholls, Mark Rollason, Avtar Singh, Robert Smith, Paul Wells, Reserves:- Michael Hoult, John Mycock, Richard Platt, Paul Price, Dave Redding, Dave Robbins, Jack Routledge, Mark Watkiss, Mark Dyke, Women’s ‘A’:- Lisa Astbury, Gemma Barrett, Kath Jenkins, Debbie Loon, Sarah Roberts, Sophie Singh, Women’s ‘B’:- Shannon Hall, Claire Hobbs, Jacqueline Maiden, Samantha Maiden, Shellbie Simmons, Heather Wright, Reserves:- Elizabeth Arnold, Kim Fellows, Kirsty Shaughnessy, Wendy Waine.
———————————
Erdington Members Club, leaders of division one in the South Birmingham League played their tenth fixture of the season away to third in the table Crown at Shard End and returned with a 6-3 win to keep them four points ahead of second placed Mackadown Social who won 7-2 at home against Banbury Club. Mackadown may be four points adrift of the leaders but they do have two games in hand and a couple of wins in those games could see them take over pole position. At the other end of the table there was a first win in ten games for Crown Arrows who won 5-4 away to fourth placed Coleshill Social, despite the win Arrows remain two points behind the team above them Banbury Arrows.
In the second division it was top versus bottom as leaders The Gate hosted Smithswood Social and the result was a somewhat surprising close 5-4 verdict in favour of Gate. Second in the table The Bell also won 5-4 in their home tie with third placed Toby Jug to keep them just one leg of average behind Gate, both teams are on 14 points.
———————————
With only three league fixtures remaining in the Four Oaks and District League it’s now a two horse race for the first division title but it does look as though the winner could well be decided in the final game of the season which will bring together the top two teams Boat and Boldmere St Mikes.
In the latest round of games The Boat and Boldmere St Mikes had home games and both of them recorded 7-2 wins in turn against Plough and Arrows and Golden Hind to maintain Boat’s two points lead over their rivals.
In division two St Thomas’s Social Club moved another step closer to the title with a 9-0 win over The Duke and with a two points lead and a game in hand on second placed Erdington Arrows must surely now be favourites to win the division, however the next match is crucial to both teams as they play against each other and the outcome of that could decide where the silverware will go.
M.Bagnall (Pint Pot Flights) and K.Reynolds (The Boat) both notched their second 180 of the season and N.Gilbert (Pint Pot Flights) his first.
———————————
It was a good week for Journeys End teams in the Forest of Arden Winter League as both Journeys End and Journeys End Flights won 7-2.
In division one Journeys End won their away game against bottom of the table Ivy Leaf and similarly in division two Journeys End Flights won away against bottom of the table Chelmsley Town, the wins for the two team’s guarantees each of them their respective league titles.
———————————
Week three in the Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club Singles League and leading the field with 14 points is Dave Humphries who in his latest game recorded a straight 3-0 win over Dave Brown. With twelve points Paul Brown and Pete Jones tie for second place Brown having 2-1 wins over Paul Sunner and Ray Turner while Jones was the 3-0 winner against Martin Cox.
———————————
It was cup week in the Kings Norton League and in the League Cup league leaders Hillyfields ‘B’ handed out a 7-0 whitewash to mid table Grant Arms, in the other games E57 beat Coldstream 6-1 and The Coppice won 5-2 against Cotteridge Social.
In the Consolation Cup Hillyfields ‘A’, who are third in the league table were beaten 4-3 by Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club who are currently in tenth position. Joining Ex Serviceman’s in the next round will be Rubery Social and Toby Jug Flights who in turn won 5-2 against Stirchley United and Weoley Hill.
———————————
Only two points separate the top two teams in the Warwickshire Men’s Super League but it is Coventry Old Ball ‘A’ who have the advantage over second placed Sutton Sports with both teams having played 17 games. Third placed Coventry Bishopsgate are some nine points off the top but have a game in hand on both of the teams above them. Fourth placed Birmingham Hillyfields have also only played sixteen games but they are sixteen points adrift of the leaders.
———————————
The Pip Club League played off the final of their Open Cup and taking the title with a final win over Birchmoor Club were Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth). In the semi finals Bulls Head took out Belgrave Club while Birchmoor were winners against Globe Trotters,
———————————
The Netherton Thursday Night League will be holding their AGM to form their new league at the Bulls Head, Netherton on Thursday 2nd March commencing at 8.30pm, anyone interested in entering a team for the forthcoming season should attend this meeting, all teams old and new are cordially invited to attend.
———————————
Cradley Liberal Club have lost pole position in the Rowley Monday Night League in a big way as they were handed a 9-0 whitewash by The Bell who have moved into second place behind leaders Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ who were 7-2 winners at Fairfield. Both of the top two teams are on a perfect twelve points from the opening six games and are the only teams still able to boast a 100% win record. Cradley Liberal were previously unbeaten, their defeat has seen them drop to third place in the table.
With the majority of teams having played six games only two of the sixteen teams, Loyal Lodge and Three Diamonds ‘X’ are without a point.
———————————
The Brierley Hill Monday Night League are up to week three of their new season and setting the pace are Bulls Head (Netherton) whose latest 5-4 home win over Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club has seen them replace their opponents in pole position. Mount Pleasant’s similar 5-4 win at home to Blue Brick keeps them level on six points with Bulls Head but trailing slightly on average. Ex Serviceman’s drop to third place on four points as are Pensnett Liberal Club, The Swan, Dudley Sports ‘B’, Portway and Brewers Wharf.
———————————
The Brierley Hill Friday Night League have just six games remaining and what a battle there is going on for the title with three teams locked together on 34 points and only average separating them. All of the top four sides had big wins in week 20, leaders Pensnett Welfare Club ‘A’ and second placed Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ both handing out massive 7-0 defeats to their respective opponents Miners (Wollescote) and Netherton Cricket Club ‘B’. Third placed Brickmakers Arms were 6-1 winners at home to Fox Inn (Lye) and fourth in the table Pensnett Welfare Club ‘B’ won 6-1 at Ten Arches but they are six points adrift of the leading trio.
———————————
Woodside continued their good form in the Silver End Sunday Morning League with a 6-2 home win over Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club to take their unbeaten run to eight games and keep intact their four points lead over second in the table Dudley Sports ‘B’ who won 5-3 at The Bridge.
It was a good week for bottom of the table Blue Brick as in their away game against High Acres they finished all square at 4-4 to register their first point in eight games.
———————————
In week 21 of the West Midlands Men’s Super League leaders And reigning champions Crown ‘A’ had a bye and second placed Landywood ‘A’ took full advantage to reduce the arrears by beating their local rivals Landywood ‘B’ 5-0 to put them on the same 115 points as Crown ‘A’ but with an inferior average and plus they have now played one game more than Crown ‘A’.
Third placed Ten Arches had a close 3-2 win over Staffordshire Knot while fourth placed Pheasant had a convincing 5-0 win over Pensnett Welfare Club.
In the top half encounter between Bridgetown Social and Chillington it was the latter who got the close 3-2 verdict. The bottom half of the table tussle with White Swan and Olde Queens Head resulted in a clear cut 4-1 win for White Swan.
———————————
All of the top four teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League had big wins in their latest games, leaders Ten Arches ‘A’ made it seven wins in as many games when they won 8-1 at Cat Inn (Wordsley) while second placed and local rivals Ten Arches ‘B’ were also 8-1 winners in their home tie with Garibaldi. Third in the table Brickmakers Arms went one better than the two teams above them with a 9-0 success at home against Bird (Stourbridge) and fourth placed Gate ‘B’ won their home game with The Cross (Oldswinford) 7-2. Ten Arches ‘B’, Brickmakers Arms and Gate ‘B’ are all on 12 points, two fewer than Ten Arches ‘A’.
———————————
The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played off their singles knockout and taking the title with a final 3-0 win over Rob Harris was Gavin Moreton.
In the last four games Moreton took out S.G.Skidmore and Harris defeated N.Donaldson.
———————————
Both Dewdrop and Island Inn took their unbeaten runs to five games in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League when the former won 4-3 against The Vine and the latter beat Horsley Tavern by the same scoreline to keep the table as you were with Dewdrop leading the field with the slightly better average.
After the top two teams comes a quartet of teams Old Hop Pole, New Talbot, Old Court House and Waggon and Horses all on six points four fewer than the top two.
———————————
English Oak with a 6-3 home win over Horse and Jockey have taken over the number one spot in the Wednesbury and Darlaston Wednesday Night League, however their lead is only one leg of average over second placed Churchills ‘A’ who lost the top position when they went down 7-2 at The Nutan who are fourth in the table with a game in hand on the three teams above them, a win in their outstanding fixture could see them go top of the table.
———————————
The Nutan, in the Bilston and District League find themselves in their usual position at the top of table where they finished last season. In the 301 league they handed out a 7-0 defeat to next to bottom of the table White Hart and in the 501 league their visitors were again unable to record a single win as Nutan ran out 3-0 winners.
In the 301 league Nutan hold a four point’s lead on second placed Lanesfield RBL but in the 501 league despite being in the top position they have played one game more than second placed Tilted Barrel who are on the same 36 points.
———————————
Week three in the Yeltz Bar Tuesday Night 501 Singles League saw a few close games with half of the fixtures finishing with a close 3-2 result. Richard Reed currently leads the table with 15 points after his latest 5-0 win over Richard Swinden to give him a two point’s advantage over second and third placed Tommy Johnson and Neil Steventon, Johnson beating Doug Richmond 3-2 and Steventon winning by the same margin against Trevor Collier.
Richard Hill produced a 132 checkout in his 5-0 win over Richard Duncan and there were 180’s for Loz Slater and Trevor Collier
———————————
After the first two fixtures in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League the early leaders are, in division one of the singles league Jack’s Bar and in division two Woodfield Social. In the doubles league The Boat heads the division one table while in division two its Yale Club who lead the way, however its early days as yet and there will undoubtedly be many twists and turns before the season is over.
———————————
The Tettenhall Wednesday Night League have got their new season underway and after the opening couple of games just three teams remain undefeated, ECC ‘A’ are top after their latest 7-0 win at The Bull with Cleveland Arms, who won their home game with Brewood British Legion 6-1 second. Making up the trio is Whitmore Reans WMC who had a much closer 4-3 verdict in their fixture at Riley’s.
———————————