Luis Barberan played seven games in the latest C’s Club Double Top League to catch up with all of his outstanding games however he didn’t have the best of starts as for only the third time in thirty games he lost, a straight 3-0 defeat to fourth placed Tom White. Nevertheless Barberan was quick to recover as he added 2-1 wins over James Buttle and Richard Mills to his account before beating Duane Green and Wayne Cooper 3-0. To round off his evening Barberan then handed out 2-1 defeats to Gary Shergold and Glen James to take his points tally to 74 from 30 games.
Neil Parsonage has held pole position for the majority of the season and his two 3-0 wins over Jamie Carter and Ben Liggins took his total points to 81 to give him a seven points advantage over second in the table Barberan from the same number of games.
———————————
A 7-2 defeat away to Heartlands Club has seen Sheldon Marlborough Arrows lose pole position in the Small Heath League and drop to joint third place with Wagon and Horses while their opponents have taken over at the top of the table with a perfect six points from their opening three games. The only other undefeated team in the league is East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association whose 9-0 victory at Sheldon Marlborough Flights has taken them into second place, just two points behind Heartlands with a game in hand and a much better average.
———————————
A 2-2 draw with Ken Hopton followed by a 3-1 win over Chris Thomas was enough for Steve Sidwell to hold on to the top spot in the Shirley Premier League with 88 points from 28 games. However Sidwell has had his lead reduced as second in the table Phil Thomas added a 4-0 win over Chris Thomas snr and a 3-1 win against Ken Hopton to close the gap to just two points.
Still in third place is Mark Henderson his 4-0 win over Ryan Brogan and 2-2 draw with Mark Gwalchmai taking his points tally to 83 from 29 games to give him a six points buffer between him and fourth in the table Tom Bent who has played 28 games.
This week’s highest finish of 130 went to Trevor Carter, Steve Sidwell and Mick Bown recording 114 checkouts. Five players found the three treble twenties this week they were Leigh Clutterbuck, Ken Hopton, Mick Bown, Thomas Bent and Steve Heeks.
———————————
The Camp Hill League played a couple of rearranged fixtures this week which saw third in the table Journeys End Lions lose their home tie with Tyseley WMC 5-2. The win sees Tyseley move up one place to fourth just two points behind their opponents who hold on to third place with 12 points two short of both of the teams above them, leaders Sheldon Marlborough Flights and second in the table White Swan Nomads.
In addition the league also staged the preliminary round of their League Cup in which White Swan Nomads handed out a 9-0 whitewash to Wagon and Horses. On form for the Nomads was Dan Lee who hit a 180 and recorded an eight darts game. Already so far this season Lee has hit three 180’s, had a maximum 170 break together with a perfect six darts game, he certainly looks a good prospect for the future.
———————————
Only two results from group ‘A’ of the Forest of Arden Summer League in which league leaders Journeys End won their home tie with Highwood KB 7-2 to put them four points to the good on second in the table New Inns who won 8-1 away to Highwood Arms, they do have a game in hand on Journeys.
In group ‘B’ leaders Dunky’s Boys took on their nearest rivals C’s Shamrocks and their 7-2 result made it seven wins in as many games and saw their opponents slip one place to third on the same 12 points as second in the division Crown at Shard End but trailing slightly on average, both teams are six points adrift of Dunky’s.
———————————
Week nineteen results in the Netherton Thursday Night League didn’t change the look of the league table whatsoever but for leaders Riddins Tavern they did have their lead reduced to just one win, three points, as they lost 7-2 at home to second in the table Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who with a game in hand already have a superior average.
Third in the table Townsend Social Club fell further behind the leading duo as they also faltered going down 5-4 away to White Horse who move to two places off the foot of the table.
———————————
Top played bottom in the Cradley Tuesday Night League with leaders Brickmakers Arms handing out a 9-0 thrashing to White Horse to open up a six points lead as second placed Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ lost 5-4 at Gate Hangs Well who are now on the same 24 points as Wheatsheaf and Bulls Head who in turn won 9-0 at Netherton Cricket Club ‘B’ and 5-4 at Hawne Lane Tavern, Wheatsheaf having played one game more than the other three top teams.
———————————
Just one rearranged league fixture played in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League in which Merry-Go-Round ‘B’ beat Hayes Social 4-3. The league also played the semi-finals of their Black Country Windscreens Trophy with Waggon and Horses and Horseley Tavern beating respective opponents Dewdrop ‘A’ and Dewdrop ‘B’, not a good night for the Dewdrop.
———————————
Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club staged a Bank Holiday Monday Knockout which attracted an encouraging 40 entries. The quarter finals saw 3-0 wins for Lee Stevens and Josh Pickett who in turn defeated Alex Nicholls and Andy Bennett. The other two last eight games had very close 3-2 results with Martin Rowley beating Tom Bissell and Neil Steventon winning against Rob Powers.
Both semi-finals went to a deciding leg with Martin Rowley and Lee Stevens just getting the 4-3 edge against respective opponents Neil Steventon and Josh Pickett. The final also went to the wire with Lee Stevens getting the 5-4 verdict against Martin Rowley to take the top prize of £165 with Rowley picking up £80.
Winner Lee Stevens and Robert Carr (Organiser)
Losing semi-finalists Steventon and Pickett received £35 each and there was £10 for Tom Bissell, Rob Powers, Alex Nicholls and Andy Bennett for reaching the quarter finals.
———————————
Both of the top two teams in the Brierley Hill Friday Night League won 7-0 in week 11. Top of the table Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ won the local derby with their ‘B’ side while second in the league Netherton Cricket Club ‘A’ won at home against Delph Bell to give them 18 points and keep within two points of Brickmakers ‘A’
Ashwood and Old Star are both on 12 points and placed third and fourth respectively, Ashwood were 5-2 winners at Dudley Sports who are bottom of the table and Old Star had close 4-3 win away to the team directly below them Miners (Wollescote) who are now four points behind their opponents.
———————————
After their 7-2 defeat against The Boat in division one of the Sutton and District Summer League Golden Hind were quick to return to winning ways as they won by the same 7-2 margin against Red Lion. They finish the season with the hope of being runners up, they are six points behind league champions The Boat who rounded off their programme with a 6-3 at Erdington Arrows but third placed Erdington Club still have one fixture to play and are just two points behind Golden Hind, a win would see Arrows clinch the runners up spot.
For a long period this season Boldmere Tap have been top of division two but their final game saw them lose 5-4 away to third in the table Old Oscott WMC to end the season on 24 points two fewer than Pint Pot Flights whose 6-3 win over The Boot in their last game gave them 26 points and the title.
———————————
The Kings Norton League have got their new season underway and from a starting line-up of fifteen teams and as early as the second round of fixtures only four are able to boast a 100% win record. A 7-0 win against Kings Heath has put Avenue Social top of the table on average from Rubery RBL and Cock Inn, Rubery winning 5-2 against West Heath and Cock Inn beating Bournbrook by the same scoreline. Fourth in the league E57 are the only other unbeaten team but they have only played one fixture, they had a bye this week.
———————————
The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played their League Cup down to the last eight teams and winning through to the quarter finals were Wilson Hall, Ten Arches ‘A’, Bell ‘A’, Wombourne Cricket Club, Ashwood ‘B’, Glasscutters, Gate Hangs Well and Hollybush ‘B’.
———————————
Allen’s Sports Bar ‘A’ and Yeltz Bar march on in the West Midlands Men’s Super League, Allen’s winning 5-0 away to Landywood who drop from third to fifth after suffering their first loss in seven. Allens ‘A’ are just two points to the good on Yeltz after Yeltz added their 4-1 win away to Staffordshire Knot to their account.
A gap of five points has now opened up between the top two and third in the table Cradley Liberal Club who beat Allen’s Sports Bar ‘C’ 4-1 while Woodside Inn moved up one place to fourth after beating King Arthur 4-1 and although on 35 points, eleven off the top, they do have a game in hand on all three teams above them.
———————————
The difference between the two top teams in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League is just two legs of average as leaders Whitmore Reans WMC and second in the table Hurst Hill both added a 5-2 win to their stats, Whitmore beating Brewood British Legion and Hurst Hill winning at Swan Compton.
ECC ‘A’ did their title hopes more damage as after losing 4-3 against Brewood British Legion last week they lost by the same margin again this week to fourth in the table Cleveland Arms to leave them trailing the top two teams by four points.
———————————
I end this week’s column on a sad note as I report the passing of Alan Wale as he finally lost his battle with cancer. Alan played for many years in the Small Heath, Sheldon and Camp Hill leagues representing the Devil’s Club, Sheldon Marlborough Club and Small Heath Amateur Gardeners.
One of Alan’s darts colleagues Paul Brown summed Alan up saying “An absolute legend of a man, always full of life and laughing he will be missed by everyone who knew him”. Condolences go to Alan’s family and friends
The funeral will take place on Tuesday 11th September at Yardley Crematorium at 10.00am, departing from the house at 9.30am.
———————————