Warwickshire played their third premier division fixture in the BDO Inter County Championships and followed up their previous 22-14 win over neighbouring West Midlands with another 22-14 win away to Cheshire.
The ladies had mixed fortunes as the ‘B’ team lost 4-2 with Chloe McKivett (18.94) the lady of the match, Chloe coming from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against Andrea Hunt, the only other winner was Melanie Jones who had a 120 game shot in her 3-2 win over Beverley Martin. The ‘A’ side are fast becoming the division’s draw specialists as they made it three 3-3 draws in as many games. Taking the ‘A’ award was Natalie Gilbert with her 21.13 average and 3-1 win over Jane Stubbs.
Once again the men’s teams were in terrific form as both teams emulated the scores they recorded in their previous game, the ‘B’ team winning 9-3 with James Hykin (29.21) their top player and the ‘A’ with Charlie Symons, Jamie Hughes, Ian McFarlane and Kevin Dowling all recording 30 plus averages won 8-4, Dowling having the highest average of 31.97 to take the man of the match award.
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The West Midlands are not enjoying the start to their second campaign in the top flight of the BDO Inter County Championships as they fell to their third consecutive defeat when they went down 21-15 away to Hampshire.
Saturday’s games saw the ladies lose 4-2 and the men 7-5 with Shellbie Simmons (16.59) and Trevor Brennan (28.23) taking the respective match awards.
Sarah Roberts (21.35) was the only winner for the ladies ‘A’ team as they suffered their second 5-1 defeat in three games.
The men’s ‘A’ were the only highlight of the weekend as they chalked up their first win of the season a 7-5 success which included a 4-0 win in 18,18,14 and 15 darts for Kevin Bambrick over Luke Getty to earn him the match award for his superb 30.83 average.
The defeat leaves West Midlands perilously close to the relegation zone, their 44 points just four more than next to bottom Cheshire and only six more than bottom of the table Essex who they play next match, a win in that game now crucial.
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The Shirley Premier League has got its twelfth season underway with a terrific entry of 34 players including newcomers to the league Sam Hicks, John Smyth, Lee Lattimer, Dave Barrows and their youngest player ever Jack Barrows who is just 13 years old.
The early pacesetter is Chris Thomas jnr who opened his account with a 4-0 win over Dave Barrows and then defeated his father Chris Thomas snr 3-1.
Young Jack Barrows got his first campaign off to a good start with a 3-1 win over Derek Harper, he then unfortunately lost 4-0 to Colin Green but the season can only prove to be good experience for him for the future.
Paul Harper recorded the only ton plus finish of the night, a 118 outshot in his 2-2 draw with Sam Hicks to earn him the week’s £5.
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The preliminary round of the Four Oaks and District League’s Coronation Shield saw all of last year’s finalists win through to the next round, although St Thomas’s Social Club left it to the final leg of the last game away to Boldmere Tap to scrape through 8-7, Boldmere St Mikes defeated The Oscott Social 14-1 and The Boot beat St Thomas Arrows 9-6 while Bishop Vesey had a bye.
Golden Hind overwhelmed Lad in the Lane 15-0 and The Boat sailed past Old Oscott Arrows 10-5. Other teams to make it into the next round were Pint Pot Flights, Drakes Drum, Rosey Mac’s, Oscott Sports, The Boot and The Fox.
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Week 29 of the Small Heath League saw the top two teams, East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association and Heartlands Club square up to each other on Heartlands board. Home advantage didn’t prove to be of any benefit as E.B.A.H.A. ran out the 6-3 winners to open up a four point’s gap between the two teams.
At the other end of the table the bottom two teams Emerald Club and Sheldon Marlborough Flights played each other, the outcome was a close 5-4 win for Emerald to put them four points to the good on their bottom of the table opponents with two games in hand.
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Week sixteen in the Shirley and District Monday Night League provided a couple of big shocks as league leaders Highwood lost for the first time in those sixteen games when they went down 6-3 away to Legion Flights who are four places below them and have eight points fewer. The defeat however was not as costly as it could have been as The Wharf, who held second place in the league lost their home tie against seventh in the table The Lodge 7-2 and drop two places to fourth.
The Bears with a convincing 8-1 win at Sharmans Cross take over second place with 26 points just two less than Highwood and moving up into third place is Red Lion who had an 8-1 home win over Legionnaires to put them on the same 24 points as Wharf but with a superior average.
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The Camp Hill League have run a series of knockouts at the Emerald Club the first of which was their ladies knockout in which Laura Caven (Emerald Club) took the title with a final win over Lauren Ridge (North Star) while the final of the doubles knockout saw Paul Sunner and Dave Humphries (Sheldon Marlborough Flights) beat Gez Oldfield and Fred Naylor (White Swan Nomads).
Journeys End Lions representative Simon Edwards won the league’s singles title after beating his final contestant John West from White Swan Nomads.
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As the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League moves into the second half of the season leaders Brickmakers Arms had an important 6-3 away win over third in the table Ten Arches ‘B’ to move six points ahead of them while second in the table Ten Arches ‘A’ had a comfortable 8-1 win at Crestwood to keep within two points of Brickmakers who have currently won all 22 of the games so far.
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The Brierley Hill Monday Night League played off the finals of their singles knockout and in the semi-finals there was joy for both Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ players as D.Brown beat M.Hadley (Bulls Head) 2-1 and B.Carr won by the same margin against S.Baker (Portway). The all Ex Serviceman’s final saw Brown defeat Carr with a 3-1 scoreline.
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Avenue Social continue to impress in the Kings Norton League, their 7-0 win at Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club taking their unbeaten run to nine games and giving them a lead of two points plus a game in hand on second in the table West Heath who were 5-2 winners at home to Grant Arms.
Third in the table Rubery RBL are on the same 16 points as West Heath but from one game less following their 5-2 win at Cock Inn.
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After winning the Henley and District Summer League, Studley Cricket Club made it a fabulous double when they added the League Cup title to their honours list beating Wootton Bears 6-3 in the final. The Consolation Cup went to Wythall RBL after a close 5-4 win in the final against local rivals Wythall Legion.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League have played their final fixtures of the season but there are still a few outstanding games to play. The league champions and runners up Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club and Riddins Tavern completed their final official games both of them winning 7-2 in turn against Bulls Head and White Horse. Townsend Social Club take third place finishing six points behind second placed Riddins after their 7-2 win at Netherton Conservative Club, Riddins and the Ex Serviceman’s Club still have one to play.
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After the first five games in the Combined section of the Pip Club League, Queens Head and Belgrave Sports and Social remain the only two teams with a 100% win record. In the latest fixtures Queens Head, who head the table on average, won their home game with Progressive Club 8-1 while their nearest rivals Belgrave Sports and Social reduced the average arrears slightly with a 9-0 success at Wigginton Arms, Cliff O’Connor notching a maximum for Wigginton. Other players to hit a 180 were Gaz Podmore (Belgrave Sports and Social), Mark Faulkner (Globe, Wilnecote), Nathan Jackson (Belgrave Club) and Daz Massey (Dolphin Wanderers).
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With only a couple of fixtures remaining in the Rowley Monday Night League The George, who have held pole position for the majority of the season, suffered a severe setback to their title hopes when they lost 5-4 playing away to Ivy Bush who are fifth in the table and some 16 points behind George. This second defeat in 28 games has seen George replaced in pole position by The Bell whose 9-0 home win over bottom of the table Loyal Lodge gives them a two points and two legs of average lead on George.
There was a rare win for Tividale FC as they won 5-4 at Hare and Hounds, only their fifth win in 28 games.
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The Brierley Hill Friday Night League had their doubles finals on the agenda and winning the title after beating C.Pickett and J.Pickett 2-1 in the semis were R.Riaz and A.Nicholls who lifted the silverware with a straight 3-0 win over R.Colley and M.Rowley in the final.
Colley and Rowley beat G.Jackson and R,Tipper 2-1 in their last four game.
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The Cradley Tuesday Night League’s singles title went to Brickmakers Arms player Kevin Bambrick who with a 160 finish and a twelve darts leg won the final against Steve Tipper (Roost) 3-0.
In the semi-finals Bambrick with a 2-1 result beat Joe Sharratt (RiddinsTavern) while Tipper won against Lindon Bird (Wheatsheaf).
The league will be staging a knockout on the 27th November at Netherton Sports and Social Club with all monies in paid out as prize money. Cost of entry is £3 with registration between 7.30 and 8.0pm with an 8.15pm start.
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It’s all change at the top of the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League after former leaders Coseley Tavern lost their first game of the season’s eight played so far when they surprisingly finished the 5-4 losers at Pensnett Liberal Club who are eighth in the table.
Taking over in pole position on average from Coseley are Gornal Labour Club whose 8-1 win at New Inn puts them level on 14 points with Coseley but with four legs of average more.
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Congratulations to father and son Mark and Jamie Rollinson from the Woodside Inn on winning the West Midlands Men’s Super League Doubles Knockout.
Mark and Jamie overcame some tough opposition to lift the title beating Matt Dennant and Shaun Carroll, Affy Singh and Mark Watkiss, Nick Fullwell and Alfie Jacques, Scott Baker & Dan Nicholls before winning against Adam Edgar and Matt Tedstone in the final.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League played the finals of their divisional cups and winning the division one title with a final win over Dog and Partridge ‘A’ were the Sunbeam team. The division two final saw another Dog and Partridge team just lose out as the ‘B’ side lost to Wednesfield Legion.
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The Vine are fourth in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League and gained a useful 4-3 win over third placed Island Inn in the latest round of fixture, however the difference between the two teams is still six points.
Leaders Tipton Sports had a 5-2 win at New Talbot while second in the table Dewdrops ‘A’ kept level on 62 points with the leaders after their 4-3 home win over Merry-Go-Round ‘A’.
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