There was not only local pride to play for when Warwickshire took on West Midlands in the second fixture of the season in the Premier Division of the BDO Inter County Championships but also both teams after losing their opening fixtures of the campaign were eager to get a win under their belt and West Midlands keen to avenge last season’s 19-17 defeat.
There were mixed fortunes for both teams in Saturday’s ‘B’ games as Warwickshire opened up the ladies game with a 3-1 win for Angela Jones against Heather Wright only to see Kat McLean continue her bright start to playing for the West Midlands as she won 3-1 against Donna Pinch, Kat taking the teams match award for her 21.01 average.
West Midlands went ahead in the third when Shellbie Simmons won 3-0 against Chloe McKivett, however the away teams lead was quickly cancelled out as Marian Conway won the Warwickshire ladies match award for her 18.79 average in a straight 3-0 win over Shannon Hall.
Elizabeth Arnold was taken to a deciding leg by Melanie Jones but won the leg for a 3-2 win to take West Midlands into a 3-2 lead and the final game saw Jacqueline Maiden (West Midlands) beat Helen Rigg 3-0 to put the final score at 4-2 to West Midlands.
Warwickshire got off to a fine start in the men’s ‘B’ game as James Hykin began a trio of wins when he beat Alfie Jacques 4-2 then man of the match Tom Martin made it 2-0 when he won 4-3 against Avtar Singh. Martin went 3-0 up but was pegged back to level terms by Singh before he won the deciding leg in seventeen darts for a 25.52 average. Taking the score to 3-0 was David Hill who accounted for Jonathan Platt with a 4-1 result.
Shane Price was West Midlands first winner but he had to work hard for his win as Anthony West opened up leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before he went on to not only win the game 4-2 but also take the match award for his 28.44 average.
Trevor Brennan looked as though he would reduce the arrears even further for West Midlands when he went 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 up against Mark Strong, but the Warwickshire player lived up to his name and was too strong for Brennan as he finished the 4-3 winner.
By the middle of the match West Midlands had drawn to within two games of their opponents as their Paul Wells rounded off the half with a 4-1 win over Carl Green.
Robert Comben got Warwickshire back onto winning ways as he began the second half with a 4-1 win over Steve Gillam, then after going 2-0 and 3-1 down to Stephen Jones Karl Reynolds (Warwickshire) responded brilliantly to win the last three legs and the game 4-3 to take his team’s lead to 6-2.
Jack Wareing opened up a 3-0 lead over Martin Greenwood, his final two throws in the fourth saw him hit 100 and check out on 125 for not only a personal 4-0 win but at the same time making sure of the points for his team as they now held an unassailable 7-2 lead.
Mark Dyke (West Midlands) pegged Mark Carter back to level terms three times before he finally lost out 4-3, however in the penultimate game of the day the away side chalked up their third winner in the shape of Matthew Coleman who beat Ashley Hykin 4-2. With a final 4-3 win for Tommy Ryan against Danny Coyle the result was a 9-3 win for Warwickshire taking the running total to nine each after the first day’s play.
For a seventh consecutive fixture and a second successive time this season Sue Gulliver won the ladies ‘A’ match award as she opened up with a straight 3-0 win over Cheryl Alcock in 22,25 and 21 darts to give her a 22.10 average. Lisa Badger cancelled out Gulliver’s win when she beat Caroline Pike 3-1 and take the West Midlands match award for her 17.41 average, then with a further 3-2 win from Gemma Barrett against Kat Spanswick West Midlands had opened up a 2-1 lead.
Nina Bolt lost the first leg to Kath Jenkins but won the next three for a 3-1 win and although Wendy Adams took leads of 1-0 and 2-1, which included a 112 game shot in the third leg against Debbie Loon, it was Loon who got the close 3-2 win.
The outcome of the game was now resting on the last two players Natalie Gilbert (Warwickshire) and Sarah Roberts. Natalie Gilbert responded in super fashion to win 3-1 and earn her team their second successive 3-3 draw of the season.
Ted Evetts had a superb man of the match award average of 32.34 in the curtain raiser away to reigning champions Yorkshire and unbelievably he surpassed that with an outstanding performance against West Midlands Rob Smith when he recorded an amazing 37.27 average to take the team’s match award for the second time in as many games. Evetts lost the first leg in 12 darts he then drew level in 13 and went 3-1 up with further winning legs of 11 and 18 darts. Smith won the fifth in 14 darts but with a similar 14 darts leg Ted Evetts wrapped up a very clear-cut 4-2 win and a remarkable average, on the day the best in the BDO Premier Division.
Gavin Baker with outshots of 100 and 102 restored parity for the West Midlands when he beat Noel Grant 4-1 but a 4-1 win from Nigel Heydon over Kevin Harris reinstated Warwickshire’s lead. Steve Hine and Mark Craddock (West Midlands) battled out a hard fought 4-3 result with the former getting the honours to open up a 3-1 lead for the hosts.
Jonathan Plat went two up against former West Midlands man Dean Stewart but it was Stewart who got the 4-2 verdict before Glen McGrandle (West Midlands) rounded off the half with a 4-0 win over Charlie Symons to take the score to 4-2 in Warwickshire’s favour.
Mark Westgarth made short work of an out of form Paul Simmons, his 4-0 win extending Warwickshire’s lead to 5-2 and with Ian Shaw coming from 1-0 and 2-1 down to Adam Edgar and winning 4-2 the home side were assured of at the worst a draw.
Game number nine produced West Midlands man of the match in the form of Scott Baker whose winning legs in 17,15,17 and 14 darts saw him beat another former West Midlands player Tom Aldridge 4-1 with a superb 30.78 average.
Nick Fullwell kept hopes of a draw alive for the West Midlands when he reduced the arrears to 6-4 with a close 4-3 win over Antony Allen who had gone 1-0 and 3-1 up and it appeared as though the deficit would be further reduced when Ben Hollywood opened up leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 against Ian McFarlane but with 19 and 17 darts in the last two legs it was McFarlane who won the tie 4-3 to give his team the all-important seventh game.
The final score was taken to 8-4 when Kevin Dowling won 4-1 against Matthew Dicken in the last game of the weekend to give Warwickshire an overall 22-14 victory.
The win saw Warwickshire move two places up the table to fourth with 42 points while West Midlands remain two places off the foot of the table on 29 points just three above the relegation zone.
Full Results:Premier Division:Warwickshire v West Midlands (22-14)🙁Warwickshire names first):Men’s ‘A’:- Ted Evetts 4 Robert Smith 2, Noel Grant 1 Gavin Baker 4, Nigel Heydon 4 Kevin Harris 1, Steve Hine 4 Mark Craddock 3, Dean Stewart 4 Jonathan Platt 2, Charlie Symons 0 Glen McGrandle 4, Mark Westgarth 4 Paul Simmons 0, Ian Shaw 4 Adam Edgar 2, Tom Aldridge 1 Scott Baker 4, Antony Allen 3 Nick Fullwell 4, Ian McFarlane 4 Ben Hollywood 3, Kevin Dowling 4 Matthew Dicken 1, Men’s ‘B’:- James Hykin 4 Alfie Jacques 2, Tom Martin 4 Avtar Singh 3, David Hill 4 Jonathan Platt 1, Anthony West 2 Shane Price 4, Mark Strong 4 Trevor Brennan 3, Carl Green 1 Paul Wells 4, Robert Comben 4 Steve Gillam 1, Karl Reynolds 4 Stephen Jones 3, Jack Wareing 4 Martin Greenwood 0, Mark Carter 4 Mark Dyke 3, Ashley Hykin 2 Matthew Coleman 4, Tommy Ryan 4 Danny Coyle 3, Women’s ‘A’:- Sue Gulliver 3 Cheryl Alcock 0, Caroline Pike 1 Lisa Badger 3, Kat Spanswick 2 Gemma Barrett 3, Nina Bolt 3 Kath Jenkins 1, Wendy Adams 2 Debbie Loon 3, Natalie Gilbert 3 Sarah Roberts 1, Women’s ‘B’:- Angela Jones 3 Heather Wright 1, Donna Pinch 1 Kat McLean 3, Chloe McKivett 0 Shellbie Simmons 3, Marian Conway 3 Shannon Hall 0, Melanie Jones 2 Lizzy Arnold 3, Helen Rigg 0 Jacqueline Maiden 3.
Hampshire v West Midlands
West Midlands have been unable to emulate the fine start they had to their inaugural season in the top flight of darts in the premier division of the BDO Inter County Championships in which they had two wins, a draw and only one defeat in their opening four games as opposed to three consecutive defeats in the current season the latest of which was away to Hampshire.
Saturday’s games saw both the ladies and the men lose, the ladies ‘B’ won just two legs in their first three games as Elizabeth Arnold lost 3-1 to Dawn Simmonds, Jacqueline Maiden went down 3-0 to Maria Agozzino and Kat McLean finished on the wrong side of a 3-1 scoreline against Kelly Palmer.
Shellbie Simmons (West Midlands) came from 1-0 down and was pegged back to 2-2 by Pennie Lewis before winning the game 3-2 and taking the match award for her 16.59 average. Shellie’s win however only delayed the home team’s victory as Nikki Stevens added her 3-2 win over Heather Wright to their score to put them 4-1 up. Nikki was made to fight for her win as after winning the first leg Heather Wright won the next two, but with Heather finding finishing doubles hard to come by in the fourth leg Nikki Stevens went on to clinch her win.
The final game saw the away team chalk up their second win as Kath Jenkins took the result to 4-2 in Hampshire’s favour when she beat Clare Cheney 3-1.
Kevin Harris opened up for the men’s ‘B’ and put the first stripe on the board for the Midlanders with his 4-1 win over David Bonnett, like the first game the next three all went with the first throw advantage Darren Barnes levelling for the hosts with his 4-1 win against Avtar Singh then West Midlands forged ahead again when Neil Pointon won 4-1 against John Large. James Nicholson restored parity in the fourth with his 4-0 win over Danny Coyle before the sequence was broken, Richard North (Hampshire) beating Mark Dyke 4-1 in the fifth. Going into the break Hampshire moved further ahead opening up a 4-2 lead when Linton Hickman added his 4-3 success against Alfie Jacques, Hickman having to come from 1-0 and 3-1 down.
As in the first half the first four legs of the second half all went with the first throw advantage Jonathan Platt reducing the arrears for the away team with a 4-0 win over David Coffin, then Nillson Pritchard restored Hampshire’s two game buffer when he beat Steve Gillam 4-1. Shane Price (West Midlands) lost the first two legs to Steve Musson but then won the next two. Musson went 3-2 up in the fifth but with wins in the last two legs Platt sealed a 4-3 win. A 4-0 win over Ben Hollowood saw Mick Street take the home sides lead to 6-4 before Steve Jannaway chalked up the all-important seventh win in the penultimate game when he won a close 4-3 affair against Stephen Jones.
The last game of the day produced the West Midlands man of the match as Trevor Brennan won 4-0 against Andy Newcombe in 24,17,15and 15 darts for a 28.23 average to take the final score to 7-5 to Hampshire.
It was not a good start for the ladies ‘A’ team as Sue Lowther (Hampshire) beat Kat McLean 3-0 and making it 2-0 for the home team was Joanne Senior who won 3-1 against Debbie Loon.
Winner of four match awards last season Sarah Roberts stopped the rot as she got her first award of the current season beating Abi Jurd 3-1 with a 21.35 average.
Unfortunately Sarah’s win was West Midlands last as Jane Monaghan and Jo Rolls in turn won 3-2 against Cheryl Alcock and Gemma Barrett and rounding off a 5-1 win for the home team was Tracy North who won 3-0 against Lisa Badger.
The honours were shared in the first half of the men’s ‘A’ game with the advantage swaying one way then the other. West Midlands took the early lead as Adam Edgar opened up with a 4-3 win over Mick Savvery. Hampshire then took two in a row with Graham Chalk beating Glen McGrandle 4-1 and Paul Winter winning 4-2 against Paul Wells.
Scott Baker’s 4-0 win over Robin Hathaway levelled the score at 2-2 before the visitors took the lead again in the fifth when Gareth Watts won 4-1 against Stephen Phipps.
By the midway point of the game it was all square as Mike Gillet made it three each with his 4-1 win over Shaun Carroll.
Kevin Bambrick kicked off the second half in style for the West Midlands as he handed out a 4-0 whitewash to Luke Getty with winning legs of 18,18,14 and 15 darts to earn him the man of the match award for a terrific 30.83 average.
From 4-3 up the West Midlands stormed into a winning 7-3 lead as Matthew Coleman, Gavin Baker and Ian Jones in turn all won 4-1 against Troy Butler, Mike Symes and Andy Mitchell.
The final score was taken to 7-5 when in the last two games of the weekend Chas Barstow beat Matthew Dicken 4-1 ad Gary Stafford won 4-3 against Mark Craddock in what was a very close game.
Now with three defeats in as many games West Midands are in desperate need of a win as they lie perilously close to the relegation zone being just four points to the good on next to bottom Cheshire and only six points ahead of bottom team Essex.
Full Results: Division Three:Hampshire v West Midlands (21-15)🙁Hampshire names first):Men’s ‘A’:- Mick Savvery 3 Adam Edgar 4, Graham Chalk 4 Glen McGrandle 1, Paul Winter 4 Paul Wells 2, Robin Hathaway 0 Scott Baker 4, Stephen Phipps 1 Gareth Watts 4, Mike Gillet 4 Shaun Carroll 1, Luke Getty 0 Kevin Bambrick 4, Troy Butler 1 Matthew Coleman 4, Mike Symes 1 Gavin Baker 4, Andy Mitchell 1 Ian Jones 4, Chas Barstow 4 Matthew Dicken 1, Gary Stafford 4 Mark Craddock 3, Men’s ‘B’:- David Bonnett 1 Kevin Harris 4, Darren Barnes 4 Avtar Singh 1, John Large 1 Neil Pointon 4, James Nicholson 4 Danny Coyle 0, Richard North 4 Mark Dyke 1, Linton Hickman 4 Alfie Jacques 3, David Coffin 0 Jonathan Platt 4, Nillson Pritchard 4 Steve Gillam 1, Steve Musson 3 Shane Price 4, Mick Street 4 Ben Hollowood 0, Steve Jannaway 4 Stephen Jones 3, Andy Newcombe 0 Trevor Brennan 4, Women’s ‘A’:- Sue Lowther 3 Kat McLean 0, Joanne Senior 3 Debbie Loon 1, Abi Jurd 1 Sarah Roberts 3, Jame Monaghan 3 Cheryl Alcock 2, Jo Rolls 3 Gemma Barrett 2, Tracy North 3 Lisa Badger 0, Women’s ‘B’:- Dawn Simmonds 3 Lizzy Arnold 1, Maria Agozzino 3 Jacqueline Maiden 0, Kelly Palmer 3 Kat McLean 1, Pennie Lewis 2 Shellbie Simmons 3, Nikki Stevens 3 Heather Wright 2, Clare Cheney 1 Kath Jenkins 3.
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