Warwickshire’s final away fixture in the Premier Division of the BDO Inter County Championships was against Hampshire, and on recent form and league positions was a game that they should have won, but didn’t as they finished on the wrong side of the 21-15 scoreline.
Saturday’s results gave Warwickshire their worst start to any fixture this season as after the ‘B’ teams games they trailed 13-5. The ladies suffered their biggest defeat in 35 games as they went down 6-0 the last time that happened was on the 5th September 2015 at home against Yorkshire. The men’s ‘B’ after leading 4-2 lost 7-5 with Gareth Braham their top player with a 29.91 average.
Sunday games were a little better as the ladies lost 4-2 with Sue Gulliver taking her third successive match award and her fifth of the season with a 23.12 average. The men’s ‘A’ team made it seven consecutive wins beating their counterparts 7-5, Steve Hine taking the match award for his 27.79 average.
The defeat leaves Warwickshire dropping one place to fifth in the table nine points behind fourth placed Glamorgan and eight ahead of Hampshire who have moved up to sixth.
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It was seven defeats in eight games for West Midlands when in their last home fixture of the season in the BDO Inter County Championship Premier Division against Lancashire they suffered their biggest defeat of the campaign 25-11 with all four teams losing, the last time this happened was in January 2017 when they lost 27-9 away to Dorset when they were in Division One.
The ladies ‘B’ side lost 5-1 with Sophie Singh (19.48) their sole winner, for the men’s ‘B’ it was a third successive defeat as they went down 7-5 with Stephen Jones their top man with a 27.32 average.
Sunday’s results saw the ladies lose 4-2 with Cheryl Alcock (22.21) taking the match award and the men go down 9-3 with Ian Jones the man of the match with a 29.63 average.
The defeat leaves West Midlands in the relegation zone, next to bottom of the table on 120 points, seven ahead of bottom team Cheshire and a similar seven points behind the team above them Northamptonshire. Neighbours Warwickshire could hand West Midlands a lifeline if they could chalk up a big win in their last game which is a home tie with Northamptonshire, but to avoid relegation it means West Midlands would require a huge result from their final game which is a tough away fixture against fourth in the table Glamorgan.
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It has been many years since any player has completed a game in six darts in the Four Oaks and District Winter League but in the preliminary round of the Brian Goodman Cup that is exactly what Boldmere St Mikes B.Linnecor did as he broke with 152 and then checked out on 149, a terrific achievement. Linnecor’s feat helped his team to a 5-4 win over last season’s losing finalists Golden Hind
Reigning champions The Boat also scraped into the next round with a 5-4 win over St Thomas’s Social Club for whom K.Shorthouse hit a 180. The only other maximum was recorded by M. Gallett (Boldmere St Mikes).
Other winners going into the draw for the next round are Bishop Vesey, Pint Pot Flights, Oscott Sports, The Boot, Old Oscott Arrows plus The Digby who claimed their game against The Towers. Boldmere Tap had a bye into the next round.
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The C’s Club Double Top Wednesday Night League staged their Doubles knockout which attracted 14 pairs. In the semis Dan White and Jamie Carter had a convincing 3-0 win over Sean Healy and Ryan Beale while Louise Beale and Wayne Cooper were taken to a deciding leg before booking their place in the final.
The final saw White and Carter repeat their 3-0 semi-final result as they accounted for Beale and Cooper.
Winners Dan White and Jamie Carter with Sue Kingdon (Organiser).
Runners Up Louise Beale and Wayne Cooper with Sue Kingdon (Organiser Centre).
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The latest of the Shirley Legion Double Top League singles knockouts saw Jack Barrows, the youngest of the Barrows darting family win the event.
In round one Jack handed out a 3-0 defeat to his dad Dave and then in round two beat Sam Hicks by the same 3-0 scoreline as he finished with an 88 checkout on the bull. The quarter finals saw Jack progress when he beat last week’s winner John Smyth 3-2 and then reached the final with a similar 3-2 win over Gary Cleverley.
From the other side of the draw Sean Talbot enjoyed a welcome return to form by reaching the final with a bye in round one, then 3-1 wins over Jaime Whitton in round two and Jordan Ottley in the quarter finals before clinching his final spot with a close 3-2 win in the last four over Thomas Bent.
The final lived up to expectations with two in-form players going head to head and inevitably a deciding leg was required. Sean had a chance at a double but it was Jack who sealed his win on double ten to become the league’s youngest ever knockout winner, a terrific achievement at the age of 14.
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The South Birmingham Winter League had semi-finals on their fixture card, first the Knockout Cup in which division one leaders C’s Top Guns won 7-2 against local rivals and second in division two C’s Hot Shots. The second of the semis saw division two leaders The Dog lose 6-3 to Coleshill Social who are second in division one.
In the Jimmy Walker last four games C’s Arrows who are bottom of division twolost 5-4 to division one side The Gate and meeting them in the final will be another division one team Banbury Arrows after they won 5-4 against C’s Flights (division two).
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Week 25 in the Small Heath League produced a huge shock result as leaders East Birmingham Allotment Holders lost for the first time in 20 games. Playing away to second in the table Heartlands Club E.B.A.H.A. went down 5-4 to put both teams on 38 points however the Allotment Holders have four more games to play as opposed to Heartlands only having two.
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Plume of Feathers and The Wharf players almost witnessed a nine darts game in the Shirley and District Monday night League when the two teams met and Wharf’s Sam Hicks kicked off his game against Robin Poole with 180,180 leaving 141 after 6 darts but then narrowly missed out on his finish to seasl the perfect game. Sam’s team Wharf handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts to keep them top of the league on average with four points from their opening two games. Other teams who have won the first two games are Casey Joe’s Bears, The Lodge, Dunky’s Boys and Saracens Misfits. Lions have played just one game and won that 7-2 against Sharmans Cross.
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No change at the top of the Kings Norton League as the top two teams recorded narrow 4-3 wins. Top of the table Avenue Social won at home against Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club who are ten places and thirty points behind them while second in the table Rubery RBL beat Cock Inn to keep within two points of Avenue although they have played one game more than the leaders.
E57 and West Heath swapped places in the table, the former moving up into fourth place with a 6-1 win over Thurlestone while the latter had a somewhat surprising 5-2 defeat away to Grant Arms and dropped one place to fifth.
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Roost Rebels have played and won the first seven fixtures in the Camp Hill League but suffered a shock defeat in the League Cup when they lost 5-2 at home to White Swan Nomads who are currently fifth in the league table. In the Consolation Cup Tyseley WMC beat Sedgemere Devil’s Club 6-1.
There was just one rearranged league fixture in which Sheldon Marlborough Flights beat bottom of the table Station Wagon 5-2 to move up one place into the number two spot, four points behind leaders Roost Rebels with a game in hand.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played their Doubles Knockout at eight different venues with the last two pairs from each venue going through to the next round, winning through were S.G.Skidmore & D.Harris, J.Barrowman & M.Flatman (Ashwood ‘A’), G.Marson & N.Donaldson, G.Moreton & M.Harper (Swan), M.Rowley & R.Bowen (Bell ‘B’), S.Mills & D.Hemming, M.Garrington & S.Owen (Wombourne Cricket Club), J.Jackson & K.Sprague, L.Wheeler & A.Poole (Gate Hangs Well), A.Galeb & M.Reading, D.Haden & S.Roberts (Wilson Hall), J.Green & R,Hipkiss (Fox Inn, Lye), N.Cooper & D.Cooper (Brickmakers Arms ‘A’), R.Pierce & J.Wrench (Ashwood ‘B’), J.Pickett & C.Pickett (Glasscutters), I.Langford & B.Stevens (King Arthur).
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For the first time in the eleven games played so far in the Brierley Hiil Monday Night League High Oak lost. Playing at home High Oak went down 5-4 to Bull and Bladder who were placed eighth in the table and ten points adrift of them. As a result of their defeat and the 5-4 win by Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ over fourth placed Swan they now share the number one sport with the Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ and just one leg of average behind them in third place is Roebuck who won 8-1 at King William.
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There were wins for the top five teams in game 38 of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League, leaders Brickmakers Arms adding an 8-1 win at Hare and Hounds to their tally to keep them eight points to the good on second and third placed Ten Arches ‘A’ and ‘B’ and with only four more fixtures to play Brickmakers require just one more win to secure the title.
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An 8-1 win over Netherton Conservative Club took Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club’s undefeated record to seven games in the Netherton Thursday Night League and maintains their three points lead over second in the table Bulls Head who were 6-3 winners away to Fairfield.
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Bell’s 8-1 win in the Rowley Monday Night League at Ivy Bush has seen their hosts drop from second to fourth in the table. George won 5-4 at Windmills End and takeover the second place four points behind leaders Bell. Third placed Cradley Sports and Social had a 7-2 win over Fairfield to put them level on 18 points with George and Ivy Bush.
Loyal Lodge moved off the foot of the table with a 5-4 win over Bulls Head who drop to the bottom of the table.
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The best Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club could do in their home game against Glasscutters ‘A’ in the Silver End Sunday Morning League was draw 4-4 this being the first time in seven games the Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ had dropped any points. The result has seen them drop to second place behind new leaders Woodside ‘A’ who stretched their unbeaten record to seven games with a 6-2 win over Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ giving them a two points advantage over the rest of the field.
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After the first seven games in the Cradley Tuesday Night League three teams Brickmakers Arms ‘A’, Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’ and Brickmakers Arms ‘B’ are level on 18 points. The latest fixtures saw Brickmakers ‘A’ win 7-2 against Riddins Tavern, Netherton ‘A’ win by the same margin at Gate Hangs Well and Brickmakers ‘B’ have a closer 5-4 verdict at Netherton Sports and Social ‘B’.
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After six games have been completed in the Brierley Hill Friday Night League just six legs of average separates the top two teams. High Oak are in pole position after their 6-1 win at Dudley Sports but hot on their heels are Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ who 5-2 win over Netherton Cricket Club ‘B’.
Gornal British Legion got away from the foot of the table with their first win in five a 4-3 success against Brickmakers Arms ‘B’.
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With leaders Bombay Bob’s Boys not playing in the Main League of the Pip Club League second placed Belgrave Sports and Social Club took the opportunity to draw level on 32 points with them when they beat Old Liberal House 8-1 but they have now played one game more than Bombay.
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Studley Conservative Club fell four points behind leaders of the Henley and District Winter League Studley Cricket Club when they surprisingly lost 6-3 to third placed Dorridge. A 9-0 whitewash over Village Inn keeps the Cricket Club well on course for the title.
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Two points is the difference between the top four teams in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League. Leaders Whitmore Reans WMC won 6-1 against Swan, Compton to stay ahead of both Cleveland Arms and Hurst Hill on average while fourth placed ECC ‘A’ were one of the week’s biggest winners, their 7-0 success over Pilot keeping them within two points of the top three.
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The Black Country Premier League staged a Challenge Cup which proved to be very successful. The semi-finals saw Allen’s Bar win 4-0 against Southporthodox while Copperfox lost by the odd leg 3-2 to3 Blokes & A Cabbage.
In the final Allen’s Bar came out on top again beating 3 Blokes & A Cabbage repeating the 4-0 margin that they won by in the semis.
Mart Greenwood and Winners Jamie Hughes, Adam Edgar, Iain Mathers, Dan Nicholls, Scott Baker and Richard Duncan.
Mart Greenwood and Runners Up Andy Vellender, Chris Fox, Sam Aitkens, Rob Pierce again with Richard Duncan and Iain Mathers.
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A 5-0 win over local rivals Allen’s Sports Bar ‘B’ takes Allen’s Sports Bar ‘A’ another step nearer the West Midlands Men’s Super League title as they now have a total of 176 points and a lead over second in the table Yeltz Bar of 18 points with only five more games to play. Yeltz dropped further behind the leaders when they lost 3-2 away to seventh in the league Cradley Sports and Social.
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