Lincolnshire v Warwickshire
For the last couple of seasons in the Premier Division of the BDO Inter County Championships Lincolnshire have been something of a “Bogey” team for Warwickshire and Saturday’s games didn’t appear to be changing that as the ladies quickly found themselves trailing 5-0. Julie Lambie was first on for the home side and got the ball rolling with a 3-1 win over Melanie Jones. With a similar 3-1 result Layla Bontoft doubled Lincolnshire’s lead when she defeated Chloe McKivett. Taking the advantage to an unbeatable 3-0 was Heather Draper who won 3-2 against Kat Spanswick, Kat coming from 1-0 down to lead 2-1 before losing the last two legs.
Lincolnshire’s second Heather, this time Lodge took the result beyond Warwickshire’s reach and confirmed their win with her 3-1 success over Denise Keyte before Dawn Armstrong made it 5-0 with a fourth 3-1 win, this time against Rosie O’Connor who was making her county debut for Warwickshire.
The final game went to Warwickshire, Nina Bolt who won the first leg against Rosie Pilkington then lost the next two, however she bounced back to win the last two legs and the game 3-2. Nina being the sole winner took the match award for her 15.90 average.
First on for Warwickshire’s men’s ‘B’ side was Gareth Braham who lost the opening leg to Jonathon Bywater but then went 3-1 up checking out on 109 in the fourth leg. Bywater came fighting back to win the following two legs to square the game at 3-3 but it was Braham who won the decider in eighteen darts for his close 4-3 victory and then doubling the visitors lead was Matty Washbrooke who beat Marty Richards 4-2.
Dave Hill (Warwickshire) went one up against Adam Smith-Neale in 16 darts only to see the home player level with a 128 outshot then go 2-1 up in the third. Hill levelled in the fourth with scores of 100,100,121,140 and 40 game shot for a super 14 darts leg, unfortunately that was to be his last win as Smith-Neale won the next two legs to take the 4-2 result. Carl Green in 22 and 17 went two up against Dave Garner but a 118 finish in the third plus a win in the fourth saw Garner level the score. Green went ahead again in the fifth in 17 darts but it was Garner who got the close 4-3 win after both players had had throws at finishing doubles.
For a second time Warwickshire took the lead when in the fifth encounter Jack Wareing after trailing 1-0 and 2-1 to Adam Ward went on to win 4-2 but by the halfway point it was all square once again as Lincolnshire’s Ross Twell came from 1-0 and 3-2 down against Mark Strong to win 4-3.
For the first time in the game the home team went ahead as the second half got underway, Richard Selby winning 4-1 against Mark Carter but the lead was short lived as James Hykin handed his opponent Adam McQueen a similar 4-1 defeat to take the score to 4-4.
For a second time Lincolnshire went ahead, this time it was thanks to Michael Taylor who beat Tom McGlone 4-1, however once again the lead didn’t last as a man of the match performance from Wayne Mynard levelled the score. Mynard in 21,14 and 20 darts stormed to a 3-0 lead over Colin Hopkins and although he lost the fourth leg in 21 darts he won the fifth in 16 for a 4-1 win and an award winning average of 26.88.
A draw was assured for the away team when Rob Comben came from 1-0 and 3-2 down against Mick Connerton to go on and win 4-3 and a draw was how the game finished as Dave Wilson beat Ashley Hykin 4-1 in the last game of the day to give a result of 6-6.
Sue Gulliver gave Warwickshire the best possible start to the ladies ‘A’ game when despite being pegged back to level terms twice by Laura Tye went on to win 3-2, her 19.72 average earning her the lady of the match award for a third successive game.
Former long term Warwickshire player Trina Gulliver MBE was on second for Lincolnshire but playing against an in-form Natalie Gilbert she lost in three straight legs to see the visitors go 2-0 up. Taking the score nicely along to 3-0 was Donna Pinch who won 3-1 against Shelley Bontoft-Gash before the tide turned. A 3-1 win for Paula Jacklin against Caroline Pike reduced the arrears for the home team and with two further 3-1 wins for Mandy Smith and Julie Lambie against respective counterparts Wendy Adams and Angela Jones the final score was taken to 3-3.
With two wins and a draw in the first three fixtures the men’s ‘A’ team are enjoying a good start to the campaign and that was about to get even better.
Tom Aldridge began a winning run of three games when he opened up with a 4-3 victory over Tony Hill after Hill had gone 2-0 and 3-2 up. Prakash Jiwa made it 2-0 when he added his 4-1 win over Neil Ward, Ward having gone 1-0 up, then taking the score to 3-0 was Jamie Atkins who beat Shane Lowe 4-1.
Former West Midlands player Nick Fullwell made a successful start for his new team Lincolnshire as he in a ding dong battle with Ian Shaw won 4-3. Fullwell won the first leg in 11 darts, he then trailed 3-1 after Shaw had won in 16,15 and 16 darts. Fullwell then drew level with two tremendous 13 and 11 darts legs before sealing his very close win in 16 darts giving him a tremendous 33.70 average for not only his team’s match award but also the top average of the weekend for any men’s ‘A’ team game. A thought should be spared for Ian Shaw who despite losing had the highest average in his team 30.12.
Steve Giddings was the man to put Warwickshire back on the winning trail as he won 4-3 against Allan Edwards in another very tight battle which saw Edwards go 1-0 up then come back to draw 2-2, level again at 4-4 then lose the final leg as Giddings won it in 16 darts with a 101 game shot.
At the break Warwickshire had opened up a 5-1 lead Antony Allen completing the half with his 4-3 win over Gary Blades, Blades having gone from one down to 3-1 up then losing the last three legs.
Kevin Leadenham began the second half for Lincolnshire going 2-0 up against Ian McFarlane but McFarlane’s reply was wining legs of 19,18,18 and 17 darts to clinch a 4-2 win and at the same time guarantee his team of a draw.
Game number eight was another seven legs thriller with Steve Hine going one up against Jack Watt with a 102 finish, Watt then levelled in the second only to go 3-1 down. The home player won the fifth and sixth legs but the all-important decider went to Steve Hine in 18 darts to confirm a win for Warwickshire as they were then 7-1 up.
Noel Grant added his 4-2 win over Callum Wilson to Warwickshire’s account, Wilson having won the first and fifth legs before man of the match for the visitors Jamie Hughes made it 9-1 when he defeated Lloyd Pennell 4-2. Pennell with two 17 darts legs went 2-0 up but Hughes responded in 18 and 15 darts to level the game and then went on to win it in 13 and 18 darts to give him a superb 30.05 average.
The penultimate game of the weekend saw Kevin Dowling with a 4-1 result and 29.18 average beat Dave Wilson 4-1 and with a straight 4-0 win and 29.91 average for Nigel Heydon over Simon Stainton the final score was an outstanding 11-1 win for Warwickshire men’s ‘A’ their biggest win since they beat Kent in October 2003 by the same margin.
The weekend’s overall 21-15 win sees Warwickshire move up two places in the table to a very creditable fourth position on 78 points just three short of third placed Glamorgan.
Full Results:Premier Division:Lincolnshire v Warwickshire (15-21):Lincolnshire names first):Men’s ‘A’:- Tony Hill 3 Tom Aldridge 4, Neil Ward 1 Prakash Jiwa 4, Shane Lowe 1 Jamie Atkins 4, Nick Fullwell 4 Ian Shaw 3, Allan Edwards 3 Steve Giddings 4, Gary Blades 3 Antony Allen 4, Kevin Leadenham 2 Ian McFarlane 4, Jock Watt 3 Steve Hine 4, Callum Wilson 2 Noel Grant 4, Lloyd Pennell 2 Jamie Hughes 4, Dave Wilson 1 Kevin Dowling 4, Simon Stainton 0 Nigel Heydon 4, Men’s ‘B’:- Jonathon Bywater 3 Gareth Braham 4, Marty Richards 2 Matty Washbrooke 4, Adam Smith-Neale 4 Dave Hill 2, Dave Garner 4 Carl Green 3, Adam Ward 2 Jack Wareing 4, Ross Twell 4 Mark Strong 3, Richard Selby 4 Mark Carter 1, Adam McQueen 1 James Hykin 4, Michael Taylor 4 Tom McGlone 1, Colin Hopkins 1 Wayne Mynard 4, Mick Connerton 3 Rob Comben 4, Dave Wilson 4 Ashley Hykin 1, Women’s ‘A’:- Laura Tye 2 Sue Gulliver 3, Trina Gulliver MBE 0 Natalie Giibert 3, Shelley Bontoft-Gash 1 Donna Pinch 3, Paula Jacklin 3 Caroline Pike 1, Mandy Smith 3 Wendy Adams 1, Julie Lambie 3 Angela Jones 1, Women’s ‘B’:- Julie Lambie 3 Melanie Jones 1, Layla Bontoft 3 Chloe McKivett 1, Heather Draper 3 Kat Spanswick 2, Heather Lodge 3 Denise Keyte 1, Dawn Armstrong 3 Rosie O’Connor 1, Rosie Pilkington 2 Nina Bolt 3.
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