Warwickshire County Darts Organisation will be looking to make it three wins in a row this coming weekend in the Premier Division of the BDO Inter County Championships when they play hosts to second in the division Lancashire. Currently lying fourth in the table Warwickshire are some 18 points short of their opponents but will be looking to reduce those arrears and repeat last season’s result when they played away and won 20-16.
Selected to play for Warwickshire are Men’s ‘A’:- Antony Allen, Dean Stewart, Charlie Symons, Ian Shaw, Jamie Atkins, Rob Hawker, Nigel Heydon, Noel Grant, Prakash Jiwa, Steve Giddings, Jamie Hughes, Tom Aldridge, Men’s ‘B’:- James Hykin, Carl Green, Dave Hill, Gareth Braham, Jack Wareing, Ashley Hykin, Mark Strong, Matty Washbrooke, Karl Reynolds, Tom Martin, Ashley Hurrell, Wayne Mynard, Reserves:- Tom McGlone, Simon Fairbrother, Dave Atkins, Rob Comben, Dave Honey, Mark Carter, Women’s ‘A’:- Natalie Gilbert, Angela Jones, Caroline Pike, Donna Pinch, Sue Gulliver, Wendy Adams, Women’s ‘B’:- Nina Bolt, Rosie O’Connor, Courtney Hine, Denise Keyte, Kat Spanswick, Melanie Jones, Reserves:- Helen Rigg, Marian Conway, Lucy Keyte, Chloe McKivett.
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With four wins from their opening four games in Division One of the BDO Inter County Championships West Midlands will be looking to make it five straight wins when this coming weekend they will take on bottom of the division Hertfordshire at the Shamrock Club, Ridgeway, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 2AD.
With 97 points second placed West Midlands are just two short of leaders Cheshire and have a lead of fifteen over third placed Dorset and with a massive 36 points advantage over Hertfordshire to make them firm favourites to return with their fifth win of the campaign.
Cheshire have an away game against London, never an easy fixture and that result plus the West Midlands result could well see West Midlands return to the top of the table while Dorset will play away against Humberside who are just two places off the foot of the table which should also make them favourites to return with a win.
With just two places to fill in the men’s ‘A’ team players already selected to take part are Men’s ‘A’:- Gavin Baker, Scott Baker, Mark Craddock, Matthew Dicken, Alfie Jacques, Ian Jones, Owen Maiden, Glen McGrandle, Neil Pointon, Paul Wells, Men’s ‘B’:- Trevor Brennan, Matthew Coleman, Danny Coyle, Justin Evans, Scott Hall, Kirk Harrison, Gaz Johnson, Matthew Moore, Phil O’Brien, Jamie Rollinson, Mark Rollinson, Gaz Watts, Reserves:- Stephen Jones, Liam Kelly, Kevin Harris, Shane Price, Dave Redding, Danny Nicholls, Women’s ‘A’:- Cheryl Alcock, Gemma Barrett, Kath Jenkins, Jacqueline Maiden, Kat McLean, Sarah Roberts, Women’s ‘B’:- Debbie Davies, Lynne Reynolds, Shellbie Simmons, Stella Sims, Sophie Singh, Heather Wright, Reserves:- Julie Aston, Kelly Doleman, Shannon Hall, Claire Hobbs.
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A 4-3 win away to third in the table Tyseley WMC was not enough for Nomads to remain outright leaders of the Camp Hill Marston’s League as their nearest rivals Emerald Club chalked up a bigger 5-2 win at New Inn to put them level on both points and average with the Nomads at the top of the table. The defeat for Tyseley leaves them four points behind the top two teams and now only two ahead of fourth in the table Roost Rebels who accounted for their hosts Wagon and Horses with a 6-1 result.
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The top two teams in the Small Heath League continue to battle it out for the league title with current leaders Heartlands Club winning their fixture at Wagon and Horses 8-1 to put them on 34 points from 19 games and second placed East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association handing their hosts Sheldon Marlborough Flights a 9-0 whitewash to give them the same 34 points as Heartlands but from 18 games.
After the top two there is a massive gap of 20 points to third in the table Wagon and Horses who with a game in hand also hold a two points advantage over both Emerald Club and Cob’s Bar.
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Brickmakers Arms have not only extended their unbeaten run to 21 games in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League but also increased their lead over second placed Britannia to eight points as the “Brit” lost their home tie with fourth placed Bird (Wordsley) 5-4. Bird (Wordsley) now join Ten Arches, Hop House and Gate Hangs Well on 30 points, twelve short of Brickmakers and four behind Britannia. Ten Arches had a 6-3 home win over British Oak while both Hop House and Gate Hangs Well in turn won 5-4 against Rose and Crown and Stourbridge RBL
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Dunky’s Boys held on to their two points lead at the top of the Premier Division of the Sheldon and District Winter League with a 6-3 home win over Sheldon Marlborough Arrows while second in the division Highwood Gerry’s Boys, who have two games in hand on Dunky’s kept within four points of them when they beat Raven Arrows 6-3. Third placed Langley Arrows lost ground as they went down 6-3 at Mackadown Social leaving them with 12 points from 9 games, two points fewer than Gerry’s Boys and having played one game more than them.
Hornet took their points tally to 18 from 10 games at the top of division one with a 6-3 win at home against North Star who are next to bottom of the division. Nearest threat to Hornet comes from Hobs Meadow who have two games in hand on Hornet but are six points adrift.
Meadway Sports and Social and Holy Souls are both on 18 points at the top of division two, Meadway had their game with bottom team Crown Arrows postponed and now have a game in hand on Holy Souls who won their fixture against Raven 5-4.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League rounded off their season with the Captains Cup which saw Carl Hadlington (White Horse) beat Simon Purcell (RiddinsTavern) 2-0 in the preliminary round and Jon Rose (Townsend Social Club) win 2-1 against Trevor Male (Bulls Head).
In the semi-finals both games finished with a 2-0 scoreline as Hadlington beat Rose and Nigel Davenport (Netherton Conservative Club) take out Johnny Green (Fairfield).
Carl Hadlington continued his fine form and straight 2-0 wins into the final where he defeated Nigel Davenport to retain the title for a second successive season.
The league will be holding their AGM at the Bulls Head, 18 Harrisons Fold, Netherton, DY2 0PU on Thursday 30th January at 7.30pm, anyone interested in entering a team for the forthcoming season should be represented at this meeting.
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No joy for the top two teams in the Silver End Sunday Morning League as leaders Glasscutters ‘B’ lost 6-2 to their sixth placed ‘A’ team and second in the table and former leaders Woodside ‘A’ went down 5-3 away to Dudley Sports who are placed fifth.
With the top two losing third in the league Brickmakers Arms ‘B’ took the opportunity to reduce the deficit to just two points on the leaders with their 5-3 win over Kings Head ‘A’ however Brickmakers have played one game more than both of the teams above them.
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After losing 5-2 to their nearest rivals Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ in week seven Britiah Oak, leaders of the Brierley Hill Friday Night League bounced back in week eight to win by the same 5-2 margin against Pensnett Welfare to keep a gap of two points between them and Brickmakers Arms ‘A’, Brickmakers Arms ‘B’ and Miners (Wollescote. Brickmakers ‘B’ had a close 4-3 win away to bottom of the table Delph Bell ‘A’ while Miners (Wollescote) won by the same score at Netherton Cricket Club.
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The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League played off round one of their Rickuss Cup in which the biggest win went to Island Inn who handed their hosts Court House a 7-0 defeat. Not far behind were Tipton Sports who had a 6-1 success at Albion. There were 5-2 wins for Waggon and Horses and Vine who in turn took out Merry-Go-Round and Dewdrop ‘B’ while with a 4-3 result Hayes Social beat Miners Arms and Rising Sun won at Dewdrop ‘A’. Ivy Bush and New Talbot both had a bye.
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The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League staged the preliminary rounds of their John Walters Knockout Cup and John Walters Knockout Trophy. Winning through to the semi-finals of the Cup were Gornal British Legion, Old Bulls Head (had a bye in the preliminary round), Netherton Cricket Club and Lamp Tavern.
Going through to the last four of the Trophy were Pensnett Liberal Club, Red Cow, Meadow Lark (had a bye in the preliminary round) and Jolly Crispin.
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Highwood completed their fixtures in the Shirley and District Monday Night League with a convincing 8-1 win over Shirley Spartac to leave them now waiting on Dunky’s Boys final game of the season to settle who will win the title as currently Highwood top the table with 56 points from 30 game with Dunky’s second two points behind with a superior average and one to play.
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Ten Arches ‘B’ gained an important 5-2 home win in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night league as their opponents Brickmakers Arms who were third drop to fifth following their defeat and are now four points behind leaders Ashwood ‘B’ who won 5-2 at home against ninth in the table Wombourne Cricket Club. Swan ‘A’ kept within two points of the leaders with a game in hand as they won 6-1 against bottom of the table Holly Bush. Ten Arches ‘B’ moved up one place to third and are on the same 22 points as Swan ‘A’ but have played one game more than their rivals.
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Neither of the top two teams in the West Midlands Men’s Super League are giving anything away as leaders Allen’s Sports Bar ‘A’ won 5-0 against bottom of the table Gunners Club and second placed Railway Tavern won by the same margin against Allen’s Sports Bar ‘C’ who are currently placed fifth. With both teams winning 5-0 the difference between the two remains the same with Allen’s ‘A’ just three points to the good on Railway.
Third in the table Yeltz Bar ‘A’ won their home tie with Staffordshire Knot 4-1 which leaves them seven off the top and four behind Railway.
ECC Sports and Social Club had a fine 4-1 home win over Gilberts Bar as after going 1-0 down to a win from P.Clarke over A.Teasdale the home side then bounced back with wins from M.Hampson, M.East, M.Baker and L.Griffiths to secure their win and move them up the table into ninth place with 52 points just three less than Yeltz Bar ‘B’ who are just above them.
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Belgrave Sports and Social Club recorded a vital 8-1 win over their nearest rivals Birchmoor Club in the Pip Club League to take their unbeaten run in the Combined Division to ten games and open up a four points advantage over not only Birchmoor but also third placed Dolphin Wanderers who lost 5-4 playing away to fourth placed Belgrave Club who are on 12 points, four fewer than both second and third placed Birchmoor and Wanderers and eight short of leaders Belgrave Sports and Social.
In the seeded one division Belgrave Sports and Social once again top the table with a perfect 10 points, Birchmoor Club and Dolphin Wanderers once again four points behind them.
Pip Club top the seeded two division their 5-4 win over Sports Bar ‘180’ giving them eight points the same number as second placed Dolphin who despite an 8-1 win over Aldergate Club still trail Pip on average.
There were maximums for Rosie O’Connor (Aldergate Club) and Gene Storer (Pip Club) this week.
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