It was cup week in the Four Oaks and District League and in the first round of the Coronation Cup division one leaders, Boldmere St Mikes handed out a massive 13-2 defeat to Pint Pot Flights despite Flights notching no fewer than sixteen scores of a ton or more. Oscott Social Club, who are two places off the foot of the first division table, won 10-5 against Erdington Arrows who are currently second in the division.
In the Norman Day cup four second division sides met and a battling Deer’s Leap, who are in the bottom half of the division, turned a 6-3 deficit into an 8-7 win against divisional leaders Bishop Vesey, who outscored their visitors but on the day could not hit the vital doubles. Sutton Sharks led Rosey Mac’s 5-1 then lost the next six legs but produced a match clinching 3-0 result in the final game to win 8-7.
There were three 180’s this week and surprisingly all of them were supplied by second division teams, S.Abbott (Bishop Vesey), Jamie Sabin (Deer’s Leap) and L.Palmer (Sutton Sharks).
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A top of the table clash in the Kings Norton League saw league leaders Copper Fox beat Rubery Legion 5-2 to see the Legion drop from second to third in the table now four points adrift of the leaders. Replacing Rubery in second place are E57 who had a somewhat surprising narrow 4-3 win playing away against Kings Heath who are two places off the foot of the table with only two wins in ten games. The win keeps E57 within two points of Copper Fox with a game in hand.
Thurlestone and Bournebrook who are third and fourth in the table in turn won 4-3 at Cock Inn and 6-1 at home against Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club to put them both on the same 14 points as Rubery Legion.
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The Preliminary Round of the Punchbowl was on the fixture card for the Sheldon and District Winter League which produced 7-0 wins for premier division leaders Langley Arrows and Hobs Meadow against respective opponents Highwood Gerry’s Boys and Small Heath Gardeners.
The round produced some shock results as Mackadown Social (premier division) lost 5-2 to Yardley Ex Colts (div 1)), Sheldon Dukes (div one) went down 4-3 to Willclare Sports and Social (div 2), Raven, who are bottom of division two beat Hollywood Social (div 1) 4-3 and Irish Centre (div 1) lost 5-2 to Journeys End who top division two.
In the other games played premier division outfit Dunky’s Boys won 4-3 away to division one leaders Kingshurst Labour Club and in the all division one clash Meadway Sports and Social won 4-3 at Maggies.
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Dunky’s Boys consolidated their number one position in division one of the Shirley and District Monday Night League with an 8-1 home won over Wharf. However, Dunky’s are only top on average as Tippetts Bar, who have played one more game than Dunky’s are on the same 14 points after winning 6-3 against Bears who drop one place to fifth. A 5-4 win at Saracens Swords puts third placed Lodge also on 14 points, but they like Tippetts have played nine games as opposed to Dunky’s eight.
Wythall Legion take over pole position from Highwood in division two after beating them 7-2, both teams have 14 points but Wythall have the superior average. Third and fourth placed Vikings and Solihull Municipal are two points off the top, Vikings losing ground as they lost their home tie with HSCC 5-4 while Solihull won by the same margin at Legion Royals.
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Aston Inn Nomads made it eleven wins in as many games in the Camp Hill League when they won 4-3 at Tyseley WMC, the win keeps them two points ahead of their nearest rivals Sheldon Marlborough Flights with two games in hand. Sheldon Marlborough kept the deficit down to two points by winning 4-3 at home against Meadway Sports and Social. Third placed New Inn Lions had a 5-2 win away to bottom placed Sedgemere Devils to put them on 16 points, four short of Marlborough with a game in hand.
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Game thirteen in the Netherton Thursday Night League saw all games finish with close 5-4 results. League leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club lost 5-4 as their hosts Townsend Social Club reduced the arrears to just one win as they have 27 points and the Ex Serviceman’s 30. Sharing the number two spot, level on points and average with Townsend are Old Hill Cricket Club whose latest fixture saw them win 5-4 at Spring Meadow Social Club however both Townsend and Old Hill have played one game more than the leaders.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played their Singles Knockout down to the last sixteen players and winning through were G.Marson, A.Marson (Ten Arches ‘A’), D.Edwards, M.Foxall, B.Hughes (Ten Arches ‘B’), L.Davies, M.Pritchard (Bird in Hand ‘A’), G.Cooper, S.G.Skidmore, A.Smith, S.Skidmore (Bird in Hand ‘E’), J.Green (Fox Inn, Lye), M.Cullis (Ashwood), J.Wrench (Raven), A.Nicholls (Bell ‘A’), S.Hall (Quarry Bank Liberal Club).
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The Vine suffered a major blow to their title hopes in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League when they lost their home game with Waggon and Horses 5-2. Vine remain top of the league with 24 points but Waggon have now joined them on the same 24 points and only trail by two legs of average. Third placed Dewdrop are just two points behind the leading duo after they won 5-2 playing away against fourth in the table Miners Arms.
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The semi-finals of the Team Knockout Trophy and Team Knockout Shield were on the agenda for the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League and in the former there were 6-3 wins for league leaders Old Bulls Head against fourth in the table Seven Stars and for third placed Gornal Labour Club who beat second in the league New Inn.
Chainyard made the final of the Team Knockout Shield with a 5-4 win over Lamp Tavern and meeting them in the final will be Griffin who had a 6-3 success over Five Ways.
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By handing their opponents Hare and Hounds ‘A’ a 9-0 whitewash, Quarry Bank Liberal Club have earned the number one spot in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League but currently they only hold the position on average from Britannia who were 6-1 winners at Gate Hangs Well as the Liberal Club have two games in hand on the Brit and could easily extend their advantage.
After the top two come three teams Ten Arches, Bell ‘A’ and Woodman all on 12 points, two short of the two teams above them. Ten Arches won 5-2 at home against Fox Inn (Lye) while Bell ‘A’ suffered a telling 6-1 defeat at Woodman to see them lose pole position.
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The Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night League have completed their inaugural season and the very first champion is Steve Jones with a total of 223 points, ten more than runner-up Ben Johnson.
Steve Jones completed his fixtures with a 5-3 win over fourth placed Neil Wild followed by a similar 5-3 win against Jon Blakemore.
With more than twenty confirmed entries and more to come, season two has already been confirmed and players are being invited to enter for a share of over £3,000 prize money on offer (based on 32 players).
There will be a weekly £3 match fee with all players having to commit to turning up each week/
The new season is expected to get underway in January and with places now fast running out be quick and make sure of your place in what is becoming a very popular and competitive league.
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In game fifteen of the Black Country Super League there were six fixtures played with five of them resulting in a 4-1 scorelines, one of those was in favour of league leaders Yeltz Bar ‘A’ who beat their ‘B’ side to take their points tally to 86. Despite the big win Yeltz had their lead cut by one point as second placed Railway Tavern were involved in the only none 4-1 result as they handed out a 5-0 whitewash to their hosts Old Hill Cricket Club to put them on 84 points.
In the other local derbies Allens Bar ‘B’ lost 4-1 to their ‘C’ team and High Acres ‘A’ won 4-1 against their ‘B’ side.
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No Change at the top of the Harborne and District League as the top two teams both won 8-1. Leaders Bugle Horn won at Monarch and second in the table Copper Fox won at home against Avenue Social to keep within two points of Bugle.
Third in the league Northfield Town are on the same 14 points as Copper Fox after they won 7-2 at Cock Inn and although fourth placed Northfield Conservative Club are a further two points adrift their 7-2 home win over Weoley Castle WMC keeps them in touch with the teams above them as they also have a game in hand.
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Being as there will not be any darts column for the next two weeks, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support for the column over the past very trying year and would also like to wish all readers and subscribers a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and prosperous New Year, may 2022 be better than the past two years.
Although there will be no column for two weeks please continue to send me all of your results, tables and any information regarding knockouts over the Christmas / New Year as they will all be used and it will help to keep all of my league tables up to date.
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