Warwickshire’s sixth game of the season in the Elite Premier Division of the UKDA’s National League saw them take on Northamptonshire at their home venue Hen Lane and District Social Club, 6 Beacon Road, Holbrooks, Coventry, CV6 4DS. The result was a conclusive 24-12 victory which saw all four teams win.
In Saturday’s ‘B’ games the ladies won 4-2 with Melanie Jones their lady of the match after coming from 1-0 down to Amy Chappell and going on to win 3-1 with an 18.53 average. The men’s ‘B’ were 8-4 winners, their top player being Adam Hancock who in 21,20,21 and 19 darts handed his opponent Danny Goddard a 4-0 whitewash and collected the match award for his 24.74 average,
The ladies ‘A’ went one better than their ‘B’ side beating their counterparts 5-1 with first on Natalie Gilbert lady of the match, beating Sara Rose 3-0 in 19,22 and 22 darts giving her a super 23.86 average. Gareth Braham was the men’s ‘A’ man of the match, his terrific 30.31 average against Phil Coward was achieved with winning legs of 17,15,12 and 16 darts in what was a 7-5 win for the ‘A’ team.
The overall win has seen Warwickshire cement their third place in the divisional table after the top two teams Lancashire and Yorkshire played each other and finished all square at 18-18. Warwickshire are just three points behind second placed Yorkshire and although 27 adrift of leaders Lancashire they have a game in hand on both teams above them.
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West Midlands woes continue in the AON Championship Division of the National League, their latest fixture seeing them lose 25-11 away to Kent to leave them without a win in their last four games.
It was a bad weekend for all four teams as the ladies ‘A’ lost 6-0 and the ‘B’ 4-2 and the men’s ‘A’ and ‘B’ in turn went down 7-5 and 8-4.
Taking the match awards were, for the ladies ‘B’ Shellbie Simmons (17.68) and for the men’s respective ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams Shaun Carroll (30.11) and Jon Platt (26.01).
The defeat leaves West Midlands two places off the foot of the table with 108 points, next to bottom Cambridgeshire are on 106 and bottom team Oxfordshire have 96. The worry is that both of the bottom two teams have a game in hand on West Midlands which could see them go into the relegation zone at the foot of the table.
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Black Country are riding high in the Darts for Windows Division Three of the National League making it five wins and one draw in their six games when in their most recent fixture they won 23-13 playing away against Breconshire.
There were mixed results in Saturday’s games as the ladies ‘B’ suffered a 5-1 defeat with Heather Wright their sole winner and obvious lady of the match with a 16.62 average.
After the loss of the ladies ‘B’ it was all good news for the other three teams as they all won. The men’s ‘B’ finished the first day’s games with a 10-2 victory, the match award shared by Liam Kelly and Tom Bissell as they both recorded 27.83 averages.
Sunday’s games produced a convincing 5-1 win for the ladies ‘A’ and a close, but nevertheless a 7-5 win for the men’s ‘A’, with awards in turn going to Chez Allcock (18.33) and Dan Nicholls (26.72).
The overall win has seen Black Country return to the top of the table on147 point’s, they replace Gloucestershire whose 18-18 draw with Northumberland leaves them six points behind the leaders with 141 points.
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After a single lapse in division one of the Four Oaks and District League leaders Boldmere St Mikes resumed winning ways by beating Old Oscott Arrows 6-3 to give them a total of 22 points, two more than second placed Erdington Arrows who won their home tie with bottom of the table Oscott Social Club 6-3. Third in the division Red Lion somewhat surprisingly lost 7-2 at home to Golden Hind who are seventh in the division to leave them only two points behind their hosts who in turn are a massive ten points off the top of the table.
In a tight match Golden Hind Lions, who are just two places off the foot of the division took the last game to win 5-4 against fourth placed Highcroft Social.
The second division produced a top of the table clash between Heartlands and Bishop Vesey which was won decisively by leaders Heartland 6-3 to give them a two point lead at the top of the division.
Rosey Mac’s man N.Bradley hit as many tons as the opposition side Erdington Flyers put together but it was still not enough to save his team from a close 5-4 defeat.
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No changes in the top eight places and big wins for the top three teams in the Kings Norton League as they completed their sixteenth fixtures. Leaders Copper Fox had a 6-1 home win over next to bottom of the table Kings Heath while second placed E57 went one better in their away game against bottom team Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club when they handed their hosts a 7-0 whitewash to remain four points off the top of the table. Third in the league Rubery Legion, like the league leaders won 6-1 as they defeated Northfield to give them 24 points the same number as fourth placed Thurlestone who had a rather close 4-3 win at Grant Arms who are just two places off the foot of the table.
The only change in the table this week was that of Rubery Social Club, who beat Toby Jug 5-2 to move above Grant Arms.
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It was cup semi-finals week in the Sheldon and District Winter League and in the premier division games top of the division Langley Arrows went down 5-4 to second in the division Dunky’s Boys. Meeting Dunky’s in the final will be Sheldon Marlborough Arrows after they took out Highwood Gerry’s Boys with a 6-3 result.
As in the premier games the division one fixtures saw the divisional leaders make their exit as top team Sheldon Dukes lost 7-2 to third in the division Kingshurst Labour Club. In the other last four game Yardley Ex Colts beat Irish Centre 6-3.
Making it a trio of divisional leader going out in the semi-finals Willclare Sports and Social, leaders of division two lost 5-4 to third in the division Langley Flights, Langley will now take on Raven in the final after they won 6-3 against Lyndon Old Boys.
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All of this week’s games in the Camp Hill League finished with a 5-2 result and with just one more fixture to play leaders of the league Aston Inn Nomads suffered 5-2 defeat in their away game against second in table Sheldon Marlborough Flights. The win for Sheldon leaves them four points behind Aston with a game in hand, however should Aston win their final game they would be champions.
Third placed Roost Rebels also finished on the wrong side of a 5-2 scoreline as they lost playing away to Tyseley WMC who are next to bottom of the league.
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The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League played their doubles knockout down to the last eight pairs and making their way into the quarter finals were, C.Hart / A.Wyte, K.Bambrick / J.Batham (White Horse), J.Jackson / W.Incher, K.Forrest / V.Mitchell (Britannia), B.Watts / J.Payne, R.Jones / A.Dimmock (Bell ‘A’), M.Pye / M.Purchase (Woodman), N.Gordon / B.Stevens (Seven Stars).
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Week two in the Rowley Monday Night League and Plough and Harrow continue to impress adding an 8-1 win over Spring Meadow to their 9-0 success in week one against Loyal Lodge to their account to keep them ahead on average at the top of the table.
After only two games just three more teams from a starting line-up of sixteen are able to boast a 100% win record and they are Romsley Cricket Club, Bell and Gate Hangs Well, Romsley had a 7-2 win at Roost while Bell had a close 5-4 verdict away to White Swan, Gate Hangs Well returned from Ex Serviceman’s Club with a 6-3 win.
Four teams, Hare and Hounds, Wonder, Three Diamonds and Roost are all without a point so far.
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There were wins for the top four teams and defeats for the bottom four in the Netherton Thursday Night League after completing game nineteen matches.
Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club added a 6-3 win at Netherton Sports and Social to their tally to keep them six points ahead of the rest of the field with a game in hand. Second in the table Townsend Social Club had a narrow 5-4 win at Spring Meadow Social Club who are next to bottom of the table while third placed Bulls Head won by the same 5-4 margin at home to fifth placed Fairfield.
Old Hill Cricket Club complete the top four places they were the week’s biggest winners as they chalked up an 8-1 victory away to bottom of the table Netherton Conservative Club.
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Eleven teams started the new season in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League and after just the second week only three teams remain undefeated and one of those has only played one fixture. Dewdrop ‘A’ are setting the pace as early leaders adding their 4-3 win at Miners Arms ‘B’ to their opening 5-2 success against local rivals Dewdrop ‘B’. Horseley Tavern are just one leg of average short of the leaders after they won 4-3 against Vine ‘A’.
Waggon and Horses, who had a bye this week are the only other undefeated team, they are currently placed third two points behind the top two teams.
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Bird in Hand ‘E’ lost their two points lead at the top of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League when they returned from Ten Arches ‘B’ on the wrong side of a 4-3 result. Bird ‘E’ remain in pole position but now only on average from Fox Inn (Lye) who won their home game against Ashwood 5-2 to give them the same 18 points as the leaders.
Bell ‘A’ despite lying third in the table are in a comfortable position as their latest 4-3 win at Bird in Hand ‘A’ leaves them two points behind the top two teams with two games in hand. White Horse are a further two points short and are on 14 points after their 6-1 win over Ten Arches ‘A’, they are fourth and have three games in hand on the top two and one in hand on Bell ‘A’.
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After something like an enforced two years break the Brierley Hill Monday Night League is back up and running and after the first week’s results it’s The Bridge who head the sixteen teams league after handing out a 9-0 whitewash to The Union.
Dudley Sports ‘A’ and Rose and Crown are close behind the leaders after their respective 8-1 wins over Tommy Turners and Dudley Sports ‘B’.
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Alex Simmons has taken over the number one spot in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League after his 7-1 win over Colin Wood. Simmons has 19 points after two games, one more than his nearest rival Scott Baker who won 8-0 against Roger Ward.
After the top two come three players all on 17 points Reece Cook-Lucas, Ben Johnson and John Simms, Cook-Lucas won 6-2 against Ray Gutteridge, while Ben Johnson beat Simon Pritchard 5-3. John Simms, like Scott Baker was another 8-0 winner as he defeated Eddie Gripton.
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With games fast running out in the Black Country Super League leaders Railway Tavern continued their push for the title with a resounding 5-0 win over Rowley Bar and Grill to give them a total of 114 points which is only two more than second placed Yeltz Bar ‘A’ who added a 4-1 win against third in the table Allen’s Bar ‘C’ to their account leaving their opponents still in third place but now 14 points behind them.
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