Darts News – A West Midlands Round Up
This coming weekend the Warwickshire County Darts Organisation will be making the journey north to the St Thomas Club, Comet Road, Wigan, WN5 0ET where they will be playing possibly the toughest fixture of their UKDA National League Elite Premier Division season when they take on divisional leaders Lancashire. A win for Warwickshire would not only take their undefeated run to seven games but would also put them well in line for the premier division title as currently they are 28-7 points short of their hosts with a game in hand and only three behind second placed Yorkshire, again with a game in hand.
Lining up for this vital fixture for Warwickshire will be Men’s ‘A’:- Jamie Atkins, Gareth Braham, Kevin Dowling, Steve Giddings, Noel Grant, Steve Hine, Jamie Hughes, Prakash Jiwa, Tom Martin, Mark Strong, Jack Wareing, Matty Washbrooke, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Carter, Carl Green, Adam Hancock, Dave Hill, Scott Hope, Mark Martin, Wayne Mynard, Will Naylor, Karl Reynolds, Ian Shaw, Mark Tomlinson snr, Martin Tonks, Reserves:- Dave Honey, Ian McFarlane, Lee Miller, Darren Swords, Carl Winters, Women’s ‘A’:- Natalie Gilbert, Sue Gulliver, Angela Jones, Chloe McKivett, Tammy Montgomery, Donna Pinch, Women’s ‘B’:- Wendy Adams, Nina Bolt, Marian Conway, Melanie Jones, Denise Keyte, Caroline Pike, Reserves:- Lucy Keyte, Sue Maclennan.
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In the AON Championship division West Midlands will be hosting next to bottom of the table Cambridgeshire at Gilberts Bar, 54 Field Street, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 2NY where they will be hoping to put to an end a run of three consecutive defeats.
So far in their seven games West Midlands have managed just one win which came in their second fixture of the season at home against Humberside way back in October last year. A win is what is now desperately required to lift them away from the foot of the table as the two teams below them Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire both have a game in hand and are respectively two and twelve points behind West Midlands, so nothing less than a win against Cambridgeshire will be good enough.
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Black Country are riding high in the Darts for Windows Division Three, top of the table with a six points lead over second placed Gloucestershire, and that lead could well be extended this coming weekend as they take on Isle of Wight, a team who are well and truly fixed at the foot of the table. A big win in this fixture would see Black Country get one hand on the champion’s silverware as their final fixture of the campaign despite being an away game is against next to bottom of the table Pembrokeshire who in fact are in a somewhat false position as they have played two games fewer than all of the other teams.
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Last week there was just one change in the Kings Norton League which saw Rubery Social Club and Grant Arms swap places, this week once again there is only one change and strangely it sees Rubery Social Club and Grant Arms once again swap places/
With only five fixtures remaining league leaders Copper Fox require just three more wins to secure the title. Following their 5-2 win at Northfield they have a six point’s advantage over second placed E57 who lost ground in the title race as they somewhat surprisingly lost 4-3 at home to Cock Inn who, are some four places and six points behind them. Third and fourth placed Rubery Legion and Thurlestone played each other with the former winning 4-3 to put them on the same 26 points as E57 but short on average, Thurlestone are a further two points adrift and remain fourth.
Full Results:Game 17:- E57 3 (D.Logan 135,140, A.Mutch 2×100, R.Morris 2×100, S.Nolan 125,135, T.Roberts 2×100, J.Calt 100, E.Bird 100) Cock Inn 4 (P.Hughes 100,121, L.Fox 100,165, A.Harvey 100,125,140, Joe Fox 100,123, A.Vaughan 123,140, K.Vaughan 2×100), Northfield 2 (H.Taylor 134, M.Lloyd 140, L.Allen 156, J.Taylor 3×100, D.Hopkins 100,140) Copper Fox 5 (E.Simpson 100, C.Whitehouse 100,123,140, D.Marsh 100,140, D.McConomy 4×100, T.Hamilton 100,123,125, G.Dews 3×100), Thurlestone 3 (J.Downer 135, D.Garfield 3×100,140, R.Waldron 100, T.Garfield 2×100,140, B.Andrews 133, D.Newton 100, D.Garfield 180) Rubery Legion 4 (J.Higgins 4×100,140, J.O’Neill 100, R.Higgins 100,120,123, M.Ivory 140, K.Manger 4×100, A.Faulkner 100, J.Ford 2×100,125,140, M.Cormell 125, J.Granger 100), Toby Jug 5 (A.Aindow 100,125, A.Phillips 100,140, B.Heath 3×100, M.Mooney 100,125, S.Phillips 112,120) Bournebrook 2 (T.Cullen 100, D.Collins 2×100,125, L.Arnold 110, R.Orton 125, M.Bathurst 100,121, R.Chambers 100, T.Bathurst 101), Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club 3 (G.Williamson 100, C.Davenport 3×100,140, D.Whitecombe 100,123,125, S.Corbett 100,123, R.Fisher 2×100,135) Grant Arms 4 (S.Hale 140, N.Smith 121, D.Campbell 140, Donna Campbell 121, M.Davies 100,123, P.Price 103, A.Dewsbury 123), Kings Heath 4 (D.Parish 2×100, A.Homer 140, R.Hampton 100, R.Newbanks 140) Rubery Social Club 3 (S.Wallace 121, R.Wolton 100, J.Steward 138, G.Bailles 100, A.Bailles 121,133, M.Ferriday 100).
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Boldmere St Mikes had a narrow 5-4 win at home against Golden Hind Lions, a team in the bottom three of division one of the Four Oaks and District League, but nevertheless it was a win and it keeps them two points to the good on second placed Erdington Arrows who had a little more comfortable 6-3 win at Pint Pot Flights to give them an eight points cushion over third in the division Red Lion, the championship now almost certainly going to one of the two top teams.
In the second division top team Heartlands had a big 8-1 win at Deer’s Leap to put them on 22 points while second placed Bishop Vesey returned to winning ways after losing to Heartlands last week by winning their home tie with Charley’s Flights 5-4. As a result of their defeat Charley’s Flights drop one place in the table to fourth and are replaced by Plough and Arrows who won 5-4 at home against St Thomas Arrows leaving them four points off the top.
There was a rare win for division two’s bottom team Sutton Sharks as they recorded only their second win in thirteen when they beat Erdington Flyers 7-2.
This week C.Millward jnr (Boldmere St Mikes) hit his third 180 of the season, I.Lloyd (Oscott Social Club) and R.McLaughlin (Bill’s Arrows) Chalked up their first.
Full Results:Game 13:Division One:- Golden Hind 5 (A.Kimberley 100,121,137, T.O’Kereke 120b,100, W.Naylor 112b,131,2×100, F.Naylor 120,2×100) Oscott Social Club 4 (D.Shannon 140,125, P.Graham 118,100,2×140, I.Lloyd 2×140,180, G.Bushell 100), Boldmere St Mikes 5 (C.Millward jnr 2x112b,3×100,180, B.Linnecor 100, D.Jarvis jnr 140, B.Liggins 125,100, M.Ashton 120b,140,100, M.Wild 2×100,100f) Golden Hind Lions 4 (J.Mahon 100, M.Pearce 100, A.Day 100b,2×100, J.Clarke 156b,2×100,123, D.Haynes 100), Pint Pot Flights 3 (J.Moon 121b, L.Lemathy 100, P.Smith 2×100, Martin Phillips 100,140, M.Pearson Bagnall 100) Erdington Arrows 6 (C.Winters 112b,121,3×100, S.Winters 101b, C.Hill 100, T.Colley 105,119,100, K.Smith 130,138,140, C.Martin 120), Walmley CSC Flights 3 (R.Smith 100, S.Wilson 103b,100, P.Moran 132, K.Green 140,137,100, W.Cadby 100, G.Gaughan 121) Red Lion 6 (B.Lysaght 100, T.Vickers 123, M.Corfield 160b,120b, I.Matthews 100,140, D.Vickers 109b,140, B.Hughes 125), Highcroft Social 4 (K.Shorthouse 105b,100b,140,125, S.Pritchett 152b,2×100,8 darts game, L.Shorthouse 100, D.Giblin 100, T.Pallet 125, K.Neale 100, J.Verschoyle 120b,100) Old Oscott Arrows 5 (M.Maher 121, A.Lea 156,140, M.Page 100, D.Page 100,2×140, P.Locke 140,3×100,121, B.Hoare 160b,2×100), Division Two:- Bishop Vesey 5 (C.Sammons 105b,2×100,2×140, S.Abbott 120b,2×100, N.Smallwood 2×100,135, T.Rubery 100, N.Sammons 112b, A.Jones 100) Charley’s Flights 4 (J.Burdett 2×140,100, T.Hines 117b,140,133, P.Nicholls 137,2×100, R.Vann 100b,140, R.Barritt 100, J.Morahan 100), Erdington Flyers 2 (H.Sadler 2×100, R.Liennard 140, L.Cooksey 2×100, M.Yate 120,100) Sutton Sharks 7 (J.McKeever 114, J.Boden 3×100,140, N.Holmes 100, C.Baldwin 100,137, C.Gardener 125), Plough and Arrows 5 (K.Gow 100, Roxy Bennett 100b, M.Willetts 2×100, A.Gough 110,100, S.Alexander 112b,100, A.Humphriss 100, D.Hughes 100,125) St Thomas Arrows 4 (G.Lynch 100, R.Nelson 3×100, M.Andrews 125,121,100,140), Deers Leap 1 (Ant Kimberley 125,2×100, R.Batham 4×100,140, T.Pedley 131) Heartlands 8 (S.Cain 100,115, C.Austin 115b,2×100, J.Rogers 100,140, Jim Frost 120b,100b, John Frost 120b,137,100,158f, Matthew Cain 100, I.Jones 100), Bills Arrows 6 (M.Cooper 100, R.McLaughlin 125,100,180, E.Groves 134, D.Bond 100) Rosey Mac’s 3 (S.Wright 120b,2×100,140, N.Bradley 114,100,140, A.Poole 140, D.Sargent 106).
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After completing ten games just two points separate the top three teams in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League. A convincing 8-1 success for Sheldon Marlborough Arrows at Iron Horse Flights keeps them top of the division but only by three legs of average as second placed Langley Arrows also won 8-1 playing at Hobs Meadow to give them the same 18 points as Sheldon. Third in the division Dunky’s Boys won 6-3 at Mackadown Social leaving them two points behind the top two teams.
The difference at the top of division one is even closer with just one leg of average between leaders Hollywood Social and second placed Sheldon Dukes, Hollywood won 7-2 at Yardley Ex Colts while the Dukes won by the same margin against Irish Centre. Both of the top two are on 16 points with third and fourth placed Kingshurst Labour Club and Shirley Misfits four points behind them, however the Misfits have two games in hand and wins in those games would see them attain the same 16 points as the top two.
Division two leaders Willclare Sports and Social had their fixture with Small Heath Gardeners postponed but still held on to pole position with 16 points from eight games. Second in the division Journeys End won 6-3 at Lyndon Old Boys to give them 16 points from nine games with an inferior average than Willclare.
Full Results:Week 10:Premier Division:- Mackadown Social 3 Dunky’s Boys 6, Highwood Gerry’s Boys 7 Hornet 2, Hobs Meadow 1 (Pete Vasey 180) Langley Arrows 8 (Richard Nixon 101f, Paul Nixon 10 darts game), Iron Horse Flights 1 Sheldon Marlborough Arrows 8, Division One:- Sheldon Dukes 7 Irish Centre 2, Kingshurst Labour Club 6 Maggies 3 (D.Carter 138f), Meadway Sports and Social 2 Shirley Misfits 7, Yardley Ex Colts 2 Hollywood Social 7, Division Two:- Raven 2 Langley Flights 7, Sheldon Marlborough Ridge 4 Hampton and Solihull CC 5 (Steve Whatmore 104f), Lyndon Old Boys 3 Journeys End 6, Willclare Sports and Social v Small Heath Gardeners was postponed.
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Leaders of the Camp Hill League, Aston Inn Nomads completed their fixture card but not in the way they would have wished as for only the third time in the campaign they lost. Playing at home against sixth in the table Meadway Social they finished 4-3 losers, a defeat that could cost them the title as their nearest rivals Sheldon Marlborough Flights added a 5-2 win at Sedgemere Devils to their account to leave them two points and only two legs of average behind the Nomads with a game still to play, a win in their final game would see them become champions.
Full Results:Game 18:- Aston Inn Nomads 3 Meadway Social 4, Sedgemere Devils 2 Sheldon Marlborough Flights 5, Tyseley WMC 3 Tyseley Newbies 4, New Inn Lions v Moseley Arms was postponed, Roost Rebels had a bye.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League played the first round of their Doubles Knockout at eight venues and down to the last eight players. Battling it out in the quarter finals will be A.Ghaleb / M.Archer, J.Watton / P.Davies (Old Hill Cricket Club), S.Tipper / C.Hadlington, C.Wakeman / J.Brookes (Spring Meadow Social Club), G.Billingham / R.Ratcliffe (Bulls Head), D.Brown / A.Tonks, R.Carr / P.Tonks (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club), T.Johnson / D.Shilvock (Fairfield).
Full Results:Doubles Knockout:Round One Winners:- A.Ghaleb / M.Archer, J.Watton / P.Davies (Old Hill Cricket Club), S.Tipper / C.Hadlington, C.Wakeman / J.Brookes (Spring Meadow Social Club), G.Billingham / R.Ratcliffe (Bulls Head), D.Brown / A.Tonks, R.Carr / P.Tonks (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club), T.Johnson / D.Shilvock (Fairfield).
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White Horse, after winning the first ten games in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League finally lost their 100% win record when in game number eleven they went down 4-3 at home against Britannia who now join them on the same 20 points. White Horse hold on to the number one spot on average over their rivals and also have a game in hand on them.
After the top two come four teams Ten Arches ‘A’, Woodman, Bell ‘A’ and Gate Hangs Well who are all on 14 points, six short of White Horse with Bell ‘A’ having played one game fewer than the other three and the leaders.
Full Results:Game 14:- Bell ‘A’ 4 Bird in Hand 3, Woodman 1 Seven Stars 6, White Horse3 Britannia 4, Church Tavern 4 Crestwood 3, Fox Inn (Lye) 1 Gate Hangs Well 6, Ten Arches, Rose and Crown and Bell ‘B’ all had a bye.
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Dewdrop ‘A’ and Waggon and Horses remain the only two unbeaten teams in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League after in week three Dewdrop ‘A’ handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their visitors Vine ‘B’ to hold on to pole position with a two points lead over Waggon and Horses who were playing only their second fixture and winning 6-1 against Dewdrop ‘B’.
On the same four points as Waggon but having played three games are Horseley Tavern, Miners Arms ‘B’ and Vine ‘A’, Horseley losing their unbeaten record going down 4-3 at Miners Arms ‘A’, while Miners Arms ‘B’ and Vine ‘A’ won by the same 4-3 margin in turn against Sow and Pigs and Albion.
Full Results:Game 3:- Dewdrop ‘A’ 7 Vine ‘B’ 0, Miners Arms ‘A’ 4 Horseley Tavern 3 (D.Newman 180), Vine ‘A’ 4 Albion 3, Waggon and Horses 6 (C.Hickman 160b) Dewdrop ‘B’ 1, Sow and Pigs 3 Miners Arms ‘B’ 4, Tamebridge had a bye.
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Fixtures in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League produced top of the table and bottom of the table clashes in the latest of their fixtures as leaders Old Bulls Head took on second in the league New Inn on their home board. The result was a 6-3 win for the hosts taking their undefeated record to sixteen games and giving them a perfect 32 points with a six points lead over New Inn.
At the other end of the table next to bottom Pensnett Liberal Club entertained bottom of the league Meadow Lark. The close 5-4 result went in Pensnetts favour to see them open up a four points gap between them and their opponents.
Full Results:Game 16:- Red Cow 2 Jolly Crispin 7, Pensnett Liberal Club 5 Meadow Lark 4, Seven Stars 3 Gornal Labour Club 6, Old Bulls Head 6 New Inn 3, Five Ways 4 Griffin 5, Chainyard 4 Lamp Tavern 5.
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Week two of the Brierley Hill Monday Night League and only five of the starting line-up of sixteen teams remain unbeaten. Bridge head the table with a three legs of average lead over second placed Roebuck after they won 8-1 at Tommy Turner’s, Roebuck had a 7-2 success away to bottom of the league Union. Dudley Ex Serviceman’s ‘B’, Talbot and Dudley Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ make up the top five, Ex ‘B’ winning 7-2 at Shrewsbury Arms, Talbot beating Rose and Crown 6-3 and Ex ‘A’ had a close 5-4 result against Dudley Sports ‘A’ who share sixth place with Brickmakers Arms after their 8-1 win over Black Horse.
Full Results:Game 2:- Shrewsbury Arms 2 Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ 7, Dudley Sports ‘B’ 3 Pensnett Liberal Club 6, Talbot 6 Rose and Crown 3, Brickmakers Arms 8 Black Horse 1, King William 6 Wombourne Pool Bar 3, Union 2 Roebuck 7, Tommy Turners 1 Bridge 8, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ 5 Dudley Sports ‘A’ 4.
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Bird in Hand ‘E’ have been ousted from their number one spot in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League after losing 4-3 at home to third in the league White Horse. Despite their third position White Horse are just four points behind new leaders Fox Inn (Lye) and have two fewer than Bird ‘E’ who are now second, but have three games in hand on them both. Fox Inn (Lye) had a 4-3 win at Bell ‘A’ whose A.Nicholls had a 160 break.
Other individual achievements this week saw B.Watts (Bell ‘B’) also break with 160 and record an eight darts leg, Raven’s J.Richards emulating Watts with the same 160 break and eight darts game.
Full Results:Game 13:- Ten Arches ‘A’ 5 (K.Safe 148b) Bird in Hand ‘A’ 2, Bird in Hand ‘E’ 3 White Horse 4, Ashwood 5 Bell ‘B’ 2 (B.Watts 160b,8 darts game), Raven 2 (J.Richards 160b,8 darts game) Ten Arches ‘B’ 5, Bell ‘A’ 3 (A.Nicholls 160b) Fox Inn (Lye) 4.
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The Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League has a new leader, Scott Baker has taken over the top spot after his 8-0 win against Eddie Gripton. Baker has a two points lead over both Jon Blakemore and former table topper Alex Simmons, Blakemore like Baker adding an 8-0 win to his tally after accounting for Sarah Maybury while Simmons beat Adam Teasdale 5-3.
Full Results:Week 3:Board 1:- Eddie Gripton 0 Scott Baker 8, Mal Pugh 6 Thomas Hollowood 2, Jon Blakemore 8 Sarah Maybury 0, Simon Pritchard 7 Artur Łubkowski 1, Board 2:- Alex Simmons 5 Adam Teasdale 3, Keith Hollowood 3 Jon Williams 5, Riley Ward 4 Ray Gutteridge 4, Reece Cook Lucas 3 John Simms 5, Board 3:- Sarah Maybury 1 Justin Evans 7, Grant Billings 2 Neville Quinton 6, Phil Clarke 2 Ben Johnson 6, Stuart Evans 6 Sandra Beardsmore 2, Board 4:- Kris Jones 7 Warren Bower 1, Chris Hill 8 Michele Pritchard 0, Roger Ward 1 Simon Shrek Mountford 7, Jamie Webb 8 Daniel Bridgwood 0, Board 5:- Matt Turley 1 Anthony WBA Powell 7, Steve Lynch 8 Justin Evans 0, Martin East 5 Lee Quarry 3, Gemma Barrett Jenkins 4 Colin Wood 4.
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Manager of the Sports Argus Charity Team Richard Liggins is looking for more teams to take up the challenge against the Argus but he only has a six remaining open spaces for the forthcoming season. Dates on offer are 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th May plus 15th and 22nd July.
Why not get your league to contact Richard on 07535-803324 to take up one of these last few dates and pit your skills against the boys in red and in turn help raise funds for local charities.
Get in touch now before it’s too late, give Richard a call.
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