Warwickshire’s seventh game in the UKDA National League’s Elite Premier Division saw them play away to divisional leaders Lancashire and lose by a very close 19-17 scoreline. The defeat sees Warwickshire remain third in the table but lose ground on any possibility of a title win as although they have a game in hand they are some 32 points short of Lancashire.
The weekend began with the ladies ‘B’ suffering a 4-2 defeat with Denise Keyte and Caroline Pike the two winners, Caroline taking the match award for her 18.64 average. The men’s ‘B’ ended all square at six each with Wayne Mynard their top player winning in four straight legs against Rhys Griffin in 16,15,20 and 17 darts to give him a superb 29.47 average.
It got worse for the ladies on Sunday as the ‘A’ team went down 5-1 with Sue Gulliver the sole winner and award winner for her 20.31 average which saw her win 3-0 against Amy Eden. The men’s ‘A’ finished on the right side of an 8-4 result with Prakash Jiwa man of the match after he came from 1-0 and 2-1 down against Adam Huckvale to win 4-3 with a 28.54 average.
Although the champions spot may be a little out of reach the runners-up position is still within Warwickshire grasp as they are only nine points short of second placed Yorkshire with a game in hand.
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In the AON Championship Division of the UKDA National League West Midlands missed the opportunity to move away from the bottom three of the table when they played away against Cambridgeshire who prior to the fixture were next to bottom of the division with West Midlands just above them and only two points separating them.
The result of the game was a 21-15 win for Cambridgeshire which sees West Midlands now drop into the relegation zone with 123 points from eight games. Cambridgeshire have moved above them and have 130 points but also have a game in hand so the outlook does not look good for the Midlanders.
Both ladies teams had 4-2 results with the ‘B’ winning by that margin and the ‘A’ losing. Award winners were for the ‘A’ and ‘B’ in turn Kat McLean (18.97) and Shellbie Simmons (18.01).
The men’s ‘B’ lost 9-3 with their award winner being Jon Platt (27.39) while the ‘A’ side shared a 6-6 draw with Gavin Baker taking the match award for his 30.37 average.
With points at a premium West Midlands are going to find it difficult to acquire too many in their remaining fixtures as they play away against Berkshire, three places and 21 points above them and then in the Magic Weekend take on fourth and third in the division Sussex and Staffordshire.
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Black Country have a firm hand on the Darts for Windows Division Three silverware following their huge 19-7 home win over Isle of Wight. The win takes Black Country’s points tally to 179 and gives them a lead of ten over fellow newbies to county darts, second placed Salopian.
There is just one remaining fixture for the third division and Black Country will play away against Pembrokeshire who are next to bottom of the division. A win should be on the cards to confirm them as champions and make it seven wins and one draw for the season, the draw coming against Salopian.
There were wins for all four teams against Isle of Wight the ladies ‘A’ and ‘B’ in turn winning 4-2 and 5-1 with their respective award winners being Tammy Chance with an outstanding 25.47 average and Doreen Hunt (17.68).
The men’s games saw the ‘B’ win 11-1 with Mark Rollinson top man with a 26.37 average and the ‘A’ win 9-3, taking the award for the ‘A’ was Reece Colley with a superb 31.81 average.
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It was cup semi-finals week for the Four Oaks and District League and in the Coronation Shield a strong performance from Old Oscott Arrows gave them an unassailable lead over Golden Hind, finishing 9-6 winners. Red Lion fought hard against division one leaders Boldmere St Mikes and it took the final game St Mikes to secure the other semi-final place.
St Thomas Arrows could not stop Golden Hind in the Norman Day Cup as they ran out 11-4 winners. Golden Hind will play Highcroft Social in the final after they beat their division one rivals Walmley CSC Flights 10-5.
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With three more fixtures to play in the Kings Norton League, leaders Copper Fox require just one more win to secure the title. A 7-0 win away to bottom of the table Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s gives Copper Fox 36 points, six more than their nearest rivals Rubery Legion who also handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Grant Arms. E57 held on to third place and kept within two points of Rubery Legion with their 6-1 home win over Toby Jug while Bournebrook lost their fourth place after losing 5-2 at Northfield, replacing them in the number four spot is Thurlestone, whose 5-2 home success over Rubery Social Club puts them on 26 points, two more than Bournebrook.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League had the first round of the Sheldon Shield on the fixture card in which division two outfit Lyndon Old Boys provided one of the shock results of the round winning 5-2 against Meadway Sports and Social from division one. Next to bottom of the table Irish Centre also had a good result beating fellow division one side Kingshurst Labour Club who are third in the division.
Other teams to progress to round two are Highwood Gerry’s Boys whose Rob Wilson hit a maximum and his team mate Mike Barrett recorded a 160 finish, Maggies, Hobs Meadow, Mackadown Social and Sheldon Dukes, Langley Flights had a bye.
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The Camp Hill League played off their Captains and Secretaries Knockouts in what was a well-supported night at Tyseley WMC. The Captains Knockout was won by Simon Edwards (Aston Inn Nomads) with Stuart Ollerenshaw (Tyseley WMC) runner-up.
Winning the Secretaries Knockout was Dean Wakefield (Tyseley WMC) who beat Dave Carter from Roost Rebels in the final.
Individual achievements on the night went to Dave Carter who hit a 180, Dave Heighway (Tyseley Newbies) who had a 120 break and with the highest finish of 114 it was Simon Edwards (Aston Inn Nomads).
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Gareth Johnston followed up his impressive start of two 8-0 wins in week one of the new Black Country Thursday Night Singles League with 7-1 wins over both Shane Passey and Paul Harrison and then won 6-2 against Robert Pierce to see him hold on to pole position with 46 points from five games. Second placed Shane Price began week two with an 8-0 success against Cheryl Allcock and then beat Shane Sheridan 6-2 and Shane Passey 5-3 to keep within three points of Johnston and five ahead of third in the league Shane Sheridan who had a 6-2 win over Shane Passey and followed that with an 8-0 win against Kieron Ford.
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White Horse consolidated their number one position at the top of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League with an impressive 7-0 win against Bell ‘B’ to keep them two points to the good on second in the table Cross (Oldswinford) who won 5-2 at Crestwood.
Third in the league Ten Arches were another team to win 7-0 as they accounted for Seven Stars but they remain six points off the top.
Rose and Crown moved off the foot of the table after a surprising 5-2 win at Woodman who are fifth in the league, this was only Rose and Crown’s third win in twelve games, Crestwood replace them in the bottom position.
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After a minor setback last week when they lost 7-2 to Townsend Social, leaders of the Netherton Thursday Night League Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club returned to winning ways beating Old Hill Cricket Club 6-3. Townsend kept the pressure on the leaders with another 7-2 win, this time playing away against fourth in the league Fairfield. Townsend are still one win behind the Ex Serviceman’s but have played one game more than them, third in the table Bulls Head lost ground on the top two losing 5-3 at home to Netherton Sports and Social who are two places off the foot of the table.
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From a sixteen strong starting line-up only two teams remain undefeated in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League after only four fixtures have been played. Roebuck made it four consecutive wins when they won 5-4 at Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ to keep them top of the pile with 8 points. It was not a good week for Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club as their ‘B’ side lost 7-2 to the only other undefeated team Talbot who trail Roebuck on average.
Two points behind the top duo are Dudley Sports ‘A’, Rose and Crown, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s ‘B’ and Wombourne Pool Bar.
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Week five in the Rowley Monday Night League and the top two teams extended their unbeaten runs, leaders Bell adding an 8-1 win over Hare and Hounds to their account to put them four legs of average ahead of second placed Gate Hangs Well who were 6-3 winners at home against Windmills End.
Plough and Harrow and Romsley Cricket Club are third and fourth in the league, both having lost just the one game but both winning this week, Plough 5-4 at Tividale FC and Romsley 6-3 at home against Ex Serviceman’s.
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Dewdrop ‘A’ had a 5-2 win over third in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League Horseley Tavern to keep them top of the table with a perfect eight points from their opening four games. Second placed Waggon and Horse are the only other team in the league to have won all of their games so far but they have played one fewer than Dewdrop ‘A’, their latest being a similar 5-2 win at Miners Arms ‘B’.
After the top two teams come six teams, Miners Arms ‘A’, Vine ‘A’, Dewdrop ‘B’, Horseley Tavern, Miners Arms ‘B’ and Vine ‘B’ all on four points, Vine ‘A’ having only played three games compared to the others having played four.
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Old Bulls Head get nearer and nearer to the end of what could be a perfect season in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League as they made it 18 wins in 18 games when they won 7-2 at Pensnett Liberal Club. New Inn kept their faint hopes of the title alive with an 8-1 win at Red Cow they are six points behind the leaders with four to play. Gornal Labour Club are a further two points behind New Inn, their 8-1 win over Lamp Tavern opening up a six points gap between them and fourth placed Seven Stars who were surprise 5-4 losers at home to Griffin who as a result of their win have moved two places up the table to sixth.
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Bird in Hand ‘E’ have moved up to pole position in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, a position they held earlier in the season. The reason for Bird ‘E’ taking over the number one spot once again is twofold, firstly former leaders Fox Inn (Lye) lost 4-3 at home to Ten Arches ‘A’ who are four places below them and the second reason was the fact that Bird ‘E’ won 5-2 against Raven to put them on the same 20 points as Fox but with a far superior average.
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The Ashwood Premier League have got their third season underway and the early pacesetter is Sam Aitkens who opened up his campaign with impressive 7-0 wins over both Tony Bennett and Paul Pollard to put him on 16 points, two more than Chris Williams and Connor Pickett who are joint second level on 14 points and average. Williams won 5-2 against Mike Cullis and 7-0 against Tony Bennett while Pickett was a 6-1 winner against Paul Pollard and then won by the same margin against Matt Davies.
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Congratulations to Yeltz Bar ‘A’ who are champions of the Black Country Men’s Super League. Yeltz ended the season on a high winning their final game against White Swan 5-0.
Railway Tavern take the runners-up spot after leading the field for many weeks and looking odds on champions, however they faltered at the last hurdles in the run-in as they lost their final two games of the campaign against High Acres ‘A’ and Allens Bar ‘C’ 3-2 to finish on 118 points eight short of the champions.
Taking the wooden spoon with just two wins in their 22 games were bottom of the league Rowley Bar and Grill, but without teams like Rowley there would be no leagues so congratulations to them also.
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