A 7-2 home win over Hornet has seen Langley Arrows join Sheldon Marlborough Arrows at the top of the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League. Langley’s win over the team bottom of the division has put them level on points and average with Sheldon who had a closer 5-4 success playing away against Highwood Gerry’s Boys who are fourth in the division and some ten points behind the leading duo. Third placed Dunky’s Boys had a similar 7-2 victory as Langley Arrows in their fixture at Hobs Meadow and trail the top two by four points.
In division one there was a top of the table clash between leaders Hollywood Social and third in the division Kingshurst Labour Club. The outcome was a 5-4 win for the hosts Kingshurst, who as a result of their win and the fact that former second placed Sheldon Dukes had a bye, take over in the number two spot with 16 points from 12 games, the Dukes now on the same amount of points with a game in hand, both teams just two points behind Hollywood.
With Willclare Sports and Social losing 5-4 at home to third placed Journeys End they have lost pole position in division two and dropped to third, two points adrift of new leaders Langley Flights who moved into the top spot following their 5-4 win at Lyndon Old Boys, Journeys End moving up to second on the same 16 points as Langley. Despite being two points behind the leading duo Willclare have a game in hand a win in that game would see them return to the top of the tale.
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Congratulations to Copper Fox who are champions of the Kings Norton League. By handing out a 7-0 whitewash to their visitors Grant Arms, Copper Fox took their total points to 38 and with just two more games to play they are eight points clear of second in the league E57 who take over the second place as a result of their 5-2 win at Rubery Legion. Rubery Legion were formerly in the number two position but after their defeat drop to third on the same 30 points as their victors but with an inferior average.
It was a good week for bottom team Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club who chalked up only their second win in twenty games when they won 4-3 at Rubery Social Club who are just above them on ten points, still six to the good on their opponents.
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There are only three remaining fixtures in the Four Oaks and District League and in division one Boldmere St Mikes held on to their two points lead at the top of the table with a 6-3 home win over third in the division Red Lion. Second placed Erdington Arrows, the only team to have beaten St Mikes this season, kept the pressure on the leaders with their similar 6-3 win at Golden Hind, the title now sure to go to one of the top two teams.
Bottom of the division Pint Pot Flights felt the pain as they led Highcroft Social 4-1 but could not get across the line and finished 5-4 losers.
Three weeks left and in division two Heartlands lead Bishop Vesey by two points. Both sides won 8-1 this week as Heartlands accounted for Erdington Flyers and Vesey beat St Thomas Arrows. Charley’s Flights are still in the race, but only just as their 7-2 win over bottom team Sutton Sharks leaves them six points behind leaders Heartlands.
D.Vickers (Red Lion) hit a 180 in an eight dart game this week while N.Robbins (Pint Pot Flights) hit his second maximum and C.Austin (Heartlands) his first. A.Lineham (Erdington Flyers) had a 160 break.
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The Camp Hill League staged the finals of their Consolation Singles Knockout at Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club and taking the honours on the night was Craig Plester of the Tyseley WMC who defeated Sheldon Marlborough Flight player Alan Eden in the final.
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The Shirley and District Monday Night League got their twelfth season underway with an encouraging seventeen teams split into two divisions, nine for division one and eight in division two. Amazingly after the opening fixtures the leading three team in division one are exactly the same and in the same order, that ended last season’s campaign with Dunky’s Boys and Tippetts Bar top and second respectively and Lodge third. Dunky’s and Tippetts in turn both won 8-1 against newly promoted Wythall Legion and Saracens Swords while Lodge won 7-2 against Solihull Municipal.
Heartlands are clear leaders in division two after handing an 8-1 defeat to Legion Royals, Vikings being the nearest rivals to Heartlands with their 6-3 home win over HSCC.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League played off the finals of their Singles Knockout with the eventual winner being Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club man Phil Tonks.
In the quarter and semi-finals Tonks had narrow 2-1 wins over respective opponents Matt Hadley (Townsend Social Club) and Simon Booton (Fairfield). From the other half of the draw Darren Brown made his way to the final again with 2-1 wins over Rich Lenton (Bulls Head) and Mark Archer (Old Hill Cricket Club).
Like the previous two rounds the all Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club final once again went the full three legs distance with Tonks getting the edge to lift the silverware in what was a very entertaining game.
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Only week three of the Black Country Thursday Night Singles League and already a maximum finish of 170 has been recorded and it was achieved by Grace Angell. Playing against her partner James Davies Grace chalked up not only a 170 game shot but also a tremendous 8-0 win to see her in eighth position in what is a thirty strong league.
The league also has a new leader as former leader Gareth Johnston after adding a 7-1 win over James Davies then suffered his first defeat of the season a 5-3 loss to Steve Gillam. Taking over at the top of the table is Shane Price who on the night began with a 4-4 draw with sixth placed Reece Colley. He then won 7-1 against Heather Wright and rounded off his evening with an 8-0 success over Stella Sims to put him on 67 points from eight games. Gareth Johnston, who has played seven games is now second on 58 points and a further ten points behind is Graham Hall in third place after adding 8-0 wins over Grace Angell, Benjamin Hollowood and Joe Colley, Hall has only played five games.
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White Horse held on to their number one spot in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League with a 6-1 win away to Church Tavern. The win makes it 26 out of a possible 28 points for White Horse and keeps them two ahead of Cross (Oldswinford) who also won 6-1 against Fox Inn (Lye). Ten Arches are third and another four points adrift of the leaders, even after they also won 6-1 at Bird in Hand.
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A 7-2 win at Spring Meadow leaves Bell the only unbeaten team in the Rowley Monday Night League and gives them a two point’s breathing space over their nearest rivals Plough and Harrow who had a vital 6-3 win over Gate Hangs Well. This was Gate’s first defeat of the season so far and puts them on the same 10 points as Plough and Harrow but sees them drop two places to fourth. Romsley Cricket Club’s 5-4 win at Hare and Hounds leaves them third, they like Plough and Harrow and Gate Hangs Well have ten points.
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Leaders of the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League Dewdrop ‘A’ took their undefeated run to five games when they won 5-2 against Albion. Second in the league Waggon and Horses have only played four games and like Dewdrop ‘A’ have won all of their fixtures, the latest of which saw them hand out a 7-0 whitewash to Vine ‘B’ with D.Bull recording a 160 break.
After the top two there are three teams Horseley Tavern, Miners Arms ‘B’ and Dewdrop ‘B’ all on six points and in their most recent games Horseley won 6-1 at Sow and Pigs, Miners Arms ‘B’ won by the same 6-1 at Tamebridge and Dewdrop ‘B’ won a close battle at Vine ‘A’ 4-3.
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Bird in Hand ‘E’ lead the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League and have 22 points after their latest 4-3 win at Ashwood. However, breathing heavily down the neck of Bird ‘E’ is second in the league White Horse who added a 5-2 win at Raven to their tally to give them 20 points, two short of the leaders but they have played three games fewer.
Third in the league Fox Inn (Lye) are on the same 20 points as White Horse but from three games more, their latest fixture saw them lose ground as they went down 4-3 at Bird in Hand ‘A’.
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Jon Blakemore continues to head the table in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League with a total of 44 points from five games. In game five Blakemore chalked up a 6-2 win over Jamie Webb to put him three points ahead of second in the league Alex Simmons who had a convincing 8-0 win against Sarah Maybury giving him a three points advantage over third placed Andrew Jervis who has a game in hand on the top two players, his latest fixtures seeing him win 7-1 against Reece Cook-Lucas and then going one better by winning 8-0 against Lee Quarry.
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Week two got off to a bad start for Sam Aitkens in the Ashwood Premier League as he not only lost 4-3 to Dave Simpson but also lost his pole position and even though he recovered and won his second game against Mike Cullis 5-2 he dropped to fourth place in the table. Taking over at the top of the table is Connor Pickett who kept his 100% win record intact with 7-0 wins over Mike Cullis and Tony Bennett to give him 30 points, two more than another 100% winner in second place Tom Stockton after he added a 7-0 win over Ash Marson and a 6-1 victory against Mitch Pickett.
Other players that have won all their four matches so far are Adam Edgar, third on 25 points, Chris Manoila, sixth with 21 points, there are two other players who have not lost but only played two games so far Nick Fullwell and Martyn Harper.
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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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