Week two in the Sheldon and District Winter League and as a result of having a bye this week Langley Arrows have lost pole position in the Premier Division and dropped to second behind new leaders Sheldon Marlborough Arrows who followed up their opening 8-1 win at Kingshurst Labour Club with a similar 8-1 win at Highwood Gerry’s Boys. Dunky’s Boys had a bye in the first week and kicked off their campaign this week with a 6-3 home win over Raven Arrows to put them in third place and see their visitors drop from third to fourth in the division.
A 6-3 home win over Willclare Spoorts and Social keeps Shirley Misfits top of Division One with a two points lead over Langley Flights, Journeys End, Yardley Ex Colts and Willclare Sports and Social with fourth placed Yardley Ex Colts having a game in hand on the three teams above them, but it would take a 9-0 win in that spare game to see them just go level on points and average with the Misfits.
Brian;s Flights have gone from fourth to top of Division Two after handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors Castle Bromwich WMC. Brian’s Flights replace Hampton and Solihull Cricket Club at the top of the table while the Cricket Club drop to second place just one leg of average short of the top team after their close 5-4 win at The Raven. Although the top two have won their opening two games the chasing pair of Iron Horse Rebels and Trident Spears are two points behind them, however they both have a game in hand. Fourth placed Irish Centre, like Rebels and Trident are also on two points but they have played two games.
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Week fifteen results in the Kings Norton League had no effect on the league positions whatsoever with Bournebrook the sole losers in the top six teams. Leaders Copper Fox had a 4-3 home win over Longbridge while second in the table Thurlestone won their home tie with E57 6-1. Former leaders Rubery Social Club are third, they had a 5-2 win away to fourth placed Bournbrook and fifth in the league Northfield beat Coppice 6-1. Making up the top six is Bourneville who took on bottom of the table Kings Heath at home and won 6-1.
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The Camp Hill League staged the play-offs of their Captains and Secretaries knockouts at Moseley Arms. In the former and going out in the semis were Mitch O’Donnell (Clumsy Swan) and Gez Oldfield (Aston Inn Nomads). Tyseley WMC representative Stu Ollerenshaw finished as runner-up after losing out in the final to Dave Heighway from Tyseley Bears.
The Secretaries title went to Dave Carter from Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club who defeated Peaky Blinder player Paul Jones in the final. Making their exit in the last four were Pete Freeman (Moseley Arms) and Tom Perks (Clumsy Swan).
With just two rearranged games to play in the league to complete the domestic fixtures Aston Inn Nomads have already been acclaimed champions but the runners-up spot is still up for grabs as currently second and third placed Tyseley Bears and Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club are both on 20 points with one more game to play. Tyseley Bears have the superior average but have the tougher finish as they have play league champions Aston Inn Nomads while Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club will take on bottom of the table Sedgemere Devils who have only won one of their thirteen fixtures.
The Shadow League title goes to Tyseley WMC who with eight points are six ahead of the rest of the teams in the Shadow League. Once again as in the main league the runner-up spot is still up for grabs as should Sedgemere Devils beat Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club they will finish second.
Registration for the new season will take place on Sunday 30th October at the Moseley Arms, 105 Ravenhurst Street, B12 0LD at 11.00am.
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Despite winning 7-2 at Copper Fox ‘M’ Bugle Horn have been ousted from their number one perch in the Harborne and District League as Northfield Conservative Club, who were second in the league won their home game with bottom of the table Avenue Social 9-0 to go level on 16 points with Bugle Horn but with a slender two legs of average advantage, however they have now played one game more than Bugle Horn. Northfield Town hold on to third place with their 6-3 win at home over Copper Fox ‘R’ to leave them two points off the top while Smethwick Cricket Club take over fourth place from Copper Fox ‘M’ after winning 5-4 against Cock Inn. The win leaves Smethwick four points short of the top two teams.
No fewer than five players found the three treble twenties this and they were S.Sheridan, J.Hykin (Bugle Horn), D.McConomy (Quinton RBL), D.Hill (Northfield Conservative Club) and T.McGlone (Copper Fox ‘R’).
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Waggon and Horses kept their huge ten points lead intact at the top of the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League with a 6-1 win at Sow and Pigs. Second in the league Dewdrop ‘A’ had an impressive 5-2 win at Miners Arms ‘A’ who are fourth in the league while third in the table Miners Arms ‘B’ suffered a somewhat surprising 5-2 defeat away to Dewdrop ‘B’ who are sixth in the table and six points behind them. Miners Arms ‘B’ have played 27 games, one more than the two teams above them and are sixteen points short of Waggon and Horses.
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Both of the top two teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League handed out 7-0 whitewashes to their opponents in game number four. Leaders Quarry Bank Labour Club made it a very impressive four consecutive 7-0 wins when they won at Rose and Crown ‘B’ while second placed Cross Oldswinford won at Mount Pleasant.
Third in the league Ten Arches, like the Labour Club and Cross have won all four of their games the latest one seeing them win 6-1 at Raven. Gate Hangs Well were formerly in third place but they suffered their first defeat of the season as they lost 5-2 at Bird in Hand and drop to fifth. A 7-0 win for Seven Stars at Glasscutters has seen them take over third place and like Gate Hangs Well are two points behind the top three teams.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ consolidated their pole position in the Netherton Thursday Night League when they returned from Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘B’ with a 9-0 victory. The win keeps them top of the table with a small average lead on The Clock who won 7-2 away to Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’. The two top teams are the only undefeated teams in the league after only three games. Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ and Townsend Social Club are placed third and fourth respectively, they have both lost one game and in the latest fixtures in turn won 7-2 at Bulls Head and 5-4 at Spring Meadow.
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Prior to game 27 in the Rowley Monday Night League Bell and Clock (Whiteheath) were the top two teams but the twenty-seventh fixtures brought the two teams together on the Clock’s home board. Unfortunately for the Clock home advantage didn’t help at all as they went down 6-3 and as a result drop one place in the table to third. They are now four points short of leaders Bell and two behind Plough and Harrow who have taken over the number two spot following their 6-3 win at Romsley Cricket Club.
With only three more fixtures to play Bell with a two point’s advantage and a large average lead, barring any unforeseen upsets already have one hand on the winner’s silverware.
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Game six in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League saw Gornal Labour Club and Old Bulls Head share the number one position and after completing game seven nothing has changed as the Labour Club won 6-3 at home against Chainyard and Old Bulls Head beat their visitors Pensnett Liberal Club by the same 6-3 margin. A 7-2 win at Griffin keeps Seven Stars in touch with the leaders, level on twelve points but trailing by six legs of average. Five Ways, Jolly Crispin and New Inn are all on ten points, two adrift of the top three teams.
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Fox Inn (Lye) were the only losers in the top six teams in game sixteen of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League as they lost 4-3 playing away against top of the table Quarry Bank Labour Club. The win for the Labour Club keeps them six points ahead of second placed Bird in Hand ‘E’ who with a 160 break from A.Smith won 7-0 against Dudley Sports. Ten Arches are third on the same 26 points as Bird in Hand ‘E’ and only one leg of average short of them after they won 6-1 At Ashwood whose M.Halliday also had a 160 break.
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Allens Bar ‘A’ top the Black Country Men’s Super League with seventeen wins from seventeen games but their latest home fixture against third in the table Yeltz Bar saw them held to a very close 3-2 victory. Nevertheless a win is a win and this latest one saw Allens ‘A’ take their points tally to 111 which is thirteen more than second in the league Railway Tavern who reduced the arrears slightly with a 4-1 win at home over Ashwood. Yeltz Bar’s defeat sees them drop one place in the table to fourth just one point behind their third place replacements and local rivals Yeltz Bar ‘A’ who won their home game against Allens Bar ‘B’ 4-1. Fifth placed Maverick won 4-1 against next to bottom of the table Horse and Jockey ‘A’ while Gilbert’s Bar, who were previously sixth had a somewhat surprisingly heavy 5-0 defeat at Bell, Kingswinford ‘A’ who are two places and four points below them but with a game in hand.
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With Scott Baker now assured of the title in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League Ben Johnson was looking to secure the runners-up spot and with an 8-0 win over Sandra Beadsmore followed by another 8-0 success over Jon Blakemore he has achieved that second place. Baker is currently on 260 points with three to play while Johnson has 233 points with the same three remaining games. Third placed John Simms has completed all of his 31 games and has 215 points and fourth in the league Jon Blakemore with only two more to play is back on 2017 points.
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The result for the top five teams in the Singles Division of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League was 5-2, however not all of them were winners. Leaders Railway were one of those losers as they lost their home game with Hurst Hill who moved up one place to fourth on 26 points, six short of their hosts. Second placed ECC were winners at Gilbert’s Bar who until the defeat were fourth but drop down one place to fifth. Woodfield are placed third, they won playing away against bottom of the division Red Lion. After this latest round of fixtures the current position is that Railway are top on 32 points, ECC and Woodfield are in turn second and third with 28 points and on 26 points are fourth and fifth placed Hurst Hill and Gilbert’s Bar.
In the Doubles Division leaders Hurst Hill won 2-1 playing away against third in the division Railway, second placed ECC winning by the same 2-1 margin at Gilbert’s Bar to keep them on the same 32 points as Hurst Hill and just the one leg of average behind them. Woodfield are third and despite winning 2-1 at Red Lion they are a massive ten points short of the top two teams.
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