Warwickshire County Darts Organisation finished the old year in the Premier Division of the UKDA National League in style with a 23-13 home win over Cornwall and although they remain fifth in the table they have reduced the deficit on new leaders Hampshire from 24 to 18 points. Hampshire have replaced Lancashire in pole position following their 20-16 home win over them giving them a total of 101 points with Lancashire second on 97, Warwickshire having 83.
Saturday’s games saw wins for both the ladies and men’s teams as the former won 4-2 with Hannah Meek lady of the match with a very respectable 20.20 average. The men’s ‘B’ won 8-4 with Mark Carter their top player averaging 29.97.
There were mixed results for Sunday’s games as the ladies slipped to a 4-2 defeat with Tammy Montgomery making it three consecutive match awards with a 21.25 average. The men’s ‘A’ side won 9-3 and taking their match award with a superb 30.83 average was Jamie Atkins.
Warwickshire will be hoping to reduce the gap even further this coming weekend when they travel to the Plumstead Common WMC, 71 Kirkham Street, Plumstead, London, SE18 2JS where they will take on London who are currently on 61 points and only three places off the foot of the table.
Selected to play against London are Men’s ‘A’:- Jamie Atkins, Gareth Braham, Kevin Dowling, Noel Grant, Steve Hine, Jamie Hughes, Tom Martin, Wayne Mynard, Jack Wareing, Jenson Walker, Matty Washbrooke, Chris Wickenden, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Carter, Adam Hancock, Nigel Heydon, Dave Hill, Scott Hope, Pete Hughes, Ian McFarlane, Karl Reynolds, Noah Rose, Mark Strong, Mark Tomlinson snr, Martin Tonks, Reserves:- Carl Green, Ryan Hawkes, Dave Honey, Lee Miller, Sam Price, Carl Winters, Women’s ‘A’:- Marian Conway, Natalie Gilbert, Sue Gulliver, Tammy Montgomery, Caroline Pike, Donna Pinch, Women’s ‘B’:- Nina Bolt, Courtney Hine, Angela Jones, Melanie Jones, Chloe McKivett, Hannah Meek, Reserves:- Wendy Adams, Denise Keyte.
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It turned out to be a good end of year for the Black Country County Darts Organisation in division two of the UKDA National League as their 24-12 home win over Bedfordshire saw them take over the number one spot in the division with a total of 95 points, nine more than the former leaders and now second placed West of England.
This coming weekend Black Country will once again play at home as they entertain Cumbria who are some six places below them in the table and have eighteen fewer points.
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In the L-Style Division One of the UKDA National League West Midlands although having a game in hand on all of the teams above them are next to bottom of the table with 62 points, just five more than bottom placed Worcestershire. They will have no easy task this coming weekend as they travel to the Cressex Community Centre and Social Club, 232 Cressex Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP12 4UD where they will take on the local county Buckinghamshire, who are third in the division and are nineteen points to the good on their visitors.
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In division one of the Four Oaks and District League Nomad Flights have taken over in pole position with a narrow 5-4 win at Walmley CSC Flights giving them eight from a possible ten points and a lead of two over four teams, Old Oscott Arrows, Highcroft Social, Bishop Vesey and Old Horns Lions although all of them apart from Old Oscott Arrows have a game in hand on the leaders. Heartlands lost to the Old Horns Lions in a match that produced 33 tons including a second maximum for Jim Frost while Bishop Vesey beat Old Oscott Arrows 5-4.
In the second division Oscott Social Club maintained their unbeaten record beating visitors The Scott Armers 5-4. An extraordinary match between The Funky Bear and Erdington Arrows produced 29 tons with Funky Bear trailing 4-1 they took the final four games winning them all by close 2-1 margins for a hard earned 5-4 victory.
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The final games of 2022 for the Harborne and District League produced a top versus bottom fixture with leaders Bugle Horn playing hosts to bottom of the table Weoley Castle WMC. The outcome was a resounding 9-0 win for Bugle Horn to keep them two points ahead of their nearest rivals Northfield Conservative Club who have played one game fewer than Bugle Horn.
Third and fourth in the league Northfield Town and Smethwick Cricket Club are both on 22 points, four short of the leaders but both had notable wins this week as Northfield won 8-1 at The Mill and Smethwick won 7-2 at Copper Fox ‘M’.
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The Kings Norton League rounded off the old year with the next round of their League Cup in which Northfield and Grant Arms were the biggest winners as in turn they handed out 15-6 defeats to Bourneville and Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club. League leaders Copper Fox won their home tie with fifth in the league Rubery Social Club 12-9 while third placed Thurlestone lost 13-8 at home to Bournebrook who are fourth in the table, two points behind their hosts. The only other game played saw Cock Inn gain a narrow 11-10 home victory over E57.
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A 4-3 home win over Sheldon Marlborough Flights has seen Erdington Nomads take their unbeaten run in the Camp Hill League to four games, they are the only team in the league not to have lost so far and as a result head the table on eight points with a two points advantage over Clumsy Swan, Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club and Tyseley WMC with Cotterills having played one game more than the other top teams. Cotterills dropped to third place following a somewhat surprisingly heavy 5-2 defeat at Clumsy Swan while Tyseley WMC had a bye.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League brought down the curtain on 2022 with the quarter finals of their divisional League Cups. In the premier division games divisional leaders Sheldon Marlborough Arrows won 7-2 at Hollywood Social, the same scoreline by which second placed Langley Arrows won at Kingshurst Labour Club. In the “All Boys” game Highwood Gerry’s Boys beat Dunky’s Boys 5-4 and making up the semis will be Sheldon Dukes who won 6-3 against Raven Arrows.
Despite a maximum for Langley Flights Julian Harris the team, who lead division one lost 5-4 at The Dingle who are fourth in the division, 5-4 was also the outcome of the other three fixtures with wins for Maggies, Yardley Ex Colts and bottom of the division Hornet who in turn accounted for Journeys End, Shirley Misfits and Willclare Sports and Social.
Division two leaders Brain’s Flights and third placed Iron Horse Rebels made the last four in style as in turn they won 8-1 against The Irish Centre and The Raven, joining them in the semi-finals will be Sheldon Marlborough Ridge and The Trident Spears as Ridge won 6-3 against Castle Bromwich WMC and Spears beat Hampton and Solihull Cricket Club 5-4.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League played their singles knockpout down to the last eight and making the quarter-finals were C.Hadlington (Spring Meadow), G.Jackson (Bulls Head), Phil Tonks (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’), A.Galeb (Townsend Social Club), D.Brown (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’), W.Cairns (Townsend Social Club), D.Richmond (Townsend Social Club), J.Bland (The Clock).
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The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League have been winding down their season with the finals of their singles and doubles knockouts. The winner of the singles final was Ryan O’Connor (Miners Arms ‘A’) who beat fellow Miners Arms ‘A’ player Rye McCarthy 3-2 after McCarthy had opened up a 2-0 lead.
The doubles winners were M.James and Ryan O’Connor again from the Miners Arms ‘A’ and once again it was a very close affair as they ran out 3-2 winners against Jay Steven’s and Jake Sheldon from the Waggon and Horses.
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Ten Arches lost their third place in the table and dropped to fifth in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League when in their most recent fixture they lost 4-3 playing away against second placed Old Liberal Club. The win keeps Old Liberal Club within two points of leaders Cross (Oldswinford) who won 5-2 at Church Tavern. A convincing 6-1 win at Rose and Crown ‘B’ sees Bell move up one place to third, both they and fourth placed Bird in Hand, who won 5-2 at Cat Inn, are on eighteen points, four short of the leaders but they have played one game more than the top two teams.
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The results from game 24 in the Black Country Men’s Super League had no effect on the league table whatsoever as leaders Allens Bar ‘A’ won 3-2 against their ‘C’ team to put them on 148 points, and second placed Railway Tavern won their home tie with Bell, Kingswinford ‘A’ by the same 3-2 margin to leave them eighteen points short of the top team. Yeltz Bar ‘A’ are third and have played one game more than the two teams above them, their latest fixture saw them win 3-2 at home against Halesowen Cricket Club while their local rivals Yeltz Bar are fourth and on 111 points, eight short of their rivals but with a game in hand.
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With just four more fixtures to play in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League Quarry Bank Labour Club are holding on to their two points lead over Bird in Hand ‘E’ after winning 5-2 at Black Horse and Bird in Hand ‘E’ won 6-1 at Bell ‘B’. Third placed Ten Arches are a further two points adrift after winning 6-1 at home against Fox Inn (Lye) but four to the good on fourth placed Hollybush who also won 6-1 at The Shovel.
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Week five of the Ashwood Premier League saw Chris Williams hit top form as he followed up a 4-3 win over Dave Simpson with 7-0 wins over both Ade Colley and Jake Robinson to take him up into pole position with 65 points. John Green is second and although seven points short of Williams has two games in hand after adding a 6-1 win against Ben Watts and a 4-3 success over Rob Pierce to his account.
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Hen Lane and District Social Club staged another great Coventry Christmas Open with a fantastic turnout of players for both the singles and doubles events. The singles competition saw an entry of 86 players which considering there were many events taking place throughout the country on the same day was a fantastic turnout. Taking the title was Cambridgeshire’s Connor Arberry who got the better of a closely fought final against Warwickshire’s Mark Strong to claim the narrow 6-5 victory after both players had had many chances to seal the win.
Winner Connor Arberry (Left) and Neil Pritchard Organiser.
The doubles knockout attracted 41 pairs with some great pairings vying for this year’s title but eventually it went to Oxfordshires Stephen Tompkins and Adam Henson who defeated Tamworth players Scott Hope and Steve Homer.
Organiser Neil Pritchard offered his thanks to all who took part in both events, and also to all the helpers throughout the day. Sarah West who ran top table very well, Sue Maclennan who took the cards round and also to the Club for the donation and to the Staff at the club for all their work on what was a seriously long day.
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The Gilbert’s Bar Christmas Knockout was won by Thomas Garfield who beat Rob Thompson 6-3 in the final. Garfield had taken out Jamie Hughes (5-3) in the semis while Thompson won by the same scoreline against Richard Hosey.
As winner Thomas Garfield received £150 with Thompson picking up £70. There was £30 for each of the losing semi-finalists Jamie Hughes and Richard Hosey.
In the first round losers Plate Competition Jon Platt took the top prize of £40 with a 4-1 final win over Adam Johnson who collected £20 as runner-up.
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For many, many years Brian Twist ran the Forest of Arden League and supplied me with weekly results and league table, sadly Brian, a popular and well known person throughout the Birmingham area especially the Solihull and Sheldon areas passed away on Sunday 18th December.
Condolences to all Brian’s relatives and friends, he will be sadly missed throughout the darts fraternity.
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There was further sad news that long serving West Midlands County player Margaret (Maggie) Fellows also has sadly passed away. Her funeral service will be held at All Saints Church, Elmore Row, Bloxwich, WS3 2HR at 1.00pm on Wednesday 11th January and then on to North Walsall Cemetery, Saddleworth Road, Bloxwich, WS3 3XN at 2.00pm.
Maggie will be missed by all her West Midlands team mates and officials plus many more throughout the country who got to know her through playing for the county.
Thoughts and condolences go to her family and friends.
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