It was not the start Warwickshire County Darts Organisation wanted as they began 2023 in the Cosmo Darts Premier Division of the UKDA National League as they slipped to a narrow 19-17 defeat playing away against London.
However the weekend got off to quite a bright start as the ladies ‘B’ side roared to a 5-1 victory. Chloe McKivett got the match underway with her straight 3-0 win over Sarah Cronin and although the home side levelled through Dee Belcher’s win over Angela Jones Warwickshire went 2-1 up with a 3-0 win from Courtney Hine over Carly Townsend. Lady of the match Hannah Meek beat Joanne Deamer 3-1 with a 19.80 average before the 5-1 win was wrapped up with Nina Bolt beating Jane Biggs 3-1 and Melanie Jones winning 3-0 against Lynne Biondini.
The men’s ‘B’ went down 7-5 with their wins coming from Dave Hill, Scott Hope, Karl Reynolds, man of the match Nigel Heydon and Noah Rose. Nigel Heydon won 4-0 against Geoff Mortimer with a 27.08 average.
Caroline Pike and Natalie Gilbert were the only winners for the ladies ‘A’ as they lost 4-2. Natalie had a straight 3-0 win over Nikki Patten, her 17.28 average earning her the match award. The men’s ‘A’ finished as did the men’s ‘B’ on the wrong side of a 7-5 scoreline. Chalking up Warwickshire’s five wins were Steve Hine, Noel Grant, Jamie Atkins, Kevin Dowling and award winner Matty Washbrooke who had a 4-2 win over Liam Hill with a 27.70 average.
Despite the defeat Warwickshire hold on to fifth place in the table, but have had the deficit on leaders Lancashire increased from 18 to 23 points.
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In division one of the UKDA National League West Midlands in their away game against Buckinghamshire returned with what must be a creditable 18-18 draw against their third placed opponents but nevertheless they remain in a perilous next to bottom of the table position with just 81 points from their opening four games, but they do have a game in hand on the teams above them.
Both ladies teams lost 4-2 with Katherine Jenkins and lady of the match Shellbie Simmons (17.29 average) the only winners for the ‘B’ team, Kat McLean and Jacqueline Maiden the winners for the ‘A’, Jacqueline taking the match award for her 18.70 average.
The men’s ‘B’ were the highlight of the weekend winning 8-4 thanks to wins from Rob Thompson, Glen McGrandle, Mark Maiden, Sam Guest, Jay Woodhouse, Kieran O’Mahoney, John Morris and Dean Simmons-Fullwood with Glen McGrandle their top player beating Gary Price 3-0 and chalking up a 27.83 average.
The men’s A’ had to be satisfied sharing the spoils in a 6-6 draw, their wins being supplied by Michael Baker, Owen Maiden, Shaun Carroll, Ryan O’Connor, Adam Johnson and Ian Jones with Ryan O’Connor the award winner for his 28.95 average.
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It was a great start to the New Year for Black Country in division two of the UKDA National League as they recorded a 23-13 home win over Cumbria to double their lead at the top of the division from nine to eighteen points.
Saturday’s games produced a 4-2 win for the ladies ‘B’, Lacey Hughes taking the match award for her 16.89 average. The men’s ‘B’ finished all-square at 6-6 with Shane Sheridan their top man as he chalked up a 27.60 average.
Sunday’s games saw the ladies ‘A’ share the spoils in a 3-3 draw, Tammy Chance winning 3-1 against Crissy Manley with a 20.22 average to win the match award. The men’s ‘A’ were in top form winning 10-2, Shane Price with a 30.36 average and a 4-0 result against Alan Armstrong taking the match award. Other winners were Dan Nicholls, Graham Hall, Trevor Brennon, Gaz Johnson, Rob Smith, Reece Colley, Tom Bissell, Alex Howells and Paul Wells.
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In the Four Oaks and District League Nomads Flights remain top of division one after winning 5-4 against second in the division Old Oscott Arrows. The Arrows opened up a lead of 4-2 but Nomads rallied for a 5-4 win. The win keeps intact Nomads two points lead at the top of the table as Highcroft Social replace Old Oscott Arrows in second place following their 6-3 home win over The Old Horns Lions and with a game in hand and just two points adrift they could draw level on points with the Nomads.
There were some outstanding darts from B.Hughes and D.Vickers as they helped deliver a 9-0 win for Red Lion at Charley’s Flights.
Oscott Social Club and Minworth Flights both kept their unbeaten runs intact in division two the former winning 6-3 at home against Rosey Mac’s while the latter won 5-4 at Erdington Arrows. Oscott Social Club remain top of the division having played one game more than second placed Minworth, L.Cooksey hit a maximum for Erdington Arrows.
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Sheldon and District Winter League have reached the halfway point of their season and with a perfect twelve points from their six games Sheldon Marlborough Arrows lead the way in the premier division. In the latest round of fixtures the leaders had a bye which allowed second placed Langley Arrows to reduce the arrears which they did with a 6-3 home win over Highwood Gerry’s Boys and are now just two points short of the leaders. A 5-4 win at Sheldon Dukes keeps Dunky’s Boys third in the table with ten points, only two fewer than the leaders but they have played one game more than both teams above them.
It was a bye week for both of the top two teams in division one leaders Langley Flights and second placed Yardley Ex Colts who are both on ten points and joining them on the same number of points is third placed Dingle who won 5-4 at home against Journeys End.
It was not a good week for division two leaders Brian’s Flights as for the first time in eight games they lost. Playing away against fifth place Irish Centre Brian’s Flights returned on the wrong side of 5-4 scoreline but still hold on to pole position, their lead now reduced to just two points over second in the division Iron Horse Rebels who won 5-4 at Trident Spears.
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Week fifteen in the Harborne and District League saw leaders Bugle Horn play away against third in the table Northfield Town and return with a 5-4 result to keep them top of the table with 28 points from their 15 games and see their hosts drop one place in the table to fourth. Second in the league Northfield Conservative Club kept their title hopes on course with a 6-3 win at Copper Fox ‘R’ to keep within two points of the leaders with a game in hand. Smethwick Cricket Club are third, in their home tie they handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their opponents Quinton RBL to give them 24 points, four off the top. Northfield Town are a further two points adrift in fourth place on 22 points.
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With no result for Kings Norton League leaders Copper Fox this week the second and third placed teams Thurlestone and Northfield squared up to each other. Despite home board advantage Northfield lost 4-3 and are now six points behind Copper Fox with only three more fixtures to play. Thurlestone meanwhile are four behind the leaders which with so few games remaining is still a huge task.
At the other end of the table bottom team Kings Heath chalked up what is only their third win in twenty-one games when they won 4-3 at home against Coppice who are four places above them and are twelve points better off.
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The Camp Hill League were involved with their League Cup in which league leaders Erdington Nomads won 4-3 at Tyseley WMC who are fourth in the league. Second in the league table Clumsy Swan had a convincing 6-1 home win over bottom of the table Sedgemere Devils while Tyseley Bears beat Sheldon Marlborough Flights 5-2. The game between Peaky Blinder and Moseley Arms was postponed.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League have played their Singles Knockout down to the last eight players and making the quarter-finals were S.Skidmore (Bird in Hand ‘E’), J.Poole (Ashwood), R.Rubery (Dudley Sports), K.James (Hollybush), A.Nicholls, A.Dimmock (Bell), J.Harper, A.Moreton (Ten Arches).
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ are reigning champions of the Netherton Thursday Night League and they are continuing their fight to hold on to the title as they added a vital 5-4 home win over Townsend Social Club who are third in the league and now some four points short of their victors. Second in the league Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ won 7-2 at Spring Meadow to remain level on points with the leaders with a game in hand.
At the other end of the table the two bottom teams played each other, next to bottom of the table Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘B’ playing hosts to the team just above them Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’. The outcome was a 5-4 win for Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘B’, their first win of the eleven games season so far, however with an inferior average they do continue to stay bottom of the table but now on the same two points as their opponents.
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The Cross (Oldswinford) made it twelve wins from as many games when they handed out a 7-0 clean-sweep to their visitors Fox Inn (Lye) in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League. The win keeps Cross two points to the good on second in the table Old Liberal Club who were 6-1 winners at Gate Hangs Well who drop two places to eighth. A further four points adrift on eighteen points is third in the league Ten Arches who won 5-2 at home against Church Tavern. Four other teams, Bell, Bird in Hand, Netherton Conservative Club and The Princess are all also on the same eighteen points as Ten Arches but Bell and Bird in Hand have played one game more than the rest.
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It was cup week in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League with the league’s top half teams contesting the John Walters Cup and the bottom half playing for the John Walters Trophy. In the Cup league leaders Gornal Labour Club played hosts to fourth placed Seven Stars and won 6-1 while the league’s reigning champions and currently second in the table Old Bulls Head went one better by beating Jolly Crispin 7-2, in the remaining game Five Ways had a close 5-4 win over New Inn.
In the Trophy Pensnett Liberal Club were the biggest winners as they took out Chainyard with an 8-1 result, Red Cow had a 6-3 win against Meadow Lark and Griffin got through by the smallest of margins 5-4 against The Cabin.
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No results for the top three teams in the Black Country Men’s Super League Allens Bar ‘A’, Railway Tavern and Yeltz Bar ‘A’ this week and although Allens ‘A’ and Railway hold on to their first and second places Yeltz Bar ‘A’ dropped to fourth as their local rivals Yeltz Bar won 4-1 against Bell, Kingswinford ‘B’ to put them on the same 124 points as their ‘A’ team but they have won one more win than them.
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Having played two more games this week and adding two more wins Chris Williams has held on to pole position in the Ashwood Premier League. Williams began his night with a 4-3 win over Tom Stockton and then added a 5-2 success over Sam Aitkens to his tally to give him a total of 76 points from 14 games. John Green also remains in second place taking his points to 69 from 12 games after he beat Jon Underhill 5-2 and Jayden Harper 4-3.
Climbers this week were Nick Fullwell who with 5-2 wins over Alan Bate and Tom Stockton moved up four places to third. Gavin Smith went from ninth to fifth after he added a 4-3 win over Kevin Harris and a 6-1 win against Cayden Smith. Despite the defeat to Gavin, Cayden Smith also moved up two places to sixth as in an earlier game he won 5-2 against Sam Aitkens.
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The Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League finished last season with 32 players. The league has proved to be so successful that it has now attracted no fewer than 48 players and as a result the league has been split into three divisions, each consisting of 16 players.
After the opening round of fixtures Adam Teasdale tops division one with nine points after beating Martin Angell 7-1. The early leader for division two is newcomer Tony Singh who handed Jason Lloyd an 8-0 whitewash and top of division three is another new face to the league Alan Melling who was also an 8-0 winner in his game with Gemma Barrett Jenkins.
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