The Four Oaks and District League staged the finals of their Coronation and Norman Day Cups, in the former two division one teams Bishop Vesey and Walmley CSC Flights squared up to each other with Bishop Vesey, who finished the season placed fourth losing by a close 8-7 result to their seventh placed opponents Walmley CSC Flights.
The Norman Day Cup final brought together division two champions Minworth Flights and Plough and Arrows who ended their campaign in the second division placed seventh with the convincing 11-4 result going in favour of Minworth Flights to make it a fantastic double for the season.
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Raven Arrows suffered their first defeat of the season’s opening three fixtures in group one of the Sheldon and District Summer League when they lost 5-3 playing away against Langley Arrows who are fourth in the group but with a game in hand. A 4-3 win including a 140 finish for John Smythe saw The Dingle win at Highwood to take them up one place to second while their opponents dropped one place to third, Dingle are level on four points with Raven Arrows.
As a result of Shirley Misfits having a bye this week they lose pole position in group two and replacing them with a 6-2 win away to Hornet is the only team in the group with a 100% win record after completing two games Sheldon Dukes. Two players in a high scoring mood for the Maggies were D.Carter snr and Steve Hall who both found the three treble twenties in their teams 4-4 draw with Brian’s Flights.
The week’s results had no effect on the league placings in group three, Langley Flights holding on to the number one spot with a 6-2 win at Sheldon Marlborough Ridge with Trident Spears in second place on five points, one short of the leaders after they had a similar 6-2 win at Lyndon Old Boys.
Only average separates the top three teams in group four, Banbury Club’s 4-4 home draw with Smithswood Social, whose Tom Franklin hit a maximum and his team mate Kian Poyner checked out on 153, lead both Moseley Rugby Club and Raven by two legs of average, all three teams are on four points. Moseley Rugby Club won 5-3 at Hampton and Solihull Cricket Club and Raven finished all square at four each in a home tie with Sheldon Marlborough Flights, Dave Howlett hitting a maximum for Flights.
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In the South West Birmingham Clubs Singles League Longbridge Social not only lost for the first time in eight games but also lost their top position in the table and drop to second with fourteen points, the same number as new leaders West Heath CEM but just the one leg of average behind them after West Heath CEM won 6-1 at Quarry Club. Third, fourth and fifth placed Avenue Social, Bournbrook and Perfection are all on ten points, four adrift of the leading pair, Avenue Social won 6-1 at Moseley All Service while Bournbrook had a 5-2 success playing at Stirchley United who drop one place to sixth, they have been replaced in the number five spot by Perfection who had a 4-3 home win over Stirchley Flights.
No change at the top of the Pre Match Doubles league, Longbridge United continuing to lead the field with 112 points and have a twenty-one points advantage over second placed West Heath CEM, in fact there was no change whatsoever in the to six positions in the league.
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Cross (Oldswinford) have held the number one spot in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League for the majority of the scheduled thirty-six games season, but with them now having only eight remaining fixtures they have lost that top spot after going down 5-2 at Old Liberal Club, their nearest rivals inflicting on them their first defeat in twenty-eight games. With the far superior average Old Liberal Club have taken over from Cross at the top of the table, both teams are on the same fifty-four points and the remaining eight games will now be packed with tension for both sides, each and every win crucial to decide who will become champions.
Third placed Ten Arches had a bye this week, they have played the same number of games as the two teams above them but are some eight points behind them but four to the good on both fourth and fifth placed Netherton Conservative Club and The Princess. Netherton Conservative Club had a close 4-3 home win over sixth in the table Cottage while The Princess had a more comfortable 6-1 home victory over Rose and Crown ‘A’.
A 5-2 win at Rose and Crown ‘B’ keeps Crestwood top of the Shadow League with twelve points and a slightly better average than second placed Raven who won by the same margin at Glasscutters to put them also on twelve points, both having played eleven games. Third in the Shadow League Church Tavern also have twelve points, they won 4-3 at home against Fox Inn, Lye and have a game in hand on the two teams above them.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League played off the final rounds of their Doubles Knockout in which K.Wright & S.Tipper, G.Male & P.Mallen, P.Hadley (he had no partner) and C.Wakeman & J.Brookes all made their exits in the quarter-finals.
Both of the semi-finals finished with straight 2-0 results, P.Nicholls & H.Williams and C.Hadlington & S.Charlesworth booking their final spot in turn at the expense of K.Cooksey & D.Brown and R.Turner & M.Kendall.
The new doubles champions for the Netherton Thursday Night League are Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ representatives Paul Nicholls and Harry Williams who beat their opponents C.Hadlington & S.Charlesworth 3-1.
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After completing eighteen of the scheduled thirty fixtures in the Rowley Monday Night League only two points separate the top four teams. Bell continue to lead the field after handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their visiting team Wonder with Shane Price hitting a maximum for the home side. The win gives Bell a total of thirty-two points with a fifteen legs advantage over second placed White Swan who took their points tally to the same thirty-two when they won 6-3 at Rowley Labour Club, A.Ghaley recording a ten darts game for the home side while K.Hopton and Steve Gillam both chalked up 160 breaks for White Swan. Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club and Gate Hangs Well are third and fourth respectively with just the one leg of average separating them after Hill and Cakemore beat Gate Hangs Well 7-2.
Loyal Lodge had a 7-2 home win over Tividale FC to keep them top of the Shadow League with twenty-five points and a lead of eleven over their opponents who are placed second in the Shadow League.
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On the fixture card for the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League was the first round of their League Cup in which current league leaders Old Liberal Club ‘A’ kicked-off with a resounding 7-0 win at home against Dudley Sports, Shovel emulating the leaders by winning by the same margin at Black Horse. Not far behind the two 7-0 winners was Brickmakers Arms who accounted for their hosts Netherton Conservative Club with a 6-1 result the same scoreline by which Stourbridge FC beat their visitors Garibaldi. Ashwood, Union and Fox Inn (Lye) in turn had close 4-3 wins over Old Liberal Club ‘B’, Hollybush and Wheatsheaf.
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Despite not playing in week twenty-one of the Ashwood Premier League John Green managed to hold on to pole position with 212 points from thirty-eight games, however second place Nick Fullwell closed the gap on Green to just two points with three games in hand when he beat Matt Davies 7-0. Third in the league Josh Pickett won 5-2 against Chris Manoila to put him on 207 points but he like Green has played thirty-eight games. Cayden Smith had a 4-3 win against Wozza Pritchard and followed that with a 7-0 success over Paul Pollard to lift him a couple of places up the table to fifth with 186 points, his thirty-five fixtures leaving him with games in hand on all above him apart from Nick Fullwell.
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It’s as you were for the top four teams in the Black Country Men’s Super League with Allen’s Bar ‘C’ holding on to pole position despite their 3-2 defeat away to Townsend Social. With twenty-three points Allen’s Bar ‘C’ have a narrow two points lead on both Whiteheath Tavern and Railway Tavern, Whiteheath Tavern suffered a 4-1 reversal away to Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ who move up one place to fifth with eighteen points while Railway Tavern made it losses for the top three going down 3-2 at Allen’s Bar ‘A’, this being Railway’s first defeat in the six games they have played. Quarry Bank Liberal Club were the only winners in the top four winning 3-2 at home against Townsend Social Club ‘A’ to leave them three points off the top of the table.
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The Black Country Thursday Night Singles League played off the remaining outstanding fixtures to complete their programme. The title eventually going to Nick Fullwell with a total of 263 with Rich Bowen runner-up on 258 points, making up the top four places was, in third place on 246 points Shane Price and fourth Gareth Johnston with 226 points. Alex Mason took the Wooden Spoon finishing with three wins in thirty-two games and fifty-one points.
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Leaders of the West Midlands Men’s Super League Dog and Partridge had a 4-1 home win over Gilbert’s Bar ‘D’ in week twenty with their nearest rivals Kings Head ‘A’ winning by the same margin in their home tie with Staffordshire Knot. Making up the top three and also making it three 4-1 wins for the top three teams was third placed Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ who won at home against Kings Head ‘B’.
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Leader of division one of the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League Scott Baker didn’t play in week eighteen but didn’t lose his number one position as his nearest rival Ben Johnson began the night with a 5-3 defeat at the hands of Jon Blakemore and was then held to a 4-4 draw by Jamie Webb to leave him seven points short of Baker and having played one game more than him. Although Johnson lost to third placed Blakemore he still has a more than comfortable twenty-three points lead on him. Martin Price in fourth place has only played fifteen games the latest of which saw him win 6-2 against Reece Cook Lucas to put him on 100 points with two games in hand on Baker plus three in hand on both Johnson and Blakemore.
A 5-3 win over second in division two Clark Cook has seen leader of the division Jason Hough open up a four points lead on his opponent. Former leader of the division Tony Singh is third just one point behind Cook with a game in hand.
Alan Melling is riding high in division three after adding his resounding 8-0 win over Alex Bryant to his tally, he now has a total of 144 points and a lead of nine over second placed Robert Harris who has played one game more than Melling.
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Game ten in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League saw no change in the top five places in the singles division with leaders Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ adding a 7-0 win over ECC ‘B’ to give them a total of twenty points and a lead of two over both Woodfield and ECC ‘A’, Woodfield winning 5-2 at Wednesfield Legion and ECC ‘A’ having a closer 4-3 win at home against Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ who are next to bottom of the table.
A 3-0 win over Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ in the doubles division makes it ten wins in as many games for ECC ‘A’ and gives them a two points lead over second placed Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ who won 2-1 against ECC ‘B’.
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