The Shirley and District Monday Night League have got their new season underway and setting the pace in division one is Sharmans Swords who opened up their campaign with an 8-1 home win over Saracens Misfits and followed that with a similar 8-1 win at Shirley Legion, both teams recording a maximum, Steve Wells for the hosts and Tom McCabe for Swords. Botteville and Tippetts Bar are both just two legs of average behind the leaders after Botteville won their first game at Shirley Legion 6-3 and then beat Bears 8-1, Ant Daly notching a 180 for Bears, while Tippetts Bar won their opener at home against Wharf 8-1 and then added a 6-3 win at Cider House with Ian Durrington hitting a maximum. The top three teams are the only teams with a 100% win record after only two games. Despite a tremendous 158 checkout by Jack Barrows, his team Saracens Misfits went down 5-4 at home to Wharf.
Maggies and Nomads are the only two teams to have won both of their first two games in division two, Maggies kicking-off their season with an 8-1 home win over HSCC and then winning 6-3 against Yardley Wood Social Club, Nomads handing their hosts Saracens Slingers a 9-0 whitewash in their opener and then having a close 5-4 win at Sharmans whose Simon Edwards hit a maximum.
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Northfield Conservative Club, champions of the Harborne and District League, ended their season on a high handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their host’s, wooden spoon winners Avenue Social to finish their campaign with seventeen wins in eighteen games and thirty-four four points which was six more than the chasing pack of three teams Copper Fox ‘R’, Smethwick Cricket Club and Northfield Town, Copper Fox ‘R’ beating local rivals Copper Fox ‘M’ 7-2 to finish as runners-up by ten legs of average over Smethwick Cricket Club who had an 8-1 win over Cock Inn, and finishing fourth a further nineteen legs behind were Northfield Town who completed their fixture card with a 6-3 win over The Mill.
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The Camp Hill League had the finals of their Doubles Knockout on their agenda and in the semi-finals there were wins for James Hinkley & Stuart Ollerenshaw (Tyseley WMC) and Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Perks (Clumsy Swan) who in turn accounted for Fred Naylor & Simon Edwards (Erdington Nomads) and Kev O’Grady & Ash Lattimer (Moseley Arms). The final winners were James Hinkley & Stuart Ollerenshaw with Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Perks finishing as runners-up. Highest score on the night was supplied by James Hinkley who hit a 180.
On the league front leaders Tyseley WMC won 6-1 at Peaky Blinder to remain six points to the good on second placed Erdington Nomads who also won 6-1 playing at home against Moseley Arms leaving them with a game in hand on the WMC. Third in the league Tyseley Bears won 5-2 against Clumsy Swan to put them on twelve points from nine games, they have a game in hand on Nomads and two in hand on the WMC but trail the top side by some ten points.
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The South West Birmingham Clubs Winter League had eight teams involved in the preliminary round of their League Cup with the league’s currently placed second and third teams West Heath CEM and Northfield Town squaring up to each other with the latter getting the 5-4 result. Biggest win of the round went to Quarry Club who won their tie with Bartley Green 7-2. Both of the other two games finished with a 6-3 scoreline going in favour of Bournbrook and league leaders Longbridge United who in turn took out respective opponents Perfection and Stirchley United.
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A 180 from Jake Webster plus a ten darts game from Richard Nixon helped Langley Arrows, current premier division leaders in the Sheldon and District Winter League to an 8-1 home win over Yardley Ex Colts and put the home side four points ahead of second placed Sheldon Marlborough Arrows who had a bye this week. Three teams, Raven Arrows, Banbury Club and Sheldon Dukes are all hot on the heels of Arrows, their six points just two short of Arrows.
In division one Trident Spears suffered a somewhat surprising 5-4 home defeat to Smithswood Social Club and as a result lose pole position and drop to second place two points behind new leaders Brian’s Flights who won 5-4 at Hollywoos Social Club. Despite a 180 from S.Moon Maggies lost their home game with Willclare Sports and Social Club 5-4.
Hornet continue to lead division two with eight points from five games but second placed Sheldon Marlborough Ridge are on the same eight points after an unbeaten four games and a win in their game in hand would see them take over at the top of the table. Third in the division Lyndon Old Boys had a 7-2 home win over bottom of the division College Arms Flights to take them to eight points but they like Hornet have played five games.
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With the majority of teams in division one of the Sutton and District Summer League having only two more games to play the title could go to either of the top two sides as present leaders Highcroft Hotdogs had a surprising 6-3 defeat at home to The Nomads to throw a lifeline to second placed Bishop Vesey whose 6-3 win at Old Horns Arrows puts them level on twenty-six points with the Hotdogs who remain top of the table now only on average. Third placed Old Horns Lions won 5-4 at Old Oscott Arrows but cannot catch either of the top two teams as they are six points behind them.
Scott Armers have been ousted from their number one perch in division two after their very surprising 5-4 defeat away to Sutton Sharks who are just three places off the foot of the table. The defeat has cost the Armers not only the divisional lead but also now with only one fixture remaining most probably the title as new leaders Charley’s Flights 8-1 home win over St Tom Cats has given them a two points lead over Scott Armers and they still have two games to play.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played their Singles Knockout down to the last sixteen players and winning their way through were K.Bambrick, W.Green, S.Tipper, S.Hillman, C.Snellus, A.Floyd, B.Capewell, J.Churchill, A.Nicholls, T.Russell, C.Slate, S.G.Skidmore, I.Jones, C.Powell, S.Hall, K.James.
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The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League saw C.Williams, T.Brennan, R.McCarthy and T.Rinsley all make their exits in the quarter-finals of their singles knockout and in the semi-finals there were wins for C.Bowen and A.Cross who defeated respective opponents J.Gibbs and W.Hobson. In the final Bowen opened up a 2-0 lead only to see Cross stage a tremendous fight-back to go on and win the title with a 3-2 result. The league wished to thank everyone who helped out on the night with big thanks to Paul Hazel for the raffle and Chris Dabbs for running the conservatory board.
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The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League are up to week two, Five Ways held on to pole position after adding a 7-0 home win over Fox Inn (Lye) to their tally to keep them ahead of a chasing pack of six teams all on the same four points but behind on average. The leaders have a slender one leg of average lead on second placed Netherton Conservative Club ‘B’ who with a 180 from I.Bradley won 6-1 at home against Mount Pleasant to keep them in turn one leg of average to the good on third placed Old Liberal Club who had 5-2 win at Seven Stars with their K.Bambrick recording a 160 break. Bird in Hand and Gate Hangs Well ‘A’ are a further one leg adrift after Bird in Hand with a 160 break from their F.Jones won 5-2 against Netherton Conservative Club ‘A’ while Gate Hangs Well ‘A’ won by the same margin at Queens Head. Sixth and seventh placed Crestwood and Gate Hangs Well ‘B’ were both also 5-2 winners in their respective games against Glasscutters ‘A’ and The Princess to leave them four legs of average short of the leaders. C.Moreton had a superb 164 game shot for Gate Hangs Well ‘B’.
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White Horse had their reign at the top of the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League cur short after they lost their home game with Baggeidge WM 6-3, replacing them in pole position is Netherton Sports and Social Club who had a tremendous 7-2 home win over former league leaders Gornal Labour Club who with sixteen points are level with second placed White Horse but two behind the new league leaders. Also on sixteen points are third and fourth placed Old Bulls Head and Baggeridge WM, Old Bulls Head another team to lose ground in the title race as they went down 6-3 at Gornal British Legion who are sixth in the league with fourteen points.
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A 180 from W.Cairns and a 5-4 win at Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ was not enough for Townsend Social Club to hold on to sole possession of the number one spot in the Netherton Thursday Night League as Bulls Head with a maximum from B.Neale added an 8-1 win at Olde Queens Head to their account to put them level on both points and average with Townsend. Old Liberal Club’s G.Moreton had a 153 finish in his team’s 7-2 home win over Netherton Sports and Social Club to put them third in the league with ten points, two short of the two teams above them but with a game in hand while reigning champions Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ had their fixture with Spring Meadow Pub postponed and are now fourth in the table with a perfect eight points from their four games, they are the only team in the league to have won all of their games and with three games in hand on the leading duo are only four points behind them.
Other notable achievements on the night came from J.Brookes (Spring Meadow Social) who hit a 180 as did D.Haden (Hare and Hounds), T.Johnson (Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club) and S.Homer (Old Glasshouse).
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The Bell, champions of the Rowley Monday Night League, ended their season with a 180 from S.Price and an 8-1 win at Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club to give them a final total of fifty-six points from a possible sixty and a six points advantage over runners-up White Swan who finished the season with a 6-3 defeat at Gate Hangs Well whose forty-eight points gave them third place in the table two points short of their opponents. The wooden spoon went to Huntingtree who with ten points were two fewer than the two teams above them Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘W’ and Spring Meadow.
With a total of ninety-two points Rowley Labour Club won the Shadow League title, runners-up Tividale FC some six points behind them.
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After an opening 4-3 win over Ian Townsend, Reece Colley then lost by the same margin to Nick Fullwell but he bounced back to win 7-0 against Josh Wheeler to keep him top of the Amblecote RBL Premier League with forty-five points, eight more than John Green who has moved up into second place despite losing his first game against Chris Williams 4-3 as he then won 6-1 against Josh Wheeler and 7-0 against Stephen Cartwright to leave him eight points short of Colley with a game in hand. Although reigning champion Nick Fullwell had a close 4-3 win in his opening game against Colley the night didn’t end well for him as he then lost 5-2 to Chris Williams, Williams moving up the table twenty-three places to fifth after also adding his win over Green plus a 6-1 win over Carl Hipkiss and 4-3 success over Michael Harding.
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A 4-1 win over The Ashwood keeps Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ top of the pile in the Black Country Men’s Super League with 86 points, two more than their nearest rivals Allen’s Bar ‘C’ who with a game in hand won 5-0 against Horse and Jockey. Pensnett Liberal Club are third and a further two points behind Allen’s ‘C’ after they won 4-1 against Halesowen Cricket Club.
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Dog and Partridge moved another step closer to the West Midlands Men’s Super League title when they won 4-1 against Staffordshire Knot, the win keeping them ahead of second placed Kings Head ‘A’ who won 5-0 in the local derby with their ‘B’ team. Kings Head ‘A’ have played one game more than Dog and Partridge.
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With just five more games to play in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League singles division leaders ECC have a two point’s lead over second placed Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ after the former won 7-0 against Three Crowns and the latter were 6-1 winners at Ring of Bells.
In the doubles division it’s the other way around with Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ topping the table on fifty points with ECC ‘A’ second on forty-eight points. The latest round of fixtures saw Gilbert’s ‘A’ win 2-1 at Ring of Bells and ECC ‘A’ win 3-0 against Three Crowns.
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