The end of the season is now fast approaching for the Sheldon and District Winter League and week fifteen results had no effect on the premier league or division one tables whatsoever. In the premier league Langley Arrows, with only two more games to play are leading the way and well on course for the title after adding their latest 6-3 win at Yardley Ex Colts to give them a six points lead on second placed Sheldon Marlborough Arrows who now have a game in hand on the leaders after having a bye this week.
In division one Brian’s Flights top the table with twenty-six points from fourteen games, the latest of which saw them win 7-2 at home against Hollywood Social Club. Second in the division Willclare Sports and Social Club beat Maggies 6-3 to keep within two points of the leaders but from fifteen games. Third placed Trident Spears lost ground on the top two when they went down 5-4 at Smithswood Social Club leaving them on twenty points from fourteen games, four short of Willclare.
Sheldon Marlborough Ridge suffered a setback to their division two title hopes this week losing their home game with The Hornet 5-4, their victors replacing them at the top of the division with eighteen points, two more than their hosts but from one game more than they have played, a win in their game in hand would see Sheldon Marlborough Ridge return to pole position.
Just the one maximum this week which was supplied by premier league side Dingle’s Lee Hodges in his team’s 7-2 home win over Sheldon Dukes.
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It was cup week in the South West Birmingham Clubs League, first the semi-finals of the Percy Hinton Cup which saw league leaders Longbridge United win 6-3 at E57 and joining them in the final will be Bournbrook who had a close 5-4 win over Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’.
The quarter-finals were played off for the Consolation Cup and second in the league West Heath CEM with a nine darts game from their K.Webb had a somewhat comfortable 7-2 win over Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’, Stirchley United and Bartley Green FC not far behind West Heath with their 6-3 wins over respepctive opponents Quarry Club and Moseley All Services Club. Also winning through to the last four was Northfield Town who won 5-4 at Perfection.
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Week nine in the Kings Norton League saw no change in the top six positions of the table with leaders Northfield adding a 6-1 win away to Stirchley to their account to give them a total of sixteen points and a lead of two over second and third placed Copper Fox and Thurlestone. With no result for Copper Fox this week they could go level on points with Northfield with a win while Thurlestone won 4-3 at Cock Inn to go level with Copper Fox but from one game more, Bournebrook, Coppice and Rubery Social Club are all two points further adrift on twelve points.
There were no fewer than three 160 breaks this week supplied by T.Atkins (Stirchley), T.Cullen and K.Mason (Bournebrook) with the single maximum of the week going to A.Ward from Coppice.
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Northfield Conservative Club stretched their unbeaten run to seven games in the Harborne and District League when they returned from Weoley Castle WMC on the right side of the 7-2 result plus maximums from their T.Garfield and D.Hill. Second in the league Copper Fox ‘R’ with a maximum from T.Hamilton kept the pressure on the leaders by handing their visitors Windsor a 9-0 whitewash, Windsor bottom of the table and the only team in the league without a win in the seven games so far. Copper Fox ‘M’, Northfield Town and Cock Inn are all on ten points, four off the top after Copper Fox ‘M’, with 180’s from their D.Kent and G.Dews won 8-1 at Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club, Northfield Town beat Smethwick Cricket Club 5-4 and Cock Inn won 7-2 away to Avenue Social.
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On the agenda for the Four Oaks and District League were cup fixtures, round one of their Coronation Shield and Norman Day Cup. In the Coronation Shield division one side The Nomads had a somewhat surprisingly close 8-7 win over Deer’s Leap who hail from division three. The all division one clash between The Beehive and Highcroft Hotdogs saw the former win 8-7 while the division two encounter between Red Lion and Walmley CSC Flights produced a 9-6 win for Walmley, the same result as the all division three game in which Pint Pot Flights beat Rosey Mac’s.
In the Norman Day Cup division three outfit Sutton Sharks had a commendable 10-5 win over division two side Charley’s Flights. The all division two encounter between Drakes Drum and Erdington Arrows resulted in a 9-6 win for Drakes Drum and in the all division three game St Thomas Arrows got the better of Sutton Sports with a convincing 11-4 scoreline.
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After suffering their second defeat in twelve games last week, a 6-3 loss away to Bulls Head, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ got back to winning ways in the Netherton Thursday Night League this week with a 7-2 home win over Hare and Hounds to leave them four points behind leaders Old Liberal Club with a game in hand. Old Liberal Club made it thirteen wins in fourteen games when they handed fourth in the league Townsend Social Club a 9-0 whitewash to keep them two points to the good on their nearest rivals Bulls Head who also beat their hosts Netherton Sports and Social Club by a similar 9-0 margin, P.O’Brien notching a 180 for Bulls Head. Plough and Harrow had a 6-3 win at Spring Meadow Pub thanks to the help of two maximums from their M.Abbott.
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In the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League Old Liberal Club continued their fine start to the campaign making it thirteen consecutive wins when they won their home game against Princess 5-2, Princess dropping from third to fifth in the league with twenty points from thirteen games, six behind their hosts. Second in the table Bird in Hand fell four points behind Old Liberal Club as they went down 6-1 away to Gate Hangs Well ‘B’ who move up one place to fourth. With Bird in Hand on twenty-two points from their thirteen games, third placed Five Ways, Gate Hangs Well ‘B’ and Princess are all on twenty points, Five Ways winning 6-1 away to Rose and Crown ‘B’. Five Ways and Gate Hangs Well ‘B’ both have a game in hand on the top two teams.
There were three maximums and two breaks of 160 this week in the league the 180’s coming from S.Blewitt (Princess), J.Gaskin (Netherton Conservative Club ‘B’) and M.Hunt (Bird in Hand). The 160 breaks were recorded by S.Goodall (Mount Pleasant) and A.Nicholls (Five Ways).
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It was League Cup week in the Silver End Sunday Morning League the biggest win of the round going to fifth in the league Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who dished out an 8-0 whitewash to their visiting team High Acres ‘B’. Surprisingly one of the two second biggest wins went to next to bottom of the league and without a win in their five league games so far Old Cat Inn who won 6-2 playing away against Three Crowns ‘A’ who are five places above the in the league table. Rose and Crown were the other 6-2 winners as they accounted for Raven. The game between Dudley Sports ‘B’ and Three Crowns ‘B’ ended in a 4-4 draw with the former winning the deciding play-off game. The remaining fixtures all finished with 5-3 results Old Liberal Club, Dudley Sports ‘A’, Mount Pleasant, High Acres ‘C’ and Tenth Lock in turn defeating Church Tavern, Old Star, High Acres ‘A’, Pensnett Liberal Club and Brickmakers Arms. Brier Rose had a bye.
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Bell are back where they ended last season in the Rowley Monday Night League top of the table following their huge 9-0 win over former leaders Romsley Cricket Club who now drop to fourth in the table with twelve points. Although topping the league Bell are only top on average as second placed Whiteheath Tavern after adding their latest 6-3 win at Rowley Bar and Grill are level on the same fourteen points as Bell. Hawthorns in third placed are two points short of the top two despite their big 8-1 home win over Loyal Lodge and lead Romsley Cricket Club and fifth placed Plough and Harrow on average, the latter winning their home tie with Rowley Labour Club 5-4.
Two players found the three treble twenties this week M.Crumpton (Whiteheath Tavern) and K.Chambers (Plough and Harrow) while G.Locke (Tividale FC) had a 160 break and for the Bell their R.O’Connor had a nine darts game and T.Brennan a ten darts game.
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A 4-3 defeat away to Vine ‘B’ has seen Ivy Bush drop from third to seventh in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League and leaving them four points short of leaders Vine ‘A’ who had a rather close 4-3 win at Sow and Pigs who are only three places off the foot of the table. Nevertheless a win is a win and the win for Vine ‘A’ puts them two points ahead of second and third placed Allen’s Bar and Tamebridge, Allen’s Bar winning 6-1 at Albion and Tamebridge winning their home game with Horseley Tavern ‘A’ 4-3. After the top three there are four teams all on eight points Cottage Spring, who won 6-1 against King Arthur, Three Horseshoes who also had a 6-1 win at Horseley Tavern ‘B’, Horse and Jockey were 4-3 winners at Waggon and Horses and Ivy Bush.
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Week five in the Cradley Tuesday Night League and only two of the starting line-up of nine teams are able to boast a 100% win record and they are leaders Quarry Bank Liberal Club ‘B’ and third placed local rivals Quarry Bank Liberal Club ‘A’ who have only played four games. Quarry Bank Liberal Club ‘B’ won their home tie with Plough 5-2 to keep them top of the table on fifteen points three to the good on second placed Plough and third in the league Quarry Bank Liberal Club ‘A’ who went one better with a 6-1 win at Brickmakers Arms. A 5-2 home win over Tenth Lock puts Quarry Bank Social Club ‘A’ in fourth place with nine points, six off the top and three short of the two teams above them.
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As the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League moves into the second half of its season the three top teams are all on twenty points, Gornal Labour Club lead the field on average after their latest 8-1 home win over Jolly Crispin. Second placed Old Bulls Head were 6-3 winners over Red Cow while third in the league Netherton Sports and Social Club had a bye and should they win their game in hand they would go top of the table. After the top three teams there are three more teams all on eighteen points White Horse who handed their hosts Seven Stars a 9-0 whitewash, Baggeridge who lost 6-3 at home to sixth in the league Gornal British Legion.
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Nick Fullwell began his night in the Amblecote RBL Premier League with a 7-0 win over Jayden Harper and followed that up with a 5-2 success against Joe Poole to keep him top of the table with 167 points from 31 games. Second placed Dan Nicholls opened up with a 6-1 win over Martyn Harper and then won 6-1 again against Michael Harding and made it three wins in a row by beating John Green 5-2 to put him on 158 points and although nine behind Fullwell he has three games in hand.
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Game thirteen in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League brought together the two top players in division one with leader Wayne Jones taking on second placed Ian Stanton. The result was a 6-2 win for Jones to see him open up a fourteen points lead over his nearest rival.
7-1 wins over Allan Davies and Jon Williams has seen Kurt Wright move up from fourth to top in division two with 83 points, nine more than second placed Alan Melling who has played one game more than Wright.
In division three Dave Thackeray won 7-1 against Eddie Gripton and although he is only two points to the good on second in the division Thomas Hollowood he has a game in hand on Hollowood and two in hand on third placed Michele Pritchard who is six points behind him.
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I wrote last week about the sad passing of an old friend and Scottish International Steve Parkes. Details have now been announced of the funeral arrangements which will take place at the Sandwell Valley Crematorium, Newton Road, West Bromwich, B71 3SX on Friday 12th April at 2.30pm with the family inviting everyone to Churchills Bar, 8 Walsall Street, Wednesbury, WS10 9BZ to celebrate Steve’s life afterwards.
The family have also announced that West Bromwich Albion shirts can be worn.
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