The semi-finals of the Divisional Cups was on the agenda for the Sheldon and District Winter League and in the premier league games leaders Langley Arrows had a 7-2 win over third in the division Raven Arrows, meeting them in the final will be Highwood who won 6-3 against The Dingle. There were maximums for Dean Grainger (Raven Arrows) and Darren Wright (Highwood) while fellow Highwood player John Buckingham had a 132 game shot in a nine darts game.
Division one leaders Brian’s Flights had a convincing 8-1 win over mid-table Smithswood Social Club and they will take on second in the division Willclare Sports and Social in the final after they defeated fourth placed Kingshurst Labour Club.
Division two leaders The Hornet took on bottom of the division The College Arms Flights and won 7-2 while second in the division Sheldon Marlborough Ridge had a close 5-4 success over Castle Bromwich WMC who are placed fourth.
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A somewhat unexpected 4-3 defeat at Longbridge has cost Thurlestone their number three spot in the Kings Norton League and sees them drop to fourth on fourteen points some six points more than their victors who are six places below them in the table. League leaders Northfield had a comfortable 6-1 home win over Cock Inn to take their points tally to eighteen and gives them a lead of two over second placed Copper Fox who won their home tie with Coppice 5-2, although Copper Fox are two points off the top they do have a game in hand. Third placed Bournebrook had 4-3 win playing away against fifth in the table Rubery Social Club, Bournebrook are on the same fourteen points as Thurlestone but with a slightly better average, Biggest win of the week went to Bourneville who handed their visitors Dingle a 7-0 whitewash.
Just the one maximum score this week and that was supplied by Cock Inn’s L.Fox.
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Northfield Conservative Club not only consolidated their pole position in the Harborne and District League when they won their home game with Lion Bar 9-0 but at the same time extended their undefeated run to eight games. With sixteen points Northfield Conservative Club are two to the good on second placed Copper Fox ‘R’ who had a close 5-4 win away to Northfield Town who are fifth in the league on ten points. Third placed Copper Fox ‘M’ had a convincing 8-1 home win over Avenue Social to leave them four points off the top and leading fourth placed Cock Inn on average only after they won 6-3 at home against bottom of the table and winless in their seven games, Windsor. Although Cock Inn are trailing Copper Fox ‘M’ on average and level on points they have played one game fewer than them and a win in their game in hand would see them overtake them.
Two players in a high scoring mood this week were M.Perkins (Smethwick Cricket Club) who scored 100,121,140 and 180 and J.Hykin (Copper Fox ‘R’) who had top scores of 2×100,125 and 180.
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No change in the top four places in the South West Birmingham Clubs League singles division with leaders Longbridge United adding an 8-0 win away to Stirchley United to their account to keep them five points ahead of second placed West Heath CEM who won their home game with E57 7-1, K.Webb notching a maximum for E57. West Heath have a four points cushion over third placed Northfield Town after they went down 5-3 at home to Perfection who are placed fifth in the table with sixteen points the same number as fourth in the division Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ who won 5-3 at Bartley Green FC. After the top five come four teams all on fourteen points Bournbrook, Quarry Club, Stirchley United and Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’.
Perfection continue to head the Shadow League table with a perfect six points from their three games, they have a lead of two over their nearest rivals Quarry Club while West Heath CEM top the Pre-Match Doubles division with a total of 159 points which is eight more than second placed Longbridge United who in turn are just two points to the good on third in the table Northfield Town. After the top three there is a gap of twenty-one points to fourth placed Perfection.
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The Four Oaks and District League are up to week six and of the twenty-three teams that lined up at the beginning of the season only two remain with an unbeaten record, one of those being division one leaders Bishop Vesey. Bishop Vesey had a bye this week but hold on to the number one spot with the same ten points, but with an average lead plus a game in hand on second placed Beehive after they won their home fixture with Old Oscott Arrows 5-4. Third and fourth placed Highcroft Hotdogs and Nomads have both only played four games and are on four points.
A 5-4 home defeat at the hands of the Heartlands team has seen Red Lion surrender their pole position in division two, the top spot being taken over by Walmley CSC Flights who won their home tie with Erdington Arrows 7-2. Walmley top the division with ten points and have Heartlands, Red Lin and Drakes Drum all just two points behind them, Drakes Drum won their away fixture with Charley’s Flights 5-4.
Leaders of division three Pint Pot Flights are the only other undefeated team adding their latest 8-1 victory at St Tom Cats to their account to give them twelve points and a lead of two over second placed St Thomas Arrows who also won 8-1 in their game at Sutton Sports. Sutton Sharks are third in the division they kept within four points of the leaders with a 7-2 win at Rosey Mac’s Bar. Sutton Sports are the only team in the league without a win so far.
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Amazingly four of the top five teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League won 7-0 in game fourteen leaders Old Liberal Club being one of them as they marched on making it fourteen straight wins when they handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Gate Hangs Well ‘A’. Second in the league Bird in Hand had a 6-1 home win over Raven ‘A’ to keep within four points of Old Liberal Club and maintain their two points lead on Five Ways and Gate Hangs Well ‘B’ who are third and fourth in the table. Five Ways had a 7-0 home win over Queens Head and Gate Hangs Well ‘B’ also won 7-0 at Raven ‘B’. Making up the four straight wins was fifth in the league Netherton Conservative Club ‘B’ who achieved their win at Fox Inn (Lye). Rose and Crown ‘B’ lost 4-3 at Crestwood to remain at the foot of the table without a win so far in the thirteen games they have played.
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For the Netherton Thursday Night League it was the first leg of the League Cup semi-finals week which brought together four of the league’s currently placed top five teams. Top of the table Old Liberal Club played against second in the league Bulls Head whose M.Bowen hit a maximum but the all-important 5-4 result went to Old Liberal Club. The second of the semis saw fourth in the league Townsend Social Club win 6-3 against fifth placed Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club.
There was one rearranged league fixture played in which reigning champions Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ won 5-4 away to Spring Meadow Pub. The win sees the Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ go joint second, level on points and average with Bulls Head. D.Ferney scored a 180 for Spring Meadow Pub while P.Tonks recorded a fourteen darts game for Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’.
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Game six in the Silver End Sunday Morning League saw Tenth Lock drop their first points of the season when they were held to a 4-4 draw by High Acres ‘C’ who are eleventh in the table. As a result Tenth Lock lose pole position and drop to second place on sixteen points two fewer than new leaders Dudley Sports ‘A’ who kept their 100% win record intact with a 6-2 win at High Acres ‘A’. Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club had a big 7-1 win at Old Cat Inn but still drop one place to third on fifteen points three short of the leaders and just one to the good on fourth placed Church Tavern who were held to a 4-4 draw by their hosts Three Crowns ‘A’.
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Bell, reigning champions in the Rowley Monday Night League added a 6-3 home win over Spring Meadow to their account to hold on to pole position on average from second placed Whiteheath Tavern whose 8-1 win at home over Loyal Lodge gives them the same sixteen points as Bell with just three legs of average less. A further two points adrift are third and fourth placed Romsley Cricket Club and Plough and Harrow, Romsley winning 7-2 at Wonder and Plough having a closer 5-4 home win over fourth placed Hawthorns who like Tividale FC and Gate Hangs Well are all on twelve points.
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Game seven in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League saw Albion chalk up their first win of the season, a 5-2 away win over league newcomers King Arthur. League leaders Vine ‘A’ took their unbeaten run to seven games with a 5-2 home win over Cottage Spring keeping their two points advantage over second in the table Allen’s Bar intact as Allen’s recorded a 6-1 home win over Horseley Tavern ‘B’. With ten points and a further two short of Vine ‘A’ are Three Horseshoes. Horse and Jockey and Tamebridge, Three Horseshore won their home game against a quality Ivy Bush side 7-0 while Horse and Jockey had a narrow 4-3 win at home against Sow and Pigs. Tamebridge however lost ground as they suffered a 4-3 home win when they lost to Vine ‘B’.
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After the top two teams have completed five fixtures in the Cradley Tuesday Night League just one leg of average separates them. Quarry Bank Liberal Club ‘A’ top the table after their latest 4-3 home win over Bulls Head and a maximum for their Jeff Batham. In second place it’s local rivals Quarry Bank Liberal Club ‘B’ who had a bye this week. Plough are placed third, they have the same fifteen points as the two teams above them after adding on their most recent 4-3 home win over Quarry Bank Social Club ‘A’ however they have played six games compared to the two above them having played five.
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It’s close at the top of the Amblecote RBL Premier League with leader Nick Fullwell adding 6-1 wins over both Andy Vellender and Craig Lowin to take his points tally to 179 from thirty-three games and second placed Dan Nicholls playing three games in which he won 7-0 against Nick Wyer before two 5-2 wins against Dave Simpson and Steve Gillam to give him 175 points and although that is four short of Fullwell he does have two more games in hand on the leader. Third placed Jamie Barrowman kept in touch with the top two with a 4-3 win over Jack Pritchard, a 6-1 success against Josh Hodgkins and a 5-2 win over Sam Page to give him 163 points from thirty-three games.
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Wayne Jones has opened up a huge twenty-one points lead at the top of division one of the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League after he won 6-2 against Chris Evans. Second in the division Ian Stanton was held to a 4-4 draw by Simon Pritchard to leave him on ninety-two points, six more than third placed reigning champion Scott Baker who followed up a 7-1 win over Andy Mullinder with a 6-2 success against Dean Simmonds-Fullwood. Baker still has one game in hand on the two players above him.
Only three points separate the top three players in division two but they have all played a different amount of games. Leaders Kurt Wright beat Richard Brown 7-1 to put him on eighty-four points from ten games while second placed Alan Melling has played twelve games and is on eighty-three points after he won 7-1 against Allan Davies. Reece Cook Lucas is a further two points behind in third place, he has played fourteen games the latest of which saw him win 6-2 against Colin Wood.
Top of division three is Dave Thackeeray, his 5-3 win over Dave Akers giving him a total of ninety-seven points from eleven games and a lead of two points plus a game in hand on second placed Thomas Hollowood who had a 5-3 win over third placed Michele Pritchard who has eighty-seven points from thirteen games.
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