With both of the top two teams in group one of the Sheldon and District Summer League winning 6-2 there is no change at the top of the table, in fact week eight results brought about no changes whatsoever in the group one table. Leaders Langley Arrows won at Brian’s Flights keeping them just one point to the good on their nearest rivals Raven Arrows who won at RAFA. Although there is currently only one point between the top two teams Raven Arrows have played one game more than Langley Arrows. Third in the group Highwood were the group’s biggest winners chalking up a convincing 7-1 victory at Mackadown Sports and Social Club to give them a total of eleven points, two short of Raven Arrows but with a game in hand.
Top individual performances came from RAFA’s Lee Hodges who not only scored a maximum but also recorded a tremendous 160 game-shot while Raven Arrows Neil Parsonage also found the three treble twenties
There was a scheduled fixture between leaders of group two Banbury Flights and bottom of the group Hornet but being as there is no result for the game Banbury have dropped to second place behind new leaders Trident Spears who were held to a 4-4 home draw by Yardley Ex Colts with Tom Cupkovic checking out in eleven darts for the Spears and Chris Darby hitting not one but two maximums for the Colts. Trident and Banbury have both played seven games as the current table stands with Trident having a one point lead over Banbury. Third placed Yardley Ex Colts are on the same ten points as Banbury but they have played eight fixtures compared to Banbury’s seven.
Similar to group one, week eight results had no effect on the group three table with leaders Smithswood Social Club holding on to pole position with a 6-2 win at Langley Flights whose Lee Harris had a 124 checkout while for Smithswood Tom Franklin chalked up an eleven darts game. Smithswood are on eleven points from seven games with second in the group Old Salts Darts on the same eleven points but from eight games after adding their latest 5-3 win at Sheldon Marlborough Ridge to their account.
Only one point separates the top two teams in group four, Raven taking over at the top of the table and replacing their visitors Moseley Rugby Club after beating them 5-3. Third placed Sheldon Marlborough Flights won 6-2 at Lyndon Old Boys to leave them four points off the top but with a game in hand which could see them reduce the arrears to just two points.
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Northfield have lost their second place in the Kings Norton League after they went down 4-3 playing away against league leaders Copper Fox whose D.Marsh hit a maximum. The win puts Copper Fox on forty points from their twenty-three games and gives them a two points advantage, plus a game in hand over Thurlestone who replace Northfield in the number two spot after they won 5-2 at Coppice. Northfield drop to third place on thirty-six points, just two short of Thurlestone but with a game in hand and a far superior average. Bournebrook are fourth in the league on the same thirty-six points as Northfield but they lost ground in the title race when they somewhat surprisingly lost 4-3 playing away against Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club who are next to bottom of the table, some eight places below them and have a huge thirty points fewer than them, this being just the third win in twenty-four games for the Ex Serviceman’s Club. As a result of their win Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club moved off the foot of the table and were replaced by Perfection who lost their home game against King Norton Flights 4-3 to leave them two points fewer than the Ex Serviceman’s Club.
Top performances this week were supplied by M.Bathurst (Bourebrook) who hit a maximum and there were also maximums for Thurlestone’s N.Watts and T.Garfield.
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The South West Birmingham Clubs Summer League are at the midway point of their season and division one leaders Stirchley United were involved in a twenty-one tons or more encounter playing away against Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’, the hosts hitting eleven and the divisional leaders ten. Despite Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ have the slightly better number of tons the all-important 6-1 result went to Stirchley United to make it five wins from as many games to give them a two points lead on Quarry Club who are second after their 4-3 win at Bournbrook, Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ are a further two points adrift and lying in third place. There was a 180 for J.O’Neill (Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’) while M.Welsh recorded three tremendous breaks of 100,105 and 160.
In the division one pre-match doubles league Northfield Darts Club top the table with fifty-three points, three more than their nearest rivals Quarry Club with Stirchley United a further four points behind on forty-six points in third place.
Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’ have an unbeaten four games in division two, their latest 5-2 win at Moseley All Services Club giving them a perfect eight points and a lead of four over both second and third placed Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club and Bartley Green FC. Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club had a bye while Bartley Green FC missed the opportunity to reduce the arrears on the leaders to just two points as they lost their home game with bottom of the table E57 4-3, this being E57’s first win in four games.
In the division two pre-match doubles league Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club top the table with forty-eight points and have a lead of eight on second placed Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’.
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With just one more game to the halfway mark of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, leaders Five Ways ‘A’ have an undefeated fifteen games under their belts the latest of which saw them win 4-3 away to White Horse. Despite having a perfect run in the league Five Way’s ‘A’ are only two points to the good on second in the league Old Liberal Club ‘A’ who in their most recent fixture handed their hosts Wheatsheaf a 7-0 whitewash. After the top two come third and fourth placed Bird in Hand ‘E’ and Hollybush who are both on twenty-four points, six short of the leaders. Bird in Hand ‘E’ won their away tie with Mount Pleasant 5-2, the same scoreline by which Hollybush won at Old Liberal Club ‘B’.
At the other end of the table Netherton Conservative Club are the only team in the league without a win so far as their latest fixture saw them lose 6-1 at home to Rose and Crown making it fifteen consecutive defeats.
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Just the one rearranged fixture played in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League, a middle of the table clash between Raven and Rose and Crown ‘A’ which saw the home side Raven win with a narrow 5-4 margin to leave them six points short of second placed Roebuck ‘A’ and with a game in hand.
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There are only five more fixtures to play in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League and leaders Vine ‘A’ have a six points lead over the rest of the field. Taking their points to forty from a possible forty-two in their latest fixture Vine ‘A’ won their home tie with Albion 6-1 while second and third placed Allen’s Bar and Tamebridge both took their points tally to thirty-four when Allen’s won 7-0 at home against Ivy Bush and Tamebridge, who also had a home game won 6-1 against Waggon and Horses. Fourth in the league Three Horseshoes are a further two points behind despite winning 7-0 at home against Vine ‘B’. There then comes a gap of eight points to fifth in the league Horseley Tavern ‘A’ who won their latest fixture at home against Sow and Pigs 5-2.
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Allen’s Bar made it eleven consecutive wins in the Black Country Men’s Super League when they won 4-1 at home against Halesowen Cricket Club. Allen’s unbeaten run has seen them open up a ten points lead on second in the league Townsend ‘A’ who in turn are three points ahead of third in the table Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who had a narrow 3-2 home win over Allen’s Bar ‘B’ to keep one point to the good on fourth in the table Quarry Bank Liberal Club ‘B’ who were also 3-2 winners at home against Pensnett Liberal Club ‘A’.
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Just five points separate the top four teams in the West Midlands Men’s Super League after they have all played twenty games. Dog and Partridge are top of the table with seventy-six points, two more than second in the league Gilbert’s Bar ‘B who had a 4-1 win at home playing against Chase Social. A former leader but now third in the table Kings Head ‘A’ also won 4-1 as they played hosts to Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ and a further two points behind with seventy-one points is Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club in fourth place who have an eleven points lead on fifth in the league Staffordshire Knot who after winning 3-2 at home against Cottage Spring have a game in hand on all of the four teams above them.
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Gilbert’s Bar was the setting for the Gilbert’s Bar Bank Holiday Monday 301 Knockout and despite the event being arranged at very short notice it attracted some thirty-seven players. As the knockout approached the final stages Simon Pritchard, Andy Jervis, Rob Pierce and Rob Thompson all made their exits in the quarter-finals and joining them after the semi-finals were Dan Nicholls and Rob Pitt who received £40 for their efforts. The final was fought out between Ryan O’Connor and Chris Hill with O’Connor collecting the winner’s top prize of £150 and runner-up Hill picking up £85.
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