Following their fantastic away win against Lancashire in the Cosmo Darts Premier Division of the UKDA National League, Warwickshire were brought back down to earth with a home tie against their nemesis Leicestershire. With defeats to Leicestershire in their previous three encounters, Warwickshire were looking to break the hoodoo and chalk up a win, but unfortunately even home advantage was not enough to see that happen.
The ladies ‘B’ got off to a good start when lady of the match Jodie Rigg put them one up when she won 3-1 with a 17.28 average against Heather Lodge after Lodge had won the first leg. The hosts lead was extended to 2-0 when Donna Pinch came from two down against Sally Evans and go on to win 3-2. Unfortunately from 2-0 up the lead was reversed and Leicestershire ladies ‘B’ went on to win 4-2. Hayley Reeson was the visitor’s first winner beating Caroline Pike 3-2 after the home player had won the first and fourth legs. Lee Bingham restored parity when she won 3-1 against Denise Keyte and with 3-1 wins in the last two games for Laura Tye and Amy Evans over respective opponents Chloe McKivett-Saunders and Nina Bolt, Leicestershire ladies ‘B’ got the 4-2 result.
The men’s ‘B’ had a weekend they would like to quickly forget as Allan Edwards gave the away side the early lead when he won the opener against Mark Strong 4-0. Ian McFarlane (Warwickshire) staged a fantastic comeback as he came from 3-0 down to beat Dave Wilson 4-3 and in the process earn himself the man of the match award for his 25.43 average. Leicestershire then by the midway point stormed into a 5-1 lead with wins from Justin Roberts, Scott Boryszczuk, Thomas Atkinson and Neil Smith who in turn defeated Noah Rose (4-1), Karl Reynolds (4-3), Adam Hancock (4-2) and William Naylor (4-3).
The second half began where the first left off with the away side’s Michael Machin beating Jnr Joyce 4-2 before the home team chalked up their second and what would be their final winner when Mark Faulkner won 4-2 against Danny Goddard. From their lead of 6-2 Leicestershire then went on to win the game 10-2 with further wins from Tony Hill, William Baker, Andy Houghton and Ross Twell who had respective wins over Ian Shaw (4-2), Mark Martin (4-2), Zac Prince (4-1) and Dave Hill (4-3).
Sunday’s ladies ‘A’ game saw Warwickshire lose the match before getting a win on the board as Mandy Smith, Casey Gallagher, Trina Gulliver MBE and Kelly Haverson handed out defeats to their opponents Courtney Hine (3-0), Wendy Adams (3-2), Marian Conway (3-0) and Kirsty Hinchliffe (3-1). Warwickshire made the result a more respectable 4-2 to Leicestershire when Natalie Gilbert beat Heidi Garrard 3-0 and lady of the match Hannah Meek won 3-2 against Paula Jacklin with a 21.33 average.
Warwickshire’s men’s ‘A’ team provided the only win of the weekend for the home side, Mark Carter putting them one up when he won 4-3 against Shane Lowe after Lowe had taken a 3-1 lead. Samuel Price doubled the hosts lead when he won 4-2 against Kev Clarke, Price having an impressive 147 finish in fifteen darts in the fourth leg. From 2-0 up the running score was levelled as former Warwickshire players Antony Allen and Jenson Walker in turn won 4-0 and 4-2 against Steve Hine and Kevin Dowling. The home team forged ahead again in the fifth when San Whittaker came from 2-0 down to Darren Phillips but go on and win 4-2 only to see the score level at the halfway stage when Thomas Atkinson (Leicestershire) wrapped up the half with a 4-3 win over Jack Wareing after Wareing had opened up leads of 1-0 and 2-1.
For a third time Warwickshire’s men’s ‘A’ took the lead when Martin Tonks won the second half opener against Ben Hazel 4-0 and with man of the match Nigel Heydon beating Lloyd Pennell 4-3 after Pennell had gone 2-1 up and then levelled in the sixth the home side were leading 5-3. Heydon had winning legs of 18,15,13 and 14 darts giving him a superb 32.30 average. The hosts then had their 5-3 lead reduced to 5-4 as Nick Fullwell won 4-1 against Matty Washbrooke, but they were guaranteed at the worst a draw when Gareth Braham beat Andy Houghton 4-3. There was not a long wait for the win as in the very next game Jamie Hughes added his 4-3 success over Tom Martin to the home team’s tally to put them in an unassailable 7-4 lead with the result taken to 8-4 when Danny Lauby won the final game of the weekend against James Beeton 4-0.
Despite the 22-14 defeat Warwickshire actually moved up one place in the table to sixth on fifty-two points some twenty short of new leaders Yorkshire.
———————————