Black Country’s eighth fixture in the L-Style Division One of the UKDA National League was a home tie with Buckinghamshire and prior to the game the hosts were riding high in third place with 152 points and their opponents bottom of the table with 105 points.
Saturday’s games saw the ladies ‘B’ finish all-square at 3-3 with wins from Paige Robbins, Leanne Wilson and Amy-Leigh Tolley with Paige Robbins taking the match award for her 3-2 win over Lisa Webb and 15.50 average. The men’s ‘B’ chalked up a 9-3 victory with their top player being Rob Smith who won 4-2 against Gary Price and averaged 27.42.
Sunday’s games began with a 4-2 win for the ladies ‘A’ and collecting their match award was Chez Allcock who beat Ann Wakefield 3-1 with an 18.70 average. A 6-6 draw was the result for the men’s ‘A’, Cayden Smith topping their averages when he won 4-0 against Craig Cox with a 30.83 average.
The overall 22-14 win for the Black Country saw them move up one place in the table to second with 177 points, fifteen short of leaders Middlesex who had a narrow 19-17 win at Merseyside.
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In the UKDA National League’s L-Style Division One West Midlands had an away game against Berkshire. Lying fourth in the table with 148 points, West Midlands were three places above their hosts but the difference between them was a slender five points.
The ladies ‘B’ handed out a 6-0 whitewash to their counterparts with wins from Hannah Davies, Julie Emery, Shellbie Simmons, Sarah Maybury, Kelly Doleman and Kat McLean. With a 3-1 win and 17.92 average over Vanessa O’Connell, Sarah Maybury picked up the lady of the match award. The men’s ‘B’ ended all square at 6-6 with their top average man Alex Simmons winning 4-1 against James Johnson with a 25.72 average.
Once again on Sunday the ladies were in top form with the ‘A’ side winning 5-1, a straight 3-0 win against Ally Judge and a 22.77 average earning Evonne Taylor the match award. The men’s ‘A’ recorded an 8-4 win with Jack Aldridge’s 27.09 average and 4-1 win over James Wiggins seeing him collect the team’s man of the match award.
The overall 24-12 win for the West Midlands saw them remain fourth in the table but now only two points behind local rivals and second placed Black Country.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League played their doubles knockout down to the last eight pairs from an entry of seventy couples, and making the quarter-finals were, Bobby Nixon & Tom Garfield, Dave Reid & Dirk Baker, Neil Parsonage & Dave Howlett, Terry Webster & Tom White, Nathan Wykes & Dave Cherry, Neil Warner & Richard Palmer, Matty Morgan & Ben Proctor and Ben Liggins & Jack Alexander.
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The result from game eighteen in the Harborne and District League saw no change in the top eleven places with leaders Northfield Conservative Club taking their unbeaten run to eighteen games with an 8-1 home win over Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club to keep intact their four points lead over Copper Fox ‘R’, Copper Fox ‘M’ and Northfield Darts Club. Copper Fox ‘R’ were 7-2 home winners over Lion Bar, while Copper Fox ‘M’ handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts Avenue Social. Northfield Darts Club had a 7-2 win at home against Cock Inn.
There were no fewer than seven maximums in the league this week with Copper Fox ‘R; player T.Hamilton hitting two while his team mate J.Hykin hit one. Other players finding the three treble twenties were J.Needham (Northfield Darts Club), R.Hosey (Northfield Conservative Club), P.Sitshebo Harborne Social) and C.Evans (Bourneville).
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Northfield made it seventeen straight wins in the Kings Norton League when they won 7-0 at Longbridge to keep them six points to the good on second placed Copper Fox who also won 7-0 in their home tie with E57. Third placed Bournebrook are on twenty-six points, eight short of the leaders after they had a narrow 4-3 win at Perfection to keep the two points ahead of fourth in the league Bourneville who beat their visitors Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club 7-0.
Six maximums from five players this week, two from D.Marsh (Copper Fox) and one each for James Fisher (Kings Norton Flights), K.Webb (Bournebrook), R.Hitchmough (Northfield) and E.Simpson (Copper Fox).
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Division one of the South West Birmingham Clubs League have completed their fixtures and although Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ lost their final game 6-2 at home to Longbridge United their eighteen points were enough for them to clinch the division one title. The runners-up place was so hotly contested that three teams, Longbridge United, Northfield Darts Club and Stirchley United all finished on fourteen points, Longbridge finishing second with a single leg advantage over Northfield Darts Club who in turn were five legs better off than Stirchley.
In division two Quarry Lane Club have played all of their fixtures and are on twenty points which sees them divisional champions as although second placed Perfection still have one game to play they are five points behind Quarry. Third placed Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club are also on fifteen points with one to play, the runners-up spot still all to play for.
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With games fast running out in the Four Oaks and District League the division one title is still not decided as current leaders Highcroft Hotdogs added a 5-4 win at Old Horns Lions to their tally to put them on twenty-nine points from eighteen games with two to play and second placed Nomads @ Hollyfields, despite being three points adrift have four more games to play. Red Lion had a 5-4 win at Heartlands with their Tim Vickers recording a 160 break.
In division two, Drakes Drum took their points to thirty when they won 7-2 at home against St Thomas Misfits while second placed Rosey Mac’s had a closer 5-4 home success over Erdington Arrows to keep them within four points of the leaders, however they only have one more fixture to play whereas Drakes Drum have three and have the title under their belts. Pint Pot Flights, M.Bagnall registered a 180 in his team’s 5-4 win at Beggars Bush.
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Week three in the new season of the Heartlands Sugardarts M&E Co Double Top League sees three players, Steve Cain, Martin Cooper and John Frost all on twelve points at the top of the table, Steve Cain had 2-1 wins over Sue John and Dylan Bloomer while Martin Cooper, who has played on game fewer than both Cain and Frost, won 3-0 against John Burdett and John Frost also beat Adam Rogers 3-0. After the top three there are three players on eleven points Clive Austin, Ryan Cain and John Burdett, Ryan Cain in his 3-0 win over Tony Pedley recorded the one solitary maximum of the week.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ march on in the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League, their latest fixture seeing them win 9-0 at home over bottom of the table Cherrywood with both J.Rollinson and M.Rollinson hitting a maximum for the winners. The win takes the leaders undefeated run to nineteen games and gives them a lead of six over their nearest rivals Old Liberal Club who were also 9-0 winners at Rose and Crown. Third in the league British Oak are a further three points adrift after they added 7-2 home win over Spring Meadow Social to their account. All of the bottom three teams, Rose and Crown, Cottage Spring and Cherrywood lost 9-0, Cottage Spring going down to Plough and Harrow.
Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ had a 6-3 win at Old Glasshouse with their G.Peters hitting an amazing three maximums and L.Kendall notching one. Other players to hit a 180 were B.Lowe (Old Glasshouse), R.Hodgetts (Plough and Harrow), D.Ferney (Spring Meadow Pub), D.Edwards (British Oak) and C.Hadlington (Spring Meadow Social).
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Week four in the Silver End Sunday Morning League and nothing separates the top two teams Dudley Sports ‘A’ and Spring Meadow who are level on points and average after the former won 5-3 at Union and the latter won by the same 5-3 margin at Dudley Sports ‘B’. After the top two come seven teams all on nine points, three off the top, and they are Old Liberal Club, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club, High Acres ‘A’, Old Star, Ten Arches, Tenth Lock and Brickmakers Arms.
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A 9-0 home win over Glasshouse ‘B’ takes Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ points to seventy in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League and gives them a ten point’s advantage over second and third placed Bridge and Maverick. Bridge won 8-1 in their home tie with Old Bush while Maverick had a 6-3 home win over Roebuck ‘B’. Bridge, have two games in hand on both Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club and Maverick.
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Wonder took their undefeated run to fourteen games in the Rowley Monday Night League when they won 6-3 at Plough and Harrow with K.Hopton hitting a maximum for Wonder who have a two points lead over second placed Bell. Bell won their home game against against Snooks 8-1. Third and fourth placed Tividale FC and Snooks are both on twenty points, eight off the top, Tividale losing 5-4 at home to Huntingtree who are ten places below them in the league.
T.Johnson (Hawthorns ‘A’), J.Allen (Gate Hangs Well) and M.Hadley (Rowley Labour Club) all scored a 180.
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Allen’s Bar consolidated their pole position in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League by handing their hosts a 7-0 whitewash, the win taking Allen’s to ten consecutive victories from the ten games played. Second in the league Vine ‘’A’ won 6-1 playing away against bottom of the table Royal Yeomanry who are the only team in the league without a win so far. Third in the table Sandwell are on the same eighteen points as Vine ‘A’ after adding their latest 5-2 win at Vine ‘B’ to their account.
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A 6-1 win over Jake Robinson followed by a 5-2 success over Rhys Cox sees Jason Lowe hold on to pole position in the Amblecote RBL Premier League with 198 points from thirty games. Ian Townsend had 4-3 wins over Martyn Harper and Michael Harding but they were not enough for him to hold on to second place as a 5-1 win over Shane Sheridan and 6-1 win against Matt Davies has seen Nick Fullwell replace him in the number two spot but only because Fullwell has played one game fewer and lost one game less than Townsend, both players are on 183 points. Fourth in the league Gavin Smith beat Carl Hipkiss 5-2 and Chris Cox 7-0 to leave him thirty points behind Jason Lowe but with two games in hand, fifth placed Paul Wells has five games in hand on Lowe and his forty points short after he beat Grant Jackson 7-0 and Carl Hipkiss 6-1.
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Week two in the Black Country Men’s Super League has produced a new leader as former leaders Soccer Zone ‘A’ drop to second place despite beating Allen’s Bar ‘C’ 4-1 as Quarry Bank Liberal Club won 5-0 at home against Old Crown to give them ten points, one more than the former leaders. On the same nine points as Soccer Zone ‘A’ are third placed Allen’s Bar ‘A’ who beat Townsend ‘A’ 4-1. Of the fourteen teams that began the new season, after only the second week, there are just six undefeated teams, and they are Quarry Bank Liberal Club, Soccer Zone ‘A’, Allen’s Bar ‘A’, Northfield Darts Club, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club and Townsend Social.
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Two straight 3-0 wins over both Jacqui Simmons and Chloe Woodman has seen Evonne Taylor take her winning run to twenty-two games in the West Midlands Ladies Super League, she has two games in hand plus a six points lead over her nearest rival Gemma Barrett who beat Kelly Doleman 3-0. Third in the league Jacqueline Maiden added a 3-0 win over Kat McLean to her account to put her on seventy-three points but with games in hand on the two players above her.
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Although Staffordshire Knot lost 3-2 playing away against Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club they remain top of the West Midlands Men’s Super League table with forty-one points from ten games. Second in the league Kings Head had a convincing 5-0 home win over Gate Inn to leave them two points behind the leaders and four to the good on third placed Dog and Partridge who also won 5-0 at home against Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’. The win for Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club puts them fourth in the league table with thirty-three points.
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Scott Baker won his latest fixture in division one of the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League 5-3 against Steve Lynch but it was not enough for him to remain top of the table as a 7-1 win for Chris Manoila over Alan Melling gave him ninety-three points, two more than Baker but from three games more than Baker has played. In division two Michael Smith holds on to the number one spot despite not playing this week, his ninety-nine points twelve more than second placed Wayne Barratt who has played two more games than Smith.
There was a top of the table clash in division three with leader Olly Garratt being held to a 4-4 draw by second placed Charlie Baker who remains twenty-seven points behind his opponent with a game in hand.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night Darts League staged their Averages Knockout with Jack Newey (Corpus Christi ‘B’ and Bobby Peace (Milestone) making their exits in the semi-finals. The eventual winner was Paul Price (Junction ‘B’) who won 3-0 in the final against Joe Bartolo (Junction ‘C’).
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