West Midlands ninth fixture a home tie against Merseyside in the L-Style Division One of the UKDA National League was brought forward by one week, a vital fixture and a must win game for both teams as the home side were lying fourth in the promotional table with 175 points and their opponents just above them in third place with 176 points.
It was not a great start for the hosts as the ladies ‘B’ slumped to a 5-1 defeat with Hannah Davies their sole winner, Hannah taking the match award for her 3-1 win over Julie Whelan and 18.02 average. By the end of Saturday’s games the score was level at 9-9 after adding the men’s ‘B’ 8-4 win to the running score. Top average for the men’s ‘B’ went to Martin Price, his 27.61 average and 4-2 win over Peter Robins earning him the team’s match award.
Going into Sunday’s ‘A’ games and with the running score level, the ladies ‘A’ result of 3-3 had no effect for either team. Top of the ladies ‘A’ averages was Evonne Taylor who in her 3-2 win over Jane Robson recorded a 20.18 average. The result now was all down to the men’s ‘A’ match in which West Midlands men’s ‘A’ emulated the ‘B’ team’s result of 8-4 with Ryan O’Connor their award winner for his 4-1 success against Dave Harnick with a 26.36 average.
The overall result for the weekend was a 20-16 victory for West Midlands which saw them leap up the table to pole position with 198 points, six more than former leaders Middlesex who dropped to second place. However being as West Midlands fixture was brought forward, their pole position would possibly only last for one week when the remainder of the fixtures would then be played.
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On the fixture card for the Sheldon and District Winter League was their Individual Divisional League Cup finals and in the Premier League game champions Langley Arrows made it a superb league and cup double by beating Highwood 9-0.
The final of the division one cup once again saw the divisional champions win, Smithswood Social Club wining by a close 5-4 margin against Yardley Ex Colts who finished fourth in the division.
The division two title went to Sheldon Marlborough Flights who had a narrow 5-4 victory over Moseley Rugby Club.
There were three rearranged league fixtures played in the league, division one runners-up Kingshurst Labour Club having a 6-3 home win over Iron Horse Rebels with Stephen Shepherd notching a maximum for the winners while John Whitehouse (Iron Horse Rebels) had a 104 game shot. The result had no bearing on the division one placings whatsoever.
There were two division two games in which Lyndon Old Boys beat The Digby 6-4 to go from third to top of the table with twenty points, however third placed Moseley Rugby Club are on eighteen points and still have two fixtures to play and wins in those games would see the leap-frog Lyndon and take the title as Lyndon have only one remaining fixture. Lee Barnsley had a super 151 finish for Digby. In the other division two fixture Castle Bromwich WMC won 6-3 at Maggies to see them move up from next to bottom of the divisional table to fifth.
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The results from game nineteen in the Kings Norton League saw just one change in the league table, a 6-1 home win by Perfection over Longbridge seeing them replace Dingle in tenth place with sixteen points, Dingle dropping down one place as a result of their 4-3 defeat at Toby Jug. Toby Jug may have been out-scored by thirteen tons plus a maximum from G.Edwards to their eight three figure scores, but they did get the all-important 4-3 result.
League leaders Northfield played away against fourth placed Bourneville and returned with a close 4-3 win to take their unbeaten run to nineteen games, their thirty-eight points six more than their nearest rivals Copper Fox who with maximums from E.Simpson and T.Hamilton won their home game against fifth in the league Greenlands 6-1, R.Waldron also finding the three treble twenties for the away side.
Other players to score a maximum this week were N.Steventon (Northfield), Kyle Astbury (Perfection) and J.Taylor (Longbridge).
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Although Martin Cooper had 2-1 wins over Dean Bond and Steve McCormack it was not enough to keep him top of the Heartlands Sugardarts M&E Co Double Top League as his twenty-one points are one fewer than new leader John Burdett who won 3-0 against Gemma Whatley and 2-1 against Charlie Rogers to give him twenty-two points but from ten fixtures, two more than Cooper has played. Third and fourth placed Steve Cain and John Frost are both on twenty points with a game in hand on Burdett. The only maximum of the week was supplied by L.J.Austin in his 3-0 win over Emma Cain.
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No Change in the top four places in division one of the Four Oaks and District League, leaders Highcroft Hotdogs having a 7-2 home win over Old Oscott Arrows to take their points tally to twenty-nine from nineteen games with a slender one point lead over second placed Nomads @ Hollyfields who won their home tie with bottom of the division Rise Club 7-2 and although they trail by a single point they have two games in hand on the Hotdogs. The only maximum in the league this week came from Charley’s Flights player Billy Cadby.
In division two, Drakes Drum, who have already won the divisional title, won 5-4 at home against Rosey Mac’s Bar to take their number of points to thirty-two from eighteen games, second in the division Rosey Mac’s lost their home game with fourth placed St Thomas Arrows 5-4 to complete their programme, they could lose the number two spot as third and fourth placed Erdington Arrows and St Thomas Arrows in turn have two and one more games to play. In their latest fixture Erdington Arrows won 7-2 at home against Pint Pot Flights.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ moved another step nearer the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League title with a convincing 8-1 win at Rose and Crown making it twenty straight wins and giving them a six points lead over second in the league Old Liberal Club who went one better by handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors Spring Meadow Social. Third placed British Oak are a further three points adrift after they also won 9-0 at Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’.
There were no fewer than five maximums scored this week and they were supplied by N.Dingle (Plough and Harrow), M.Archer (Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club), B.Young (Bulls Head), H.Williams (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’) and C.Moreton (British Oak).
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The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League have been involved in cup finals first the Black Country Windscreens Shield which was staged at the Waggon and Horses and saw Three Horseshoes win 7-0 against Sow and Pigs. The Memorial Cup final was played off at Allen’s Sports Bar with Wonder ‘B’ having a 5-2 victory over Horseley Tavern ‘A’.
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A 6-1 win at third in the table Ten Arches ‘A’ keeps Gornal British Legion top of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League with twenty-six points from their fourteen games. Second placed Old Liberal Club, the only undefeated team in the league, have only played thirteen games and are level on the same twenty-six points as the British Legion after adding their latest 7-0 win at Ten Arches ‘B’. After Ten Arches ‘A’ on twenty-two points come three teams all on twenty points, Glasscutters ‘A’, Five Ways and Bird in Hand. Glasscutters ‘A’ won their home fixture with Ashwood 7-0, while Five Ways and Bird in Hand in turn won 5-2 against Glassworks and Raven ‘B’. Both Glasscutters ‘A’ and Bird in Hand have only played thirteen games.
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With just two more fixtures to play to the halfway point of the Rowley Monday Night League’s season, leaders Wonder continue to remain undefeated making it fifteen straight wins when they won their latest fixture 6-3 at home against Spring Meadow, the win giving them just a two points advantage over their nearest rivals and reigning champions Bell who had a narrow 5-4 victory at Romsley Cricket Club. Third and fourth placed Tividale FC and Snooks are both on twenty-two points, eight off the top after in turn they 6-3 at Rowley Bar and Grill and 7-2 at Loyal Lodge. D.Homer (Gate Hangs Well) hit the only maximum of the week in his team’s 5-4 win at Whiteheath Tavern.
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Just three points separate the top five teams in the Silver End Sunday Morning League, Dudley Sports ‘A’ topping the table with a perfect eighteen points from their six games, the latest of which saw them win 7-1 at home against New Talbot ‘A’. After Dudley Sports ‘A’ there are four teams all on fifteen points with only average separating them, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s hold on to second place with a 7-1 home win over next to botto of the table Portway, the Ex Serviceman’s Club having a three legs of average lead over third and fourth placed Old Star and Tenth Lock who had respective wins over New Talbot ‘B’ (6-2) and Dudley Sports ‘B’ (7-1). High Acres ‘A’ are a further one leg of average behind after they won 5-3 at Pensnett Liberal Club ‘A’.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ did their title hopes no harm whatsoever in their thirty-ninth fixture in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League, when they won 8-1 at Brickmakers Arms, the win keeping them ten points to the good on second and third placed Bridge and Maverick, Bridge, who have two games in hand on the leaders, winning 6-3 at Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ and Maverick winning by the same margin at Roebuck ‘A’. The defeat for Roebuck ‘A’ seeing them lose their two points lead on their seventh placed ‘B’ side who are now level on fifty points and have two games in hand on their local rivals. Old Bush are fourth with fifty-eight points after suffering a 6-3 home defeat at the hands of the High Acres ‘A’ team while fifth placed Mount Pleasant, who are two points short of Old Bush won 7-2 at High Acres ‘B’.
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With straight 7-0 wins over Carl Hipkiss and Tom Hanson, Jason Lowe remains top of the Amblecote RBL Premier League with 214 points from thirty-two games, he has a lead of sixteen points over second in the league Ian Townsend who has played the same number of games after adding his latest 7-0 win over Ryan Green and 6-1 success against Tom Gantley. Third placed Nick Fullwell has a game in hand on Lowe but trails him by some twenty-three points after winning 5-2 against Steve Gillam and then suffering a defeat by the same margin against fourth in the league Paul Wells whose 171 points are forty-three short of Lowe but he has five games in hand which could dramatically reduce the arrears.
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The Black Country Men’s Super League are up to game number four and top of the table with a three points lead are Quarry Bank Liberal Club who in their most recent home fixture won 4-1 against Allen’s Bar ‘C’. Second placed Soccer Zone ‘A’ lost ground on the leaders losing 3-2 at Townsend ‘A’ allowing third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club to move to within one point of them after they won their home tie with fifth placed Allen’s Bar ‘A’ 3-2. Fourth in the league Northfield Darts Club won their home game against Whiteheath Tavern 3-2 to give them the same twelve points as Allen’s Bar ‘A’.
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Can anyone stop the charge of Evonne Taylor in the West Midlands Ladies Super League? Evonne made it twenty-four wins in as many games when she beat Kath Jenkins and Debbie Davies 3-0 to give her a total of ninety-six points with a five points lead on second placed Gemma Barrett plus three games in hand. Barrett fell further behind when she lost 3-1 to third placed Jacqueline Maiden who is now six points behind her opponent with two games in hand.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club moved up one place to third in the West Midlands Men’s Super League table when they won 4-1 against Dog and Partridge who drop one place to fourth, both teams are on forty-one points, Dog and Partridge having played one game fewer than their opponents. Staffordshire Knot remain in pole position, winning 3-2 at home against Junction ‘A to put them one point ahead of second placed Kings Head who were 4-1 home winners over Hotshots.
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Scott Baker has returned to the top of the division one table in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League with a total of 100 points from 12 games. Baker, who is the only player in the three divisions with a 100% win record, he has an eleven points advantage plus two games in hand on second placed and former leader Chris Manoila.
Top of division two is Michael Smith with 107 points Smith’s nearest rival Wayne Barratt, has played two games more than Smith and is seventeen points behind him.
Olly Garratt is running away with the title race in division three, he has amassed a total of 117 points from his fourteen games and has a twenty-two points lead on second placed Charlie Baker.
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