Black Country’s final away game in the L-Style Division One of the UKDA National League saw them travel to the south-west to take on Devon, a game which on current form was always going to be a win for the away side with the home team placed ninth in the table and 133 points while the away side were fourth on 177 points.
It was not a good start to the weekend as the ladies ‘B’ lost 4-2 with Lacey Hughes and McKenzie-Raine Thomas their only two winners, the latter taking the match award for her 3-1 success over Tracy Ware and 14.68 average. The men’s ‘B’ only managed wins from Rob Smith, Rich Bowen and Sam Bissell as they finished on the wrong side of the 9-3 result, Sam Bissell’s straight 4-0 win over Mike Beard and tremendous 34.55 average earned him the match award.
Black Country fared a little better on Sunday as the ladies ‘A’, with wins from Heather Wright, Chez Allcock and Doreen Hunt finished all-square at 3-3 with their top player being Doreen Hunt who beat Hayley Brant 3-1 and averaged 18.33. The men’s ‘A’ also shared the 6-6 result thanks to wins from man of the match Michael Powell, who put them one up when he defeated Jack Walker 4-3 with a 29.79 average, Kieron Bridgwater, Tom Bissell, Dan Homer, Cayden Smith and George Willetts.
The defeat does now look as though it has cost Black Country any chance of promotion as they have dropped one place to fifth on 191 points and although only seven points short of neighbouring West Midlands in second place, they have a really tough fixture to bring the curtain down on their season, a home tie against divisional leaders Middlesex.
———————————