Following their brilliant start in the Premier Division of the new UKDA National League season, when they won 25-11 away to Cornwall putting them top of the table, Warwickshire were brought back down to earth in their second fixture when the suffered a narrow 19-17 home defeat to Lancashire to see them drop to fourth place on forty-five points, but only six short of new leaders Suffolk.
The weekend got off to a good start with the ladies ‘B’ chalking up a convincing 5-1 win with Kacie O’Connor their top player with a 22.77 average in her straight 3-0 win over Jenny Nuttall. The men’s ‘B’ finished on the wrong side of the narrow 7-5 result with Mark Carter their top player beating Martin Lomas 4-3 with a 26.43 average.
With a 10-8 lead it was not the start Warwickshire would have wished for as Sunday’s games got underway, the ladies ‘A’ going down 6-0 to put Lancashire 14-10 up and although the men’s ‘A’ recorded a 7-5 win it was not enough to avoid an overall 19-17 defeat. Man of the match for the men’s ‘A’ was newcomer Dom Taylor who in his 4-3 win over Lancashire’s Steve Green he recorded a superb 32.09 average, this being Taylor’s second consecutive men’s ‘A’ award winner.
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West Midlands, newly promoted to the Andy Wheeler Fisheries Championship Division, followed up their opening day 20-16 home win over Kent with another 20-16 win at Hampshire.
There were mixed fortunes for the ladies as the ‘B’ side won 5-1 and the ‘A’ team lost by the same margin. Topping the averages for the ‘B’ was Katherine Jenkins, who in her 3-0 win over Laura Kedge averaged 16.52. The sole winner for the ladies ‘A’ was Evonne Taylor, who had a 22.06 average as she accounted for Tracy North with a 3-2 result.
In the men’s games the ‘B’ side handed out a 9-3 defeat to their counterparts, Will Beaden their award winner with a 29.56 average in his 4-3 win over Steve Lawrence while Jack Aldridge took the man of the match award for the ‘A’ side, beating Sam Rooney 4-0 with a 30.36 average as his team lost 7-5.
The overall win for the West Midlands saw them move two places up the table to second with forty-six points, just one short of leaders Cheshire.
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After beginning their new season in the L-Style Division One with a 19-17 home win over Derbyshire, Black Country had an away game against Worcestershire. Prior to the fixture Black Country were placed fifth in the division with twenty-two points and their hosts, seventh with sixteen points.
It was a weekend to forget for the ladies as both teams suffered 5-1 defeats. For the ‘B’ team, Sarah Tromans was their only winner, beating Kim Jones 3-2 with a 13.52 average while for the ‘A’ side Chez Allcock was the sole winner, she had a 19.27 average in her 3-0 win over Claire Dicken.
It was a brighter weekend for the men as the ‘B’ team won Saturday’s game 8-4 with Ian Townsend taking the match award for his 28.61 average in his 4-2 win over Matthew Heath, Harry Williams receiving the accolade for the ‘A’ side as he won 4-2 against Ant Butler with a 29.17 average.
The score for the weekend was 19-17 to Worcestershire to lift them up into sixth place with thirty-eight points, Black Country fifth with thirty-nine points.
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The Kings Norton League have got their new season underway and after the opening two games three teams top the table level on points and average, Bourneville, Perfection and Northfield who are three of only five of the starting line-up of thirteen teams to remain undefeated, the other two being Longbridge and Greenlands who have both only played one fixture.
Game number two saw Perfection’s N.Smith record the highest possible checkout of 170 while Greenlands B.Andrews had a 160 break.
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Langley Arrows have kicked off the Premier League winter season in the Sheldon and District League where they left off the summer campaign and that is top of the table after handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors RAFA with Richard Nixon chalking up a maximum for the winners. Sheldon Marlborough Arrows are just on leg of average behind the leaders after they beat Smithswood Social Club 7-2 and a further one leg adrift is third placed Highwood after they won 6-3 against Brian’s Flights. Fourth in the division, Mackadown Sports and Social Club, are four legs of average short of the leaders, they had a narrow 5-4 win over Kingshurst Labour Club.
Two teams, Lyndon Old Boys and Banbury Club share the top spot in division one, after in turn they won 7-2 against Station Inn and Moseley Rugby Club. One leg short of the top two are RAFA Arrows and Trident Spears who beat respective opponents Langley Flights and Sheldon Marlborough Ridge 6-3.
A 6-3 win over Hollywood Social Club sees Digby topping division two, they are followed by three teams who are all one leg of average behind them, CBMC-A, Langley Pints and Maggies who in turn accounted for Hunters Moon, Castle Bromwich Spitfires and Raven Flights with a 5-4 result. Jim Lynch (Hunters Moon) and S.McKenzie (Maggies) both hit a maximum.
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Week twenty-two brought about no changes in the to five places in the Heartlands Sugardarts M&E Co Double Top League, Matthew Cain holding on to pole position, adding a 2-1 win over Stephen Smith followed by a 3-0 success against Dean Bond to give him one hundred points from his forty games and a lead of two over second placed Martin Cooper who beat Steve McCormack and Gemma Whatley 3-0. John Frost is third in the league with ninety points but he has played forty-two games, three more than fourth placed and former league leader Steve Cain who has eighty-six points after he beat John Yates 2-1 before losing 3-0 to Alex Downes and 2-1 to Ryan Cain.
Adam Rogers and George Drennan both recorded a 180 on the night.
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In division one of the South West Birmingham Clubs League, Northfield Darts Club had a bye but remain top of the division with sixteen points, their average better than second placed Stirchley United who beat Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ 4-3.
Although Longbridge United lost 4-3 at Perfection they remain top of division two with eighteen points, four more than second placed West Heath CEM who had a bye this week. P.Nevin (Bournbrook) hit a maximum in his team’s 6-1 win at Moseley All Services Club.
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The Sutton and District League are up to week three of their new season and in division one just four legs of average separate the top three teams. A 7-2 home win over Heartlands puts Nomads @ Hollyfields top of the table with a slender one leg of average lead over Highcroft Hotdogs who won their home tie with Old Horns Lions 5-4. Making up the top three places is Old Oscott Arrows whose 6-3 win at Walmley CSC Flights leaves them three legs short of Highcroft Hotdogs. There was a 160 break for Bishop Vesey’s Lee Arnold.
A 7-2 home win over Rosey Mac’s Bar has seen Great Barr Social go level on points and average with Rise Club and Pint Pot Flights at the top of division two, Rise Club handed their hosts Misfits @ Holly lane Sports and Social Club a 9-0 whitewash while Pint Pot Flights won their home game against Beggars Bush 6-3.
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A maximum from Simon Power helped Langley ‘A’ to a 5-4 home win over Bears in division one of the Shirley and District Monday Night League. Langley ‘A’ top the division with a large average lead on their second placed opponents. Tippetts Bar, with 160 breaks from Dave Cherry and Chris Darby are third on the same eighteen points as the two teams above them after they won 8-1 at Royals, leaving them thirteen legs of average short of the leaders. Stirchley United, despite maximums from both K.Webb and S.Young lost their home game with Cider House 5-4.
In division two Banbury stretched their unbeaten run to twelve games when they won 8-1 at Sharmans with Kris Green notching a maximum for the victors. Banbury have a huge six points lead on second in the division Wharf after they had a similar 8-1 win over Yardley Wood Social Club.
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Leaders of the Silver End Sunday Morning League Old Star, had a valuable 5-3 away win over third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club to take their points to fifty-four with a lead of three over second placed Dudley Sports ‘A’ who won their home game with Portway 6-2. The Ex Serviceman’s Club are now twelve points off the top of the table.
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Week six in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League and of the twenty-two starters to the season only two teams are able to boast a 100% win record. League leaders High Acres won 6-3 at Tipton Sports and Social Club to keep them two points ahead of second and third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ and Bridge, the latter the only other undefeated team having played and won five games.
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It is still anyone’s guess who will finish top of the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League as current leaders Gornal British Legion added a 5-2 home win over Netherton Conservative Club to their account to take their points to fifty-two from twenty-eight games while second placed Old Liberal Club won their home tie with Ten Arches ‘A’ 6-1 to give them the same fifty-two points but from only twenty-seven games. With another eight games to play, third placed Ten Arches ‘A’ are still not out of the frame despite their latest 6-1 defeat to Old Liberal Club, as they are only four points behind the leading duo.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played off a couple of cup semi-finals, first the League Cup in which Sol Liberal Club ‘A’ won 5-2 against Raven and in the Shadow League Cup Chop House won 7-0 against Ashwood.
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It was the finals of the Treble Knockout on the agenda for the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League, and making their exits in the semi-finals were P.Tonks, R.Carr, R.Turner Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’) and D.Stevens, A.Hill, S.Goodall (Cherrywood) who in turn lost 2-1 to N.Fullwell, G.Moreton, J.Batham (Old Liberal Club) and P.O’Brien, C.Bowen, K.Wright (Bulls Head). The final went the full five legs distance with P.O’Brien, C.Bowen, K.Wright beating N.Fullwell, G.Moreton, J.Batham 3-2.
Left to right Colin Bowen, Phil O’Brien and Kurt Wright (Bulls Head)
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The Rowley Monday Night League played their Shadow League Singles finals down to the last eight players and making the quarte-finals were R.Poll, T.Whitehouse (Spring Meadow), D.Bunce, D.Brookes, Spencer Cree (Tividale Sports), T.Dore, T.Pike (Romsley Cricket Club), S.Attwood (Rowley Bar and Grill).
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Week six in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League and two teams, Quarry Bank Liberal Club and Netherton Sports and Social Club made it six wins in six games. The Liberal Club top the table on average, their latest fixture seeing them win 9-0 at home against Red Cow ‘2’ while the Sports and Social Club won 6-3 at home against Hilly House. Four teams are just two points short of the top two, Gornal British Legion, Stump, Parkes Hall and Bulls Head.
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No change at all in the Black Country Ladies Team Super League, Allen’s Bar ‘A’ holding on to pole position despite losing 4-1 to second placed Allen’s Bar ‘B’ while third placed Allen’s Bar ‘C’ won 3-2 against bottom of the table Allen’s Bar ‘D’.
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Allen’s Bar ‘A’ suffered a 3-2 defeat at fourth placed Northfield Darts Club but their seventy points keeps them to of the Black Country Men’s Super League table with a three points lead on second placed Quarry Bankl Liberal Club who had a 4-1 home win over Townsend ‘A’. Third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club have two games in hand on the two teams above them, they had a 3-2 home win over Soccer Zone ‘A’ but are twelve points off the top.
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Jason Lowe is now well on the way to clinching the Amblecote RBL Premier League title, his latest 7-0 win over Martyn Harper and 6-1 success against Kian Rogers giving him a total of 402 points from 60 games and a lead of 21 plus two games in hand on second placed Nick Fullwell who on the night beat Chris Cox, Mark Nassralla and Bayley Owen 7-0.
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Scott Baker took his unbeaten run in division one of the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles league to 25 with an 8-0 win against Simon Pritchard to put him on 209 points with a lead of 32 over his nearest rival Simon Mountford who beat Shane passey 6-2.
At the top of division two is Michael Smith who added an 8-0 win against Martin Smith to his account to give him a total of 241 points with a huge 70 points advanatge over second placed Malcolm Pugh who beat Richard Brown 5-3.
Olly Garratt is 55 points to the good on second placed Troy Simmonds in division three, his latest 7-1 win over Charlie Baker taking his points to 209, Simmonds didn’t play this week.
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Junction ‘B’ made it twelve consecutive wins in the singles league of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League when they won 6-1 at Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ to keep them two points ahead of second placed Dog and Partridge ‘B’ who had a similar 6-1 win at home over Red Lion.
Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ consolidated their top spot in the doubles league with a 3-0 win at Ashmore, the win keeping them two points to the good on their nearest rivals New Gate Inn who had a closer 2-1 win at Junction ‘D’.
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