Eighteen teams have started the new season in the Harborne and District League and two of them share the number one spot after the opening fixtures. Northfield Conservative Club and Copper Fox ‘R’ in turn had 8-1 wins over Harborne Social and Northfield Darts Club to give them a slender one leg of average lead over Copper Fox ‘M’ and Weoley Castle WMC, both of them winning 7-2, the former at Windsor Complex and the latter at Bourneville. Smethwick Cricket Club and Thimble Mill in turn won 6-3 at Cock Inn and at home against league newcomers Stag and Three Horseshoes. Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club and Weoley Castle Pub were the only two other winners as Kings Norton won 5-4 at Lion Bar and Weoley won by the same margin at Lion Bar.
The new season got underway with no fewer than ten maximums, there were two each for K.Foxhall (Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club) and R.Hosey (Northfield Conservative Club) while there was one each for the other six players, R.Allcock (Cock Inn), J.Downer (Copper Fox ‘M’), P.Coombes (Weoley Castle WMC), R.Derbyshire (Crown), C.Foxhall (Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club) and D.Hill (Northfield Conservative Club).
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Sheldon Marlborough Arrows, leaders of the premier league, in the Sheldon and District Winter League, were the only team to play in the top three teams in week four, their 7-2 win at RAFA making it four wins in as many games, second placed Highwood are the only other team in the premier to have won all of the games but they have only played three so far. Sam Hicks recorded a maximum for RAFA.
In division one, RAFA Arrows continue to head the table with a perfect eight points from their first four games, the latest of which saw them win 6-3 at Lyndon Old Boys. Second placed Banbury Club, with a maximum from Adam Cooksey, went one better with a 7-2 win at Raven to keep them within two points of the leaders as are Sheldon Marlborough Ridge, Trident Spears and Raven. Ridge winning 7-2 at home against Moseley Rugby Club, Spears having a narrow 5-4 win at Yardley Ex Colts and Raven suffering their first defeat when they went down to Banbury.
With CBMC-A having their fixture with Maggies postponed they drop from pole position in division two to second place. Nevertheless CBMC-A are level on six points with new leaders Langley Pints after they handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts Trident Flights. Hollywood Social Club’s 6-3 win at Raven Flights puts them third in the division on the same six points as the two teams above them, but like leaders Langley Pints have played four games, CBMC-A being the only team in the division to remain undefeated.
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As early as week five in the Kings Norton League and only two of the starting line-up of thirteen teams are able to boast a 100% win record, one of them being current leaders Northfield who made it five straight wins when they won 5-2 at Stirchley to open up a four points lead on second placed Bourneville who have only played three fixtures, but have won all of them, Third and fourth placed Perfection and Bournebrook are both on the same six points as Bourneville but have played four games, the latest encounters seeing the former lose 4-3 at home to fifth placed Greenlands and the latter win 6-1 at Cavalier.
Stirchley’s S.Hercules was the only playe to find the three treble twenties this week.
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The top two players in the Heartlands Sugardarts M&E Co Double Top League, Matthew Cain and Martin Cooper hold on to their respective top and second places this week, Matthew Cain having a 3-0 win over Ryan Cain plus a vital 2-1 win over Martin Cooper to put him on 120 points from forty-eight games while Cooper, prior to his 2-1 defeat to Matthew Cain lost by the same 2-1 margin to Steve Cain. With John Frost not playing this week he drops one place in the table to fourth with John Burdett replacing him in the number three spot after he won 3-0 against Steve McCormack and 2-1 against Ryan Cain, a game in which Burdett hit a maximum. The two wins for Burdett give him a total of 106 points, ten fewer than second placed Martin Cooper and fourteen adrift of leader Matthew Cain.
A special mention this week for Charley Demery who has played forty-eight games and is still looking for a first win. Demery went down 4-0 to Hayden Valovec and 3-0 to Emma Cain this week but continues to play in the hope of chalking up that first magical win.
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Leaders of division one in the Sutton and District League, Highcroft Hotdogs stretched their unbeaten record to five games with a convincing 8-1 home win over Old Oscott Arrows to keep intact their two points lead on second and third placed Nomads @ Hollyfields and Old Horns Lions. Nomads @ Hollyfields were not far behind the leaders score with their 7-2 home win over Rosey Mac’s while Old Horns Lions won 6-3 at Charley’s Flights.
There was just the one maximum scored in division one this week and that was supplied by Will Naylor (Erdington Arrows), Rosey Mac’s Neil Bradley had a 160 break.
Two teams share pole position in division two, Great Barr Social and Rise Cub, the former having a 6-3 win at Sutton Sharks and the latter winning by the same margin at Pint Pot Flights, Pint Pot’s first defeat of the season. There are four teams that are all four points off the top, Pint Pot Flights, Hollyfields, Plough and Arrows and Deer’s Leap. Hollyfields won 5-4 at Oscott Social, Plough and Arrows going one better with a 7-2 result at Minworth Bulls while Deer’s Leap had a close 5-4 win at home over Misfits @ Holly Lane Sports and Social Club.
Like division one there was only one maximum in division two, and that came from Sam Caswell (Plough and Arrows).
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Gornal British Legion lost ground in the title race in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League this week when they suffered a narrow 4-3 defeat playing away against fourth in the league Bird in Hand. The defeat leaves Gornal British Legion four points short of leaders Old Liberal Club who had a convincing 7-0 home win over Gate Hangs Well, plus the leaders have a game in hand on Gornal British Legion and third placed Ten Arches ‘A; who are level on points with the Legion after they won 5-2 at home over Five Ways. Bird in Hand, although four points behind the two teams directly above them do have a game in hand on both.
At the other end of the table Glasscutters ‘B’ were beaten 6-1 in their home tie with Mount Pleasant and after twenty-nine games are still seeking their first win.
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Quarry Bank Liberal Club, leaders of the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League, made it ten straight win when they won 8-1 away to Baggeridge Social, the win keeping the leaders two points to the good on second placed Gornal British Legion, who won 7-2 at the Mill and third in the league Netherton Sports and Social Cub who were also 7-2 winners at New Inn. Biggest win of the week went to Stump who won their home tie with British Oak 9-0.
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Week four of the John Edwards Thursday Night League produced no fewer than six maximums, chalking up the magical 180’s were Paul Green (Smethwick Cricket Club), Matt Taylor (Oldbury British Legion), Tony Bennett (Blackheath Liberal Club), Lee Williams (Club ‘99’), Dave Edge (Island Inn) and Lewis Poultney (Artisian Micro Bar).
On the league front, three teams top the table with undefeated eight points from their four games. An 8-1 win at Ivy Bush puts Island Inn top of the table with just a single leg of average lead on second and third placed Bostin Darts ‘B’ and Smethwick Cricket Club. Bostin Darts ‘B’ were involved in a local derby with Bostin Darts ‘A’ which they won 8-1 while Smethwick Cricket Club had a 6-3 home win over Red Cow. Fourth placed Wonder are two points short of the three teams above them but have a game in hand, their most recent fixture away to Whiteheath Tavern being postponed.
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Old Star held on to their number one spot in the Silver End Sunday Morning League with an important 5-3 win away to High Acres ‘A’ who are fourth in the league with forty-seven points, sixteen short of their opponents. Old Star have a five points lead on second placed Dudley Sports ‘A’ who were held to a 4-4 draw at home by High Acres ‘B’ while third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club fell further behind Dudley Sports ‘A’ after they were beaten 5-3 at home by fifth placed Old Liberal Club who are now within three points of their hosts who are on forty-nine points..
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After recording wins in their opening eight games of the season, leaders of the Brierley Hill Monday Night League, High Acres lost game number nine 6-3 at home to their nearest rivals, second placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’. Despite the defeat, High Acres remain top of the pile with sixteen points, two more than the chasing pack of four teams. The Ex Serviceman’s Club stay second on average from third placed Lamp Tavern whose 5-4 win at Pensnett Liveral Club leaves them ten legs short of the Ex Serviceman’s, as are fourth placed Raven after they won 5-4 at Rose and Crown ‘A’. Fifth placed Bridge had a 7-2 home win over Dudley Sports ‘A’ and although they too are two points short of the leaders, they have a game in hand on all four teams above them.
Cricket Club 3, Dudley Sports ‘B’ 5 Mount Pleasant 4, Roebuck ‘B’ 5 Rose and Crown ‘B’ 4.
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The League Cup final in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League brought together the league’s third and fourth placed teams Old Liberal Club ‘A’ and Hollybush. The 4-1 result saw Old Liberal Club ‘A’ lift the winners silverware with Hollybush runners-up.
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After adding week eleven results in the Black Country Ladies Super League the table remains exactly the same with Allen’s Bar ‘A’ top of the table with thirty-two points despite losing 3-2 to third placed Allen’s Bar ‘B’, Second placed Allen’s Bar ‘C’ also lost 3-2 to their bottom of the table ‘D’ side and are now two points off the top, ‘B’ are five short of the leaders.
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Allen’s Bar ‘A’ have extended their lead at the top of the Black Country Men’s Super League to eleven points after they won 5-0 at home against Soccer Zone ‘B’ and second placed Quarry Bank Liberal Club won 4-1 at home over Allen’s Bar ‘B’, however the Liberal Club have two games in hand on the leaders as do third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who are fifteen points off the top after winning 3-2 at home against Northfield Darts Club.
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Just the one rearranged fixture played in the West Midlands Men’s Super League which saw Kings Head win their home game with Hotshots 3-2 to take over at the top of the table from Staffordshire Knot who now trail the new leaders by a single point.
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With a maximum and 160 break from M.Perkins plus an 8-1 home win over Hawthorns Tavern ‘A’, Wonder remain as leaders of the Rowley Monday Night League with fifty-six points, however they only top the table on average from Bell who had a bye this week.
There were another five players to find the three treble twenties namely, T.Hawthorn (Whiteheath Tavern), I.Vincent (Hawthorns Tavern ‘B’), J.Allan and L.Homer (Gate Hangs Well) plus A.Bunce (Rowley Bar and Grill.
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Jason Lowe consolidated his pole position in the Amblecote RBL Premier League this week with a 7-0 win over Lee Craig to take his points tally to 439 from 65 games. Second placed Cayden Smith had a 6-1 win over Mark Nassralla and 5-2 success over Tom Gantley to leave him with two games in hand on Lowe but trailing him by some thirty-eight points.
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In the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League there are now winners for all three divisions, Scott Baker retains his division one title, Michael Smith wins division two and Olly Garratt takes the top honour in division three.
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No Change in the top five places in the singles league of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League, Junction ‘B’ hoding on to pole position with a 6-1 home win over Three Crowns keeping them two points ahead of second placed Dog and Partridge ‘B’ who were also 6-1 winners at Junction ‘A’.
A 2-1 home defeat to Red Lion has seen Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ lose the top spot in the doubles league and drop to fifth place. Taking over at the top of the table is Golden Lioin ‘A’ and New Gate Inn, the former wining 2-1 at home against the latter to put them level on points and average.
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