Warwickshire rounded off the old year with a rearranged game three fixture in the Premier Division of the UKDA National League, an away game against Lincolnshire and a fixture that Warwickshire have lost for the last four meetings and unfortunately this was not going to be the game that would bring to an end that dismal run.
It was a weekend of mixed fortunes for the ladies as the ‘B’ side won 5-1 with Macy Gibbons taking the match award for her straight 3-0 win over Liv Heaton and 20.59 average, but it was bad news for the ‘A’ team who suffered a 6-0 whitewash.
The men’s ‘B’ went down 9-3 with Taylor McGuckian their top player with a 27.08 average in his opening 4-0 win over Dave Wilson. The ‘A’ side came back from 4-1 down to go on and earn a 6-6 draw with Steve Hine man of the match with his 4-2 win over James Beeton and 29.35 average.
The overall score for the weekend was 22-14 to the hosts, Lincolnshire, although a defeat Warwickshire moved up three places in the table to fourth with seventy-eight points, eighteen short of leaders Lancashire.
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Just prior to Christmas the Weoley Castle Working Men’s Club, 158 Barnes Hill, Birmingham, B29 5TY was the setting for the Birmingham Darts Festival. Saturdays; Classic games saw the men’s title and £1100 prize money go to Tyler Thorpe who won the final against Warwickshire’s Nigel Heydon 6-3, Heydon receiving £500. There was £200 for the losing semi-finalists Adam Warner and Steve Meek, with the losing quarter-finalists Tom Lonsdale, Martin Tonks, Reece Colley and Johnny Haines each receiving £100. Lee Evans, Damon Heta, Ryan O’Connor, Simon Gascoyne, Dan Hands, Sam Jackson, Tom Bissell and Wayne Jones all made their exits in the last sixteen and pocketed £55.
Tyler Thorpe (Winner) with Stephen ‘Spag’ Pasetti
Last year’s runner-up in the Ladies Classic was Vicky Pruim but this year she went one better and won the event beating Sara Walton with a straight 5-0 result to clinch the first prize of £530 with Walton collecting £240. Warwickshire provided the two losing semi-finalists, Macy Gibbons losing 5-1 to Walton while Natalie Gilbert lost 5-2 to Pruim, the two losers receiving £130 each. Losing out in the quarter finals were Tracey Dean, Jane Downey, Angela Kirkwood and Lisa Ashton who all received £50.
Stephen ‘Spag’ Pasetti with Vicky Pruin Classic Winner.
In Sunday’s Open Competitions for the second day running Sara Walton finished as runner-up, this time losing 6-4 to champion Lisa Ashton who won the top prize of £400 with Walton adding £200 to the previous day’s winnings of £240 to make it a very profitable weekend.
Stephen ‘Spag’ Pasetti with Lisa Ashton Open Winner.
The Men’s Open final was a close and hard fought affair with Warwickshire’s Dom Taylor finishing on the right side of the 6-4 result against Johnny Haines to pick up the winners £840 with Haines collecting £400.
Stephen ‘Spag’ Pasetti with Dom Taylor Open Winner
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Hen Lane Social Club, 6 Beacon Road, Coventry, CV6 4DS was once again the setting for the Coventry Christmas Open and from an initial entry of seventy players the semi-finals of the singles competition saw Chris Wickenden beat Stephen Tomkins 5-2 and joining him in the final was David Davies with a 5-1 success over Noel Grant. In the final Chris Wickenden made it an amazing third consecutive victory when he beat David Davies 5-1.
Winner Chris Wickenden with Organiser Neil Pritchard
The two singles finalists then paired up in the doubles knockout and after beating Wayne Mynard and Karl Reynolds 4-3 in the semis then took on Ben Gamble and Sam Matthews in the final after they had accounted for Adam Gallett and Matt Gallett in the last four with a 4-2 result. Wickenden and Davies scooped the top prize when they beat Gamble and Matthews 5-0 in the final.
Champions Chris Wickenden and David Davies with Neil Pritchard
The total paid out on the day was a fantastic £1430.
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In the last games of 2025 in the Sheldon and District Winter League, Sheldon Marlborough Arrows didn’t play but still held on to pole position in the premier league with fourteen undefeated points and have a lead of two over second placed Highwood who won 5-4 at home against Dog Inn Nomads. Third placed Langley Arrows won their home tie with Kingshurst Labour Club 6-3 to leave them four points off the top with a game in hand.
Banbury Club consolidated their number one spot in division one with an 8-1 home win over RAFA Arrows, however they are only top on average as Trident Spears, Sheldon Marlborough Ridge and RAFA Arrows are all on the same twelve points. Trident won 7-2 at home against Langley Flights, while Ridge, who have a game in hand on the two teams above them, were 5-4 winners at Yardley Ex Colts.
Although their fixture in division two at Maggies was postponed, Langley Pints remain top of the division with twelve points while second placed Maggies are two points behind them with a game in hand. Third and fourth placed CBMC-A and Hollywood Social Club are both on the same ten points as Maggies, but the former have played one game more than them and the latter have played two games more.
CBMC-A’s Elliot Astley hit the only maximum this week.
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The Sutton and District League have been involved in their Challenge Cups, winning through in division one were Bishop Vesey and Nomads @ Hollyfields who in turn accounted for Drakes Drum 9-0 and Heartlands 6-3. Charley’s Flights and Highcrift Hotdogs had a bye,
In the division two games tere were 5-4 wins for Ploughand Arrows, St Thomas Arrows and Rise Club who in turn defeated Great barr Social, Oscott Social Club and Sutton Sharks, Beggars Bush had a bye.
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A 5-3 win at Bournbrook sees Northfield Darts Club top of division one of the South West Birmingham Clubs League with seven points, however second placed Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ had a bye and asre on the same seven points but from one game fewer. Highlight of the week was the high scoring affair between Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club and Perfection with the former having seven three figure scores plus breaks of 2×100,152 and111 while the latter had top scores of 135,2×100,119 and a 112 break. Quarry Club lost 6-2 at home to Stirchley United but their L.Fox hit a 180.
A 7-1 win at Longbridge Supremes keeps Kings Norton Arrows top of division two with seven points, one more than their nearest rivals West Heath CEM who went down 5-3 at third placed E57 who have five points and a game in hand on the two teams above them..
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Only two points separate the top six teams in the Harborne and District League, Copper Fox ‘R’ lead the way on average following their latest 9-0 home win over Bourneville. Second in the league Northfield Conservative Club were also 9-0 winners at Windsor Complex while third placed Smethwick Cricket Club, who like the two teams above them have won all six games so far, handed out a first defeat, 5-4, to their visiting team Copper Fox ‘M’ who drop to fourth in the table with ten points as have fifth and sixth Thimble Mill and Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club who in turn won 5-4 at home over Weoley Castle WMC and 8-1 at home over Crown.
There were five maximums this week and they came from A.Busby, J.Hill (Northfield Conservative Club), C.Galvin (Weoley Castle), M.Warr (Weoley Castle WMC) and A.Bomber (Smethwick Cricket Club).
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Northfield kept their winning run intact in the Kings Norton League with a close 5-2 home win over Kings Norton Flights, the win keeps the leaders two points to the good on second placed Greenlands who also won 5-2 at home against Stirchley. Bourneville are third on fourteen points, six off the top after they went down 4-3 at Bournebrook, however they do have a game in hand.
There was just the one maximum this week and it was supplied by M.Hopkins (Northfield) however there were three 160 breaks and they came from D.Witecombe (Pavillions) plus M.Lloyd and R.Higgins (Northfield).
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The John Edwards Thursday Night League staged the preliminary round of their 301 Cup which produced a somewhat surprising result with league leaders Wonder losing 6-3 at Double Tops Micro Bar who are some seven places below them in the league. In the other game played Oldbury British Legion won 5-4 at the Mill.
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With games running out now in the Silver End Sunday Morning League, a 5-3 home win over fourth in the league Old Liberal Club keeps Old Star top of the table with eighty-two points and a lead of six over second placed Dudley Sports ‘A’ who had a resounding 8-1 win over fifth in the table Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club. Third in the league High Acres ‘A’ won 5-3 at Woodman to leave them eleven points behind Dudley Sports ‘A’ and seventeen short of the leaders.
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Chop House made it nineteen wins in twenty-one games in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, they have a six points advantage over second and third placed Old Liberal Club ‘A’ and Stourbridge FC ‘A’, the former winning 6-1 at home over Five Ways while the latter lost 5-2 at home to Swan who are five places below them in the table. A further two points adrift with thirty points are Bird in Hand ‘E’, Hollybush, New Inns and Beech Tree Miners.
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Leaders of the Brierley Hill Monday Night League, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ and second placed Lamp Tavern both handed out 8-1 defeats to their respective opponents Roebuck ‘B’ and Dudley Sports ‘B’. Lamp Tavern and third placed Raven are both two points off the top, Raven having a narrow 5-4 win at Pensnett Liberal Club
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Wonder and Bell continue to battle it out four league honours in the Rowley Monday Night League, leaders Wonder having a 7-2 win at Spring Meadow while Bell went one better to reduce the average arrears slightly with their 8-1 success at home over Romsley Cricket Club. Third and fourth placed Gate Hangs Well and Tividale FC are both on forty-six points, sixteen behind the leading duo, Tividale FC having played one game fewer than the three teams above them.
There were maximums for C.Bunce (Tividale Sports) plus H.Hopton and M.Tedstone (Wonder).
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Old Liberal Club moved another step nearer to the title in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night league when they won 6-1 against Gigmill, the win keeping them two points ahead, with a game in hand on second placed Gornal British Legion who had a 5-2 win at Crestwood.
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A 3-2 win over their local rivals Allen’s Bar ‘C’ has seen Allen’s Bar ‘A’ clinch the Black Country Men’s Super League title with ninety-nine points, and although second placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club have two games in hand as do third placed Quarry Bank Liberal Club, they are respectively sixteen and seventeen points short of the leaders. The battle is still on for the runners-up spot with only one point separating the Ex Serviceman’s and Liberal Clubs
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In the last fixtures of 2025 the top two players in the West Midlands Ladies Super League, Jacqueline Maiden and Evonne Taylor didn’t play but nevertheless they held on to their top and second places.
Maiden has seventy-two points from nineteen games with Taylor having played sixteen and is on fifty-nine points.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League staged their Singles Knockout and winning the title was Jack Aldridge who defeated Chris Hill in the final. Going out in the semis were Paul Price and Kye Simmonds while Nicky Devlin, Ben Johnson, Simon ‘Shrek’ Mountford and Dave Lucas all made their exits in the quarrter-finals.
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