What with the after effects of the Christmas / New Year break plus the adverse weather conditions, this week’s column is somewhat depleted. Nevertheless here are the reports for those who managed to weather the storm.
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Leaders of the Harborne and District League, Copper Fox ‘R’, began the New Year in style handing their hosts Weoley Castle WMC a 9-0 whitewash to consolidate their number one spot with a superior average over Smethwick Cricket Club who had a narrow 5-4 win at sixth placed Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club, both of the top two teams have a perfect fourteen points from their first seven games. Third and fourth placed Copper Fox ‘M’ and Northfield Conservative Club are both on twelve points Copper Fox ‘M’ winning 7-2 at home against seventh placed Thimble Mill while Northfield Conservative Club finished 5-0 down to Bourneville.
Three players kicked off 2026 with maximums and they were J.Downer (Copper Fox ‘M’), L.Fowler (Northfield Darts Club) and V.Gould (Smethwick Cricket Club).
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Northfield made it eleven straight wins in the Kings Norton League when they won 7-0 at Perfection to keep intact their two points lead on second placed Greenlands who had a vital 5-2 win at Bourneville who are third in the league but now six points behind their opponents, however they do have a game in hand on both teams above them.
At the other end of the table Cavalier are the only team in the league without a win so far, their latest fixture seeing them loses 7-0 at home to Dingle.
Three players found the three treble twenties this week, and they were M.Lloyd, N.Steventon (Northfield) and J.Butcher (Kings Norton Flights).
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In division one of the Sutton and District League, Highcroft Hotdogs took their undefeated run to nine games with an 8-1 win at home over St Thomas Lions and at the same time keep their two points lead on second placed Nomads @ Hollyfields who also won 8-1 in their home game with Drakes Drum. Third in the division Bishop Vesey had a close but important 5-4 win at Old Horns Lions who are fourth in the league and now two points behind Bishop Vesey who in turn are two points adrift of second placed Nomads @ Hollyfields.
Highcroft Hotdogs Kevin Shorthouse hit the only maximum in the league this week.
In division two Rise Club continue to lead the way, a 5-4 home win over Great Barr Social taking their unbeaten run to nine games and giving them a two points lead on their nearest rivals Plough and Arrows who also won 5-4 at Pint Pot Flights. Great Barr Social share the number three spot with Hollyfields both teams level on points and average, Hollyfields chalking up a 6-3 win at Rosey Mac’s Bar. Joolz Fountain (Pint Pot Flights) recorded a 160 break.
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Due to the bad weather only two games were played in the Sheldon and District Winter League this week. In division one, Lyndon Old Boys had a 5-4 win at Sheldon Marlborough Ridge, the result seeing Lyndon remaining sixth in the division and Sheldon staying third.
In division two a 6-3 win for CBMC-A at Trident Flights saw the winners move up one place to second while Trident remain rooted to the foot of the table.
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The battle continues for both the winners and third place in the Rowley Monday Night League. Wonder remain top of the table on average after winning 7-2 at Rowley Labour Club whose R.Lenton hit a maximum, Second placed and reigning champions Bell had a 6-3 win at Hawthorns Tavern ‘A’ to put them on the same sixty-four points as Wonder but trailing by some thirteen legs of average. Third in the league Gate Hangs Well had a somewhat surprising 5-4 home defeat by Huntingtree who are ten places below them in the league table and have twenty points fewer. Tividale FC share the third place with Gate Hangs Well, they also had a shock defeat at home to Romsley Cricket Club who are seven places below them, their twenty-eight points are eighteen fewer than Tividale FC’s forty-six.
In Plough and Harrow’s 7-2 home win over Vine, S.Slim recorded a 160 break for the hosts.
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Leaders of the Silver End Sunday Morning League Old Star had their lead at the top of the table cut to four points after they were held to a 4-4 draw by Kingswinford British Legion who are placed fourteenth in the league. Old Star’s nearest rivals, Dudley Sports ‘A’ took full advantage to reduce the arrears by winning 5-3 at home against Spring Meadow. Third in the league High Acres ‘A’ lost the local derby with their ‘B’ side, going down 5-3 to leave them eighteen points off the top and fourteen behind second placed Dudley Sports ‘A’.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ held on to their two points lead at the top of the Brierley Hill Monday Night League with a 6-3 home win over Rose and Crown ‘B’. Just one leg of average separates second and third placed Raven and Lamp Tavern. Raven had a narrow 5-4 home win over bottom of the table Tipton Sports and Social Club, while Lamp Tavern won by the same 5-4 margin at home against Roebuck ‘B’. Bridge are fourth in the league, after their 9-0 home win over Tommy Turners they are four points behind Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ but they do have two games in hand which could see them leap-frog Lamp Tavern and Raven and put them level on points with the leaders.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League produced quite a few shock results in week twenty-two as leaders Chop House lost 5-2 at ninth placed Raven, second placed Old Liberal Club ‘A’ lost 4-3 at Swan who are eighth in the league, third in the table Stourbridge FC ‘A’ went down 5-2 at fifth placed Hollybush and fourth placed Bird in Hand ‘E’ lost 5-2 at home to sixth placed New Inns.
After a week of crazy results the position now is that Chop House remain top with thirty-eight points, Old Liberal Club ‘A’ remain second with thirty-two points but joining them on the same number of points are five teams, Hollybush, New Inns, Beech Tree Miners, Stourbridge FC ‘A’ and Bird in Hand ‘E’.
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Just the one game was played in the Black Country Men’s Super League which saw Allen’s Bar ‘C’ win their home tie with Ten Arches 4-1 to see them move up three places in the table to sixth while their opponents remain next to bottom of the table.
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Jacqueline Maiden held on to pole position in the West Midlands Ladies Super League with a 3-1 win over Jaqui Simmonds to put her on seventy-six points from twenty games. Second placed and current reigning champion Evonne Taylor followed up her 3-1 win over Shellbie Guest with a 3-0 success against Crysta Davies-Wilcox to leave her nine points behind Maiden with two games in hand.
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There were 5-2 wins for the top three teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League and 5-2 defeats for the bottom four teams. Old Liberal Club hold on to the top spot winning at home over Netherton Conservative Club, second placed Gornal British Legion remain two points behind the leaders after they won at Glassworks and third placed Ten Arches ‘A’ are a further four points adrift after their win at Glasscutters ‘B’.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League staged their Doubles Knockout and taking the to honours were Paul Bromley and Ryan Bourne (Junction ‘B’) who won the final 3-2 against their fellow team –mates Rob Pitt and Luke Griffiths (Junction ‘B’). Making their exit in the last four were Steve Lynch and Jamie Webb (Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’) plus Elliott Peace and Jake Clark. Losing out in the quarter-finals were Wookie Mon and Simon ‘Shrek’ Mountford (Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’), Chris Hill and Ben Johnson (Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’) Kye Simmonds and Connor Lucas (Ashmore) plus Adam Slade and Mikey L Harris (Junction ‘A’)
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