The finals of the Punchbowl were the order of the day for the Sheldon and District Winter League, in the semi-finals Premier League leaders Langley Arrows beat their third placed division two opponents Trident Spears 6-1 and meetng them in the final were Highwood, who are third in the Premier League and had a narrow 4-3 win over Mackadown Sports and Social Club who are next to bottom of the Premier.
The final was true to league form with Langley Arrows running out the 5-2 winners with Highwood runners-up.
There was just one rearranged divison two fixture played in which second placed Maggies won 7-2 at CBMC-A, who are fourth.
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It was also cup week in the Kings Norton League, first the semi-finals of the League Cup in which the league’s top two teams squared up to each other, leaders Northfield taking on second placed Greenlands. The outcome was a 6-1 win for Northfield with their A.Busby recording a 160 break. The second of the semi-finals saw fifth placed Stirchley win 6-1 against Pavillions who are next to bottom of the league table.
In addition to the league Cup semis, there were also the last four games of the Consolation Cup, which brought about no real surprises as Longbridge accounterd for Pavillions with a 5-2 result and Cock Inn beat E57 6-1.
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Northfield Conservative Club added an 8-1 away win at Stag and Three Horseshoes to their tally in the Harborne and District League to make it sixteen wins in eighteen games, they top the table with thirty-two points and have a lead of two over second, third and fourth placed Copper Fox ‘R’, Northfield Darts Club and Smethwick Cricket Club. Copper Fox ‘R’ were 8-1 winners at Cock Inn and although trailing the leaders by two points they have two games in hand on them plus a superior average. Third placed Northfield Darts Club won their home tie with Weoeley Castle Pub 7-2, they have one game in hand on the leaders, while Smethwick Cricekt Club are fourth, their 6-3 win at home over Windsor Complex also leaving them two points off the top but theyhave played the same eighteen games as Northfield Conservative Club.
There were no fewer than seven players finding the three treble twenties this week and they were A.Beagrie (Thimble Mill), R.Mann and T.Hamilton (Copper Fox ‘R’), A.Fenton (Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club), A.Bailes (Bourneville), L.Allen (Northfield Darts Club) and D.Lancett (Weoley Castle Pub).
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With the second half of the season underway in the Sutton and District League, Highcroft Hotdogs kept their title hopes on course with a 7-2 away win over Heartlands, the win keeping Highcroft Hotdogs four points ahead of second placed Old Horns Lions who have replaced Nomads @ Hollyfields in the number two position after they won 7-2 at home against the Nomads, who drop to fourth place on twenty-six points, six off the top and two fewer than both their opponents and third placed Bishop Vesey who had a 7-2 win at Charley’s Flights.
Erdington Arrows had a 7-2 home win over Rosey Mac’s, G.Hopkins chalking up the week’s only maximum in the league for the winners.
In division two, Rise Club, remain the only team in the league with a 100% win record having won all of their seventeen games so far. Rise Club’s fixture with second placed Pint Pot Flights was not played this week and has to be rearranged, so the top positions do not change Rise Club have thirty-four points from seventeen games and second placed Pint Pot Flights have twenty-eight points from the same seventeen games. Third in the division Plough and Arrows handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors Minworth Bulls to go within one point of Pint Pot Flights but from one game extra, while fourth placed Great Barr Social are on twenty-six points and have one game in hand on the top two teams and two in hand on third placed Plough and Arrows.
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On the agenda for the South West Birmingham Clubs League was the final of their Percy Hinton Cup, division one champions Northfield Darts Club making it a terrific double by beating, fourth in the same division, Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club 5-4 for a league and cup double.
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The top two teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League extended their undefeated runs this week, leaders Old Liberal Club adding a 5-2 win at Samson and Lion to their account to make it twelve consecutive wins while second placed Cross won their home game with Gate Hangs Well 6-1, their eleventh win in as many games, to keep within two points of the leaders with a game in hand. Third in the league Gornal British Legion won 6-1 at Ashwood and are four points behind the leaders but have only played eleven games, as have fourth in the table Bird in Hand after their latest 5-2 home win over Five Ways to leave them on the same twenty points as Gornal British Legion.
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With only two more fixtures to play in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League, Quarry Bank Liberal Club confirmed themselves as champions with an 8-1 win at Bulls Head, their seventy points, six more than second placed Red Cow ‘1’ who also won 8-1 at home against New Inn which should give them the runners-up spot, with Gornal British Legion finishing third, as they are on sixty points, four short of Red Cow ‘1’ after they won their home fixture with Hilly House 7-2.
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Bell made it ten wins in as many games in division one of the Rowley Monday Night League when they won 7-2 at home against bottom of the division Bostin darts ‘B’, despite a maximum from the away side’s A.Bonehill, the win keeping intact Bell’s four points lead over second placed Gate Hangs Well, after they won 7-2 at Whiteheath Tavern. Third placed Wonder lost ground in the title race when they went down 6-3 at home to fourth in the division, Romsley Cricket Club, who are now on the same twelve points as their hosts. Fifth placed Tividale FC are also on twelve points following their 5-4 win at Hawthorns Tavern whose S.Green scored a maximum.
Bostin Darts ‘B’ kept their winning run going in division two when they won 6-3 in the local derby with their third placed ‘C’ team, who are now six points behind their opponents. The win keeps Bostin Darts ‘B’ two points to the good on their nearest rivals Double Tops Micro Bar, who had a 7-2 home win over Coombs Wood. Fifth in the division, Huntingtree have only played eight games, the latest against Hasbury being postponed, wins in their two games in hand could see them move up into third place.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ had a bye in week fourteen of the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League, however they hold on to pole position with thirty-nine points from thirteen games and have a three points (one win) lead on second placed Rose and Crown (Wordsley) after they won their home game with Haden Cross 6-3. Third in the league Plough and Harrow have played fourteen games, their latest fixture an away game against bottom of the league, and without a win in fourteen games, Rose and Crown (Halesowen), which they won 8-1. Fourth in the league table Old Liberal Club also won 8-1 in their home fixture with Netherton Sports and Social Club, with maximums from Gavin Smith and Chris Hall for the home side. The win puts Old Liberal Club on the same thirty points as Plough and Harrow with two games in hand, which could take them up into second place.
Other players to notch a maximum this week were Chas Skelding (Netherton Sports and Social Club) and Chris Moreton (Rose and Crown, Wordsley).
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Shock of the week this week in the Amblecote RBL Premier League was the 6-1 defeat of league leader Jason Lowe by seventh placed Jake Shipley, this being Lowe’s first defeat in twenty-eight games. Prior to his defeat Lowe beat bottom of the league Mark Nassralla 7-0 and after the defeat beat his nearest rival, Nick Fullwell, 6-1 to give him a total of 202 points from twenty-eight games with Fullwell on 162 points from twenty-six games after he had a 7-0 win against Stephen Cartwright. One-time leader Ian Townsend is third with 159 points from twenty-six games, on the nigh he he beat Ryan Hardman 4-3 and new-comer Caden Marsh 7-0. Andy Vvellender has been slowly catching up and climbing the league table, he is currently fourth with 138 points from twenty-two games, his lates fixtures seeing him win 6-1 against Joe Woodhouse and 5-2 against Steve Gillam
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Just three fixtures played in the Black Country Men’s Super League this week which saw leaders Allen’s Bar ‘A’ suffer a 3-2 defeat at the hands of their local rivals and fourth placed Allen’s Bar ‘C’, who have now played one game more than the leaders and are eleven points behind them. Second in the league Quarry Bank Liberal Club handed out a 6-0 whitewash to thei visitors Soccer Zone ‘B’ to reduce the arrears on Allen’s Bar ‘A’ to just two points. Dudley Ex Servieman’s Club are third, they didn’t play and are now four points behind Allen’s Bar ‘A’ with a game in hand and two points short of Quarry Bank Liberal Club with two games in hand.
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Neither of the top two players in the West Midlands Ladies Super League, Evonne Taylor or Jacqueline Maiden played this week, Taylor holding on to the number one spot with 122 points and Maiden second with 120 points, both having played thirty-four games. Third placed Gemma Barrett played and lost 3-2 to Jade Wellings to leave her on 116 points from thirty-five games, the same number of points and games played as fourth in the league Jackie Trott who on the night beat Jacqui Simmons 3-0. Shellbie Guest 3-1 and Tara Fullwood 3-1.
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Staffordshire Knot suffered only their second defeat in sixteen games in the West Midlands Men’s Super League when they returned from Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club on the wrong side of the 3-2 result. Nevetheless, Staffordshire Knot remain top of the pile with seventy-four points but have now had their lead cut to just two points after scond plaed Kings Head won their home fixture with Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ 4-1. The Ex Servieman’s Club are fourth on fifty-six points, eleven short of third placed Dog and Partridge.
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Simon Pritchard had a vital win in division one of the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League when he beat fourth in the division Michael Smith 5-3, Pritchard remaining top of the division with 108 points from sixteen games. Second place Chris Manoila beat Carl Zambra 6-2 to leave him six points behind Pritchard with just one game in hand. Reigning champion Scott Baker has moved steadily up the table as he has played catch-up and is currently placed third with ninety-one points from eleven games, his latest seeing him win 7-1 against Kev Bate.
Wayne Barratt took his number of points at the top of division two to 123 with a 7-1 win over bottom of the division Lawley Daniel. Former leader Neville Quinton stays hot-on-the–heels of Baratt, his 7-1 in over Miller Ford giving him a total of 115 points, just eight fewer than Barratt and with two games in hand.
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Week thirty-five in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League saw the top seven teams in the singles league remain as they were. Junction ‘B’ continuing to lead the field with seventy points after a 6-1 win over their local rivals Junction ‘C’. The win keeps Junction ‘B’ eight points clear of second placed Dog and Partridge ‘B’ who had a 5-2 success at Pheasant. Third placed Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ won 6-1 at Wheatsheaf, their fifty-eight points some twelve short of the leaders.
As in the singles league, Junction ‘B’ head the table in the doubles league, their 3-0 win over Junction ‘C’ keeping them joint top with Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ who won 2-1 against Wheatsheaf. Third in the league Golden Lion ‘A’ won their home tie with Red Lion 3-0 to put them on the same fifty-four points as the two teams above them and trailing by just one leg od average. Fourth placed New Gate Inn lost 2-1 at Junction ‘A’, the defeat leaving them trailing the three teams above them by two points.
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