Although Langley Arrows had a bye, in group one of the Sheldon and District Summer League, they held on to pole position with a perfect six points from their three games. However they now have to share the top spot as second placed Raven Arrows had a 6-2 win at Highwood to give them also three wins from three games putting them level on points and average with Langley Arrows. Highwood’s defeat saw them remain in third place with three points from four games, three points short of the two teams above them and having played one game more than them. Will Naylor notched a maximum for Raven Arrows as did Preston Cupovic for Trident Spears in their 6-2 win at Dog Inn Nomads.
The top two teams in group two, Kingshurst Labour Club and Sheldon Marlborough Ridge, held on to their respective places, top and second after Kingshurst won their home game against RAFA 5-3 and Ridge won by the same 5-3 margin at RAFA Arrows to leave them one point short of Kingshurst, RAFA hold on to third place with four points, Family Tree and RAFA Arrows are on the same four points and trailing RAFA slightly on average.
A 6-2 win at Moseley Rugby Club keeps Lyndon Old Boys top of group three with nine points, Despite a maximum from Jordan Grainger, Raven slip down from second place to third following their 7-1 home defeat by Langley Flights who replace Raven in second place with a superior average, both teams are on six points.
A 4-4 draw away to Shirley Misfits was not enough for Station Inn to hold on to the outright leadership of group four, as Maggies won 5-3 at CBMA-A to go level on points and average with Station Inn, although CBMC-A lost their Hayden Norris and Tom Attwood both recorded maximums. Third placed Langley Pints had their fixture at Raven Flights postponed they are on five points with a game in hand on both of the two teams above them, a big win would see them move up as outright leaders.
Top of group five is Castle Bromwich Spitfires, their 5-3 win at Trident Flight, taking their points tally to nine with a lead of two points over second placed Yardley District Amateur Darts Team who were held to a 4-4 draw playing away against Langley Bullets who are third with six points. A 6-2 win at Mackadown Sports and Social Club ‘B’ has seen Weir Raven move off the foot of the group, this their first win in five puts them fourth in the table and two off the bottom, their opponents taking over the bottom place.
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After adding on the results from game twenty-two, there was no change in the division one table in the Sutton and District League, Highcroft Hotdogs remain top of the table with thirty-eight points after their 7-2 win at Walmley CSC Flights, second placed Bishop Vesey kept to within two points of the leaders with their similar 7-2 win at home against Drakes Drum. Another four points adrift are third in the division Old Horns Lions who fell further behind after suffering a 7-2 defeat at Charley’s Flights. R.Ray (Erdington Arrows) not only hit a maximum but also chalked up an eight darts leg in his team’s 8-1 home win over St Thomas Lions.
There were defeats for the top two teams in division two, former outright leader’s Rise Club went down 6-3 at Great Barr Social and Pint Pot Flights, who were second, lost 6-3 at Plough and Arrows whose D.Hughes found the three treble twenties. The win for Great Barr Social has seen them draw level on points and average with Rise Club to share the number one spot. In the 5-4 home win for Beggars Bush over St Thomas Arrows their P.Smith had a 160 break and K.L.Podmore a 160 finish.
In the division one shadow league, Heartlands lead the way with eleven points, one more than second placed Charley’s Flights and three more than third placed St Thomas Lions.
The division two shadow league sees Rosey Mac’s Bar top of the table with ten points from nine games, hot on their heels is second placed Sutton Sharks who have the same ten points but from eight games.
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Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club consolidated their pole position in division one of the South West Birmingham Clubs League with a 6-1 home win over Perfection while their nearest rivals Northfield Darts Club were 5-2 winners at West Heath CEM to keep them within two points of the leaders. Third in the division Stirchley United have the same eight points as Northfield Darts Club and are only one leg of average behind them after they won 5-2 at home against Bournbrook whose L.Arnold notched a maximum.
A 4-3 home defeat at the hands of the Cue Club team has cost Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’ the outright leadership of division two, they now have to share the top position with E57 who won their game at home against Longbridge Arrows 4-3 to go level on points and average with the Conservative Club. Third in the division Bartley Green FC won 4-3 in their home tie with Stirchley Arrows and although they trail the top two teams by two points they have two games in hand on them.
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There were straight 7-0 wins for the top two teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League, leaders Old Liberal Club won at home against bottom of the table Gate Hangs Well and second placed Gornal British Legion won at Fox Inn (Lye) to keep within two points of the Liberal Club. A former leader, Cross, won 6-3 away against Mount Pleasant ‘A’ to put them on twenty-eight points, four off the top with a game in hand.
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The Rowley Monday Night League played their divisional doubles knockouts down to the last eight pairs for each of the two divisions, and making their way through to the quarter-finals in division one were, J.Allen & D.Davies, J.Benningfield & D.Homer (Gate Hangs Well(, D.Brookes & S.Bullimore (Tividale Sports), A.Whitehouse & C.Dabbs, T.Brennan & B.Gillies, R.Mccarthy & L.Dabbs (Bell), T.Dore & A.Bennett (Romsley Cricket Club), J.Lowe & S.Pardon (Tividale FC).
In division two, the last eight pairs were, K.Ryan & R.Ryan (Bostin Darts ‘B’), C.Hardy & M.Baker (Huntingtree), R.Boswell & C.Armstrong, J.Moore & K.Williams (Double Tops Micro Bar), N.Cox & I.Shakesphear, A.Ward & A.Williams (Loyal Lodge), J.Harris & S.Layton (Shelter), M.Preedy & R.Bishop (Vine).
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On the agenda for the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League was the first leg of the semi-finals of their Andy Bastable Trophy. There were mixed fortunes for the two Rose and Crown teams as the Rose and Crown, Wordsley won 5-4 at home against Furnace while Rose and Crown, Halesowen lost their home tie with Bulls Head 8-1, Grant Jackson hitting a maximum for Bulls Head.
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The one remaining outstanding fixture in the West Midlands Ladies Super League has been played off, Kat McLean winning 3-0 against Eloise Milburn. Kat McLean had already been proclaimed champion, this final game seeing her take her total number of points to 128 which was ten more than runner-up Jacqueline Maiden and eleven more than third placed and last year’s champion, Evonne Taylor.
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The top two teams in the West Midlands Men’s Super League, handed out 5-0 whitewashes to their opponents this week, leaders Staffordshire Knot winning at home against Hot Shots and second placed Kings Head, who also played at home, beat Gate Inn. Both of the top two teams have played twenty-three games, Staffordshire Knot having 116 points and Kings Head 104. Third and fourth placed Dog and Partridge and Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club had 4-1 wins in turn against Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ and Samba Club to put Dog and Partridge on ninety-five points and Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club on eighty-seven points.
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It’s as-you-were for the top five players in the Amblecote RBL Premier League, Jason Lowe taking his points to 268 after suffering a somewhat surprising 6-1 defeat by fifth placed Paul Wells and then winning 5-2 against Matt Davies. It was a rough night for second placed Ian Townsend as he lost 4-3 to Shane Passey and 5-2 to Grant Jackson to give him 230 points. Third placed Nick Fullwell began with a 7-0 win over Chris Pickett and rounded off the night with a 6-1 win over Sam Page to leave him with 223 points and two games in hand on the top two players. Ryan Hardman is fourth and has one game in hand on the top two after he didn’t play on the night. Paul Wells makes up the top five, after a 4-3 reversal against eighth placed Andy Vellender he bounced back with his memorable win over Jason Lowe, this was only Lowe’s second defeat in thirty-nine games.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night Darts League, played off the finals of their 3 A-Side Knockout and making their exits in the semi-finals were, Chris Hill, J.J.Rowley, Sara Jones (Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’), Glen McGrandle, Ryan Bourne, Paul Bromley (Junction ‘B’), The final was an all Junction ‘B’ affair with the team Jack Aldridge, Rob Pitt and Callum Parkes winning 3-1 against team-mates John Simms, Adam Teasdale and Paul Price.
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Finally this week, a mention to four local Birmingham darts players who between them have chalked up an amazing 125 years plus of playing darts, John Whitehouse who is part of the quartet has played for more than fifty years and the other three players Robbie Earl, Jimmy Green and Billy Cadby have all played for more than twenty-five years. Long may they continue to play and enjoy their darts.
Robbie Earl, Jimmy Green, Billy Cadby and John Whitehouse
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