Warwickshire go into their third of a scheduled eleven fixtures in the Elite Premier Division of the UKDA National League this coming weekend hoping to extend their unbeaten run after wins over Yorkshire and Essex. Game number three is a home tie at the Hen Lane Social Club, 6 Beacon Road, Coventry, CV6 4DS where they will take on Cheshire.
Currently Warwickshire, with 51 points, are second in the table just two points behind leaders Lancashire while their opponents are two places off the foot of the table with 31 points after they lost their opening fixture with Lincolnshire and then finished all square with Yorkshire.
Lining up for the hosts will be, Men’s ‘A’:- Jamie Atkins, Gareth Braham, Kevin Dowling, Steve Giddings, Noel Grant, Steve Hine, Jamie Hughes, Prakash Jiwa, Tom Martin, Ian McFarlane, Ian Shaw, Mark Strong, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Carter, Simon Fairbrother, Carl Green, Dave Hill, Dave Honey, Luke Kennedy, Wayne Mynard, Karl Reynolds, Darren Swords, Martin Tonks, Jack Wareing, Matty Washbrooke, Reserves:- Tom Aldridge, Mark Martin, Will Naylor, Dean Stewart, Mark Tomlinson snr, Women’s ‘A’:- Nina Bolt, Natalie Gilbert, Sue Gulliver, Angela Jones, Tammy Montgomery, Donna Pinch, Women’s ‘B’:- Wendy Adams, Marian Conway, Melanie Jones, Denise Keyte, Chloe McKivett, Caroline Pike, Reserves:- Lucy Keyte, Rosie O’Connor.
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West Midlands did not have a good start to their season in the AON Championship Division of the National League when they suffered a heavy 27-9 defeat away to Gwent however they recovered in the second fixture winning 21-15 at home against Humberside to lift them two places off the foot of the table.
This coming weekend they will travel to take on Dorset who are six points to the good on West Midlands and four places above them in the promotional table.
Selected to play for the Midlanders are, Men’s ‘A’:- Martin Angell, Gavin Baker, Mick Baker, Kevin Bambrick, Shaun Carroll, Scott Hall, Ian Jones, Ash Khayat, John Morris, Adam Teasdale, Darren Williams, Wayne Willis, Men’s ‘B’:- John Brindley, Danny Coyle, Mark Craddock, Luke Griffiths, Mike Hampson, Adam Johnson, Jon Platt, Richard Platt, Neil Pointon, Paul Price, Ian Stanton, Gaz Watts, Reserves:- Matt Dicken, Dean Fullwood, Dave Lucas, Ant Powell, Women’s ‘A’:- Gemma Barrett, Claire Hobbs, Kath Jenkins, Jacqueline Maiden, Kat McLean, Shellbie Simmons, Women’s ‘B’:- Jacqui Simmons, Debbie Davies, Kelly Doleman, Sarah Maybury, Sophie Singh, Crysta Wilcox.
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Newcomers to the county scene Black Country have had a brilliant start to their new campaign kicking off with a 22-14 win over Gloucestershire and following that with a 20-16 victory away to Shropshire to put them in pole position in division three of the National League with 48 points. However Black Country have Northumberland breathing down their neck as they too have 48 points and are second purely as a result of their slightly inferior average.
This weekend’s fixture will be the biggest test of the county recruits so far as they will play hosts to their nearest rivals Northumberland, a win would open up a clear-cut lead at the top of the table, a defeat would most certainly see them lose the number one spot they have held since the season began.
Selected to play for the Black Country are, Men’s ‘A’:- Scott Baker, Jamie Barrowman, Trevor Brennan, Reece Colley, Ben Hollowood, Gaz Johnston, Owen Maiden, Dan Nicholls, Martin Price, Shane Price, Rob Smith, Paul Wells, Men’s ‘B’:- Matt Coleman, Tom Bissell, Richard Bowen, Adam Edgar, Chris Hickman, James Hykin, Liam Kelly, Lewis Law, Jamie Rollinson, Mark Rollinson, Shane Sheridan, Mat Tedstone, Women’s ‘A’:- Chez Allcock, Grace Angell, Tammy Chance, Doreen Hunt, Steph Konya, Lynne Reynolds, Women’s ‘B’:- Angie Carroll, Shannon Hall, Lacey Hughes, Sophie Pinches, Stella Sims, Heather Wright.
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Boldmere St Mikes held on to their number one spot in division one of the Four Oaks and District League when in game number four they won 5-4 at Golden Hind Lions, but it was a case of having to win the very last leg of the final game before they sealed their win against a team at the foot of the table.
Old Oscott Arrows went down 5-4 at home to Highcroft Social and dropped three places in the table to fifth. Red Lion have replaced Old Oscott Arrows in second place after their 6-3 home win over Walmsley CSC Flights to keep them within two points of the leaders. Erdington Arrows and Highcroft Social are on the same four points as Red Lion trailing only on average, Erdington Arrows beating Pint Pot Flights 5-4.
In the second division, next to bottom Sutton Sharks were 4-1 up against Erdington Flyers but the Flyers rallied and won the match 5-4, winning 3 of the 4 games 2-1. Leaders Heartlands remain undefeated and top the division with a two points lead over both Bishop Vesey and Bills Arrows, both teams winning 7-2 in turn against Charley’s Flights and Rosey Mac’s.
C.Winters (Erdington Arrows), W.Naylor, T.O’Kereke (Golden Hind) and J.Averill (Bills Arrows) all hit a maximum this week.
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It was cup week this week in the Shirley and District Monday Night League and in the quarter-finals of the Main Cup division one leaders Dunky’s Boys beat bottom of the division Cider House 8-1the same margin by which second division leaders Highwood won by against division one side Saracens Swords.
Other teams to win through to the semis were Tippetts Bar and Wythall Legion.
In the last eight games in the Consolation Cup there were wins for Sharmans Cross, Solihull Municipal, HSCC and Lodge who beat respective opponents Saracens Slingers, Legion Royals, Saracens Misfits and Wharf.
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The Camp Hill League fixtures produced a top of the table clash in game number nine as leaders Aston Inn Nomads hosted second in the table Sheldon Marlborough. The result was a very close 4-3 win for Aston Inn Nomads to take their unbeaten run to eight games giving them a two points lead plus a game in hand on their nearest rivals New Inn Lions who take over second spot from Sheldon Marlborough who drop one place to third, two points adrift of New Inn after they won 6-1 against Meadway Social.
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Copper Fox had a comfortable 7-2 win away over Weoley Castle Pub in the Harborne and District League to keep them top of the table. However they only lead on average from Bugle Horn whose surprisingly close 5-4 home success over bottom placed Avenue Social puts them level on ten points with Copper Fox with a game in hand. Bugle Horn are the only team in the league with an undefeated record.
Cock Inn moved up two places in the table to fourth following their 8-1 win against Quinton RBL, they are on the same eight points as Northfield Conservative Club and Northfield Town who are respectively placed third and fifth in the table.
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The Vine were held to a rather close 4-3 win in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League playing away to next to bottom of the table Albion and as a result now have to share the top spot with Waggon and Horses whose 6-1 win against Miners Arms puts them level on points and average with Vine.
Third placed Dewdrop were the week’s biggest winners as they handed their visitors, bottom of the league Tamebridge, a 7-0 whitewash to put them on the same 14 points as the two teams above them.
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Despite winning 3-2 away to High Acres ‘A’ in the Black Country Super League, Railway Tavern have lost their joint position in the league and are now placed second, two points adrift of outright leaders Yeltz Bar ‘A’ who had a straight 5-0 home win over High Acres ‘B’.
Third in the league Allens Bar ‘C’ won their home tie with Yeltz Bar ‘B’ 4-1 to leave them five points off the top of the table.
At the other end of the league table there was a first win in ten for bottom placed Rowley Bar and Grill who beat the team directly above them Horse and Jockey, 3-2. Despite the win Rowley remain rooted at the foot of the table still five points behind their opponents who also have a game in hand.
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Week three in the Stourbridge Monday Night League and Glasscutters ‘A’ hold on to the number one spot, handing out a crushing 7-0 defeat to Crestwood. Second placed Seven Stars had a bye and drop one place to third behind Ten Arches. Who like the leaders have won their opening three games, the latest of which saw them beat Glasscutters ‘B’ 6-1.
In addition to the top three teams having won all of their games so have fifth and sixth placed Lion and Quarry Bank Liberal Club who played each other this week but no result has been received as yet, both teams have games in hand on the top two teams.
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Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club have opened up a three points lead at the top of the Netherton Thursday Night League for two reasons. Firstly, and importantly they won 7-2 at home against Old Hill Cricket Club, the score a little flattering for the hosts. Nevertheless it was a win, whilst their nearest rivals Townsend Social Club were losing 7-2 away to Fairfield. Townsend have taken over their opponents fourth place in the table while Fairfield move up one place to third behind Bulls Head. Bulls Head have also moved up one place after their 5-4 win against next to bottom Netherton Sports and Social Club.
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Week eight in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League saw no change whatsoever in the top six places in the table as leaders Old Bulls Head were 6-3 winners away to Red Cow and second in the table New Inn, who are two points behind the leaders, had a convincing 8-1 win at Chainyard. Third and fourth placed Gornal Labour Club and Seven Stars are both four points off the top and in turn won 7-2 against Jolly Crispin and Pensnett Liberal Club. Jolly Crispin and Chainyard make up the top six and are both on eight points.
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A 5-2 home win over Ten Arches ‘B’ keeps Bird ‘E’ top of the pile in the Stourbridge Wednesday Night League, two points better off than their ‘A’ team and Glasscutters ‘A’. Bird ‘A’ suffered their first defeat in three, a 4-3 loss away to Glasscutters ‘A’ who are two points behind leaders Bird ‘E’ but with a game in hand.
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Steve Jones, leader of the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night League didn’t play in week 28 but holds on to pole position with 197 points, second placed Steve Lynch unable to close the gap as he lost 5-3 to fifth placed Martin Price and remains five points behind Jones.
Shane Price moves up from seventh to third on 186 points after he added an 8-0 win over Sarah Parker and a 4-4 draw with Jamie Webb to his account, Webb dropping to fourth with 182 points.
Neil Wild had a 6-2 win over Kris Jones to see him move up three places to sixth. After completing 23 games, Neil is the only player in the 29 player league not to have lost a game. With 17 wins and 6 draws he has amassed 178 points.
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