Although some of the teams in the Sheldon and District Summer League have completed all of their fixtures, as yet not one of the titles has been decided in any of the three groups. In group one the latest round of fixtures saw current leaders Langley Arrows, aided by a maximum from Paul Nixon win 6-2 playing away against third in the group Mackadown Social whose Neil Parsonage also notched a maximum. Langley Arrows are now on sixteen points from nine games and have a narrow lead of two over second placed Raven Arrows who went one better winning 7-1 at home against bottom of the group Iron Horse Rebels with Arrows Neil Clarke another player to find the three treble twenties. Despite their defeat Mackadown Social remain in third place on eleven points but have completed their programme and fourth in the group Highwood Gerry’s Boys after winning 7-1 at The Dingle are on nine points and still have one game to play plus with a superior average could replace Mackadown in third place.
In group two Willclare Sports and Social are favourites to take the title as they hold on to pole position following their 6-2 away win over fourth in the group Shirley Misfits, they are on fifteen points, only two to the good on second placed Yardley Ex Colts but with a game in hand on their nearest rivals. Yardley Ex Colts also played away winning 7-1 at bottom placed Langley Flights to at the least secure the runners-up spot as third in the group Maggies, despite winning 5-3 against Hornet have played their full ten fixtures and are four points behind Yardley.
In their final game of the season Sheldon Marlborough Ridge suffered a very surprising 5-3 defeat away to Journeys End who are third in the group and have finished their season with four points fewer than their opponents. Although Sheldon Marlborough Ridge lost for only the second time in their ten games they hold on to the number one spot, but that may not be where they finish the season as second in the group Lyndon Old Boys had a 5-3 win at Hampton and Solihull Cricket Club to put them on thirteen points just one short of Sheldon Marlborough Ridge with one game still to play.
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As the Sutton and District League moves into the final few games of its season Bishop Vesey continue to lead the field in division one adding a narrow but nevertheless a 5-4 win at Red Lion to their tally to take their points to twenty four from fourteen games. Second in the division The Nomads were also held to a close 5-4 win by bottom of the table Plough and Arrows to remain two points adrift of Vesey but with a game in hand. It’s a similar situation for third and fourth placing’s in the top division with Walmley CSC Flights in third place on eighteen points from fourteen games after their 5-4 win at Pint Pot Flights while fourth in the division Highcroft Social won 6-3 at The Old Horns Lions to leave them one point short of Walmley with a game in hand.
With all ten teams having just three more fixtures to play there is no change whatsoever in the top four placing’s in division two as all of the top four teams won 6-3. Leaders Golden Hind Lions won at Bills Arrows to give them a total of 30 points and one hand on the winner’s silverware as they have a four point’s advantage over second placed Heartlands who won their home game against Sutton Sharks. Third in the table Oscott Social Club won at home against Sutton Sports and Social and fourth in the division Rosey Mac’s won at The Scott Armers.
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Just the four results from the Kings Norton League this week which didn’t include the top two teams Rubery Social Club and Copper Fox who remain in turn top and second in the league with 18 and 16 points respectively. Third placed Bournebrook had a 6-1 home win over Northfield who drop two places in the table to eighth while Bournebrook go level on sixteen points with Copper Fox but they have played eleven games, two more than Copper Fox. Fourth in the league Thurlestone won a tight game at Grant Arms 4-3 to leave them two points short of Bournebrook with two games in hand.
In their home tie Cock Inn handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their visiting team Longbridge to lift them two places in the table to sixth but the two teams below them Bourneville and Northfield are on the same ten points with two games in hand.
At the foot of the table Kings Heath recorded a rare win as they won 4-3 at home against next to bottom of the table Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club, this was Kings Heath’s first win in ten games but it was not enough to lift them from their bottom position, they are two points behind their opponents who have played one game more than them.
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The top two teams in the Camp Hill League, Aston Inn Nomads and Tyseley Bears were due to play each other in week twelve but with no result the position remains as-you-were with Aston Inn Nomads top with a perfect twenty points from ten games and Tyseley Bears second on eighteen points from eleven games. Third in the league Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club are on the same eighteen points as Tyseley Bears but after adding their 4-3 home win over Tyseley WMC they have played one game more than the Bears.
At the other end of the table next to bottom of the league Peaky Blinder played hosts to the team just above them Moseley Arms and with a 5-2 result Peaky Blinder made it three wins in eleven games to move two points ahead of their opponents still with a game in hand.
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The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League played their Doubles Knockout down to the last twelve pairs and battling it out on finals night will be J.Wright & T.Kennedy, G.Parker & S.Norman, B.Garbett & M.Dell, B.Jones & B.Holyhead, A.Whitehouse & G.Gardner, P.Barnes & Regan, J.Ingram & R.Tinsley, L.Gelder & D.Gelder, T.Baker & N.Whitehouse, J.Stevens & J.Sheldon, M.James & R.O’Connor, M.Wall & N.Whitney.
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No change in the top five places in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League as all of the top five teams won in game eleven. Leaders labour Club extended their unbeaten run to eleven games with a 5-2 home win over Shovel who are just three places off the foot of the table. Labour hold a slight two points lead on second placed Ten Arches who handed their hosts Brickmakers Arms a 7-0 whitewash to in turn keep them two points to the good on third in the league Bird in Hand ‘E’ who won their home tie with Ashwood 4-3.
Fourth and fifth in the league Hollybush and Fox Inn (Lye) are both on sixteen points and six short of Labour Club. Hollybush won their home game with sixth placed Stourbridge FC 5-2 while Fox Inn (Lye) had a closer 4-3 home win over Bell ‘A’ who hold on to seventh place.
The battle in the basement saw next to bottom Raven lose 5-2 playing away to the team just above them Dudley Sports to open a two points gap between the two teams.
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It turned out to be a busy night for the Black Country Thursday Night Singles League in week 24 with no fewer than thirty-four fixtures played off throughout the course of the evening. Nick Fullwell began the night in pole position and during the evening played two games, the first of which saw him held to a 4-4 draw by Steven Gillam who although placed twelfth in the league has only played 29 games compared to some in the league, including his opponent having played 44. Fullwell’s second game was against Justin Evans which he won 5-3 to take his number of points to 333.
Jamie Hughes rattled off no fewer than five games and did his title aspirations no harm whatsoever as he chalked up an 8-0 win over Gareth Johnston, won 7-1 against Benjamin Hollowood, had another 7-1 win against Alex Mason before beating Lewis Handley 8-0 and ending the night with another 8-0 success in his game with Nick Whitehouse to give him total points of 341 from 40 games to replace Nick Fullwell in the number one spot.
Another former league leader Graham Hall began the night in fourth place, he, like Hughes played catch-up and played four games. After a 6-2 win over Gareth Johnston Hall then beat Benjamin Hollowood 8-0, Stella Sims 8-0 and Shane Price 7-1 to take his points to 315 and up to third in the league. Hall may still be trailing Jamie Hughes by some 26 points but he does have three games in hand on Hughes that could net him a total of 24 points which would create a nail-biting finish to the end of the season.
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With just three more games to the halfway stage of the Black Country Men’s Super League Allens Bar ‘A’ made it twelve straight wins with a rather close 3-2 home win over the Bell, Kingswinford ‘B’ who are just four places off the foot of the table with only three wins from their twelve games. Due to the small win Allens ‘Bar ‘A’ have had their lead cut to eleven points as second in the league Railway Tavern won 5-0 at home against Rowley Bar and Grill. The Maverick in third place won 4-1 at home against Whiteheath Tavern but with 62 points are sixteen short of the leaders and five behind Railway Tavern.
At the bottom end of the table the two Horse and Jockey teams squared up to each other. Horse and Jockey ‘A’ were the “home” team and beat their ‘B’ side who reside at the foot of the table 3-2 to leave four points between the two teams.
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