The Warwickshire County Darts Organisation commenced their county season in the UKDA National Cosmo Premier Division with the usual opening fixture against Yorkshire, a home game at the Hen Lane Social Club, Beacon Road, Coventry, CV6 4DS. The hosts didn’t have the best of starts as in Saturday’s games the ladies ‘B’ finished all square at 3-3 with Angela Jones taking the match award for her super 22.77 average and 3-0 win over Lyn Horne but the men’s ‘B’ fell to a close 7-5 defeat with Scott Hope their man of the match with his win over Brian Hallas in a seven legs thriller with Hope recording a 26.35 average.
Sunday began with a 4-2 defeat for the ladies, last on Sue Gulliver their top player with a 3-2 win over Giffy Khaosoi and a 19.44 average to leave the men’s ‘A’ requiring a huge 9-3 win to secure an overall victory and make it two consecutive season opening wins over Yorkshire.
Yorkshire men’s ‘A’ went 1-0 through Keith Flint’s 4-2 win over Steve Hine and although Wayne Mynard levelled the score when he beat Ash Taylor 4-3 it was the visitors who opened up a 2-1 lead when Lewis Pride beat Prakash Jiwa 4-0. However that was the turning point as Warwickshire then reeled off a fantastic nine consecutive wins thanks to Matty Washbrooke, Jamie Atkins, Gareth Braham, Kevin Dowling, Jamie Hughes, new signing Chris Wickenden, Noel Grant, Tom Martin and Jack Wareing to seal not only a 10-2 win for the men’s ‘A’ but also a magnificent overall 20-16 victory for the weekend.
Jamie Hughes took the match award for his fantastic 32.04 average and 4-1 win over former Warwickshire player Mark McGeeney.
———————————
Following their relegation from the Championship Division last season in the UKDA National League West Midlands didn’t get the best of starts to their new campaign in division one as they went down 19-17 playing away against Leicestershire. Both of the ladies teams finished all square with 3-3 results,
Gemma Barrett (19.52) taking the ‘B’ award and Jacqueline Maiden (16.53) the ‘A’.
The men’s ‘B’ had a fine start to their season winning 7-5 with Ryan O’Connor man of the match with his 28.36 average and 3-0 win over Wayne Beaumont but it was not such good news for the ‘A’ team as they went down 8-4 with their match award going to Richard Platt (28.94).
———————————
Black Country had a fantastic start to their beginning in county darts last season running away with the division three title beating runners-up Gloucestershire by some 22 points but they have found life in division two a little more of a trial as they suffered their first-ever county defeat when they kicked off their season with an away game against West of England.
The weekend began badly as the ladies ‘B’ lost 4-2 and the men’s ‘B’ 9-3 with Grace Angell (15.85) and James Hykin (24.75) taking the respective match awards.
Sunday’s ‘A’ match results were much better as the ladies finished level at three each with Steph Konya (20.72) the top lady and Dan Nicholls (29.18) the top man in the men’s ‘A’ 9-3 victory to give a final overall score of 20-16 in favour of West of England.
———————————
The Camp Hill League staged the finals of their Singles Knockout at the Clumsy Swan, Yardley with the sixteen remaining entrants battling it out for the title. Making their exit in the last eight were Craig Plester (Tyseley WMC), Simon Edwards (Aston Inn Nomads), Bob Hayer (Moseley Arms) and Mark O’Donnell (Clumsy Swan),
Just missing out on a final place and losing out in the semis were James Clarke (Aston Inn Nomads) and Ashley Latimer (Moseley Arms) to set up a final between Neil Parsonage (Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club) and James Hinkley (Tyseley WMC) with the latter clinching the title.
———————————
For only the second time in eleven games Rubery Social Club lost in the Kings Norton League, not only did they lose their fixture but also their number one spot in the league table. Playing at home Rubery took on Thurlestone who prior to the game were fourth in the league, the result was a close 4-3 win for the away team to see them hold on to their fourth place with 16 points, two short of the three teams above them but with a game in hand on two of the three teams. Taking over from Rubery at the top of the table is Bournebrook, their 6-1 home win over Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club giving them 18 points from 12 games. Copper Fox with a 5-2 win at Coppice hold on to second place on the same 18 points as Bournebrook but with two games in hand while Rubery are now placed third and from their 11 games they too have 18 points.
———————————
Although Northfield Town won 6-3 at home against Copper Fox ‘M’ in the Harborne and District League it was not enough for them to hold on to pole position as an 8-1 win from Bugle Horn at Bourneville has seen them return to the top of the table with a slender one leg of average lead over Northfield Town.
Smethwick Cricket Club lost their home tie with third in the league Northfield Conservative Club 6-3 and as a result drop from second to fourth in the table two points short of the three teams above them, however they have played one game more than both Bugle Horn and Northfield Town.
———————————
The Sheldon and District Summer League staged the semi-finals of their League Cup in which group two side Maggies lost 4-3 to Raven Arrows who are second in the group one table, The final will now be played off between the top two sides in the league as group one leaders Langley Arrows beat Yardley Ex Colts, who are placed second in group two, 6-1.
———————————
With games now running out in the Sutton and District Summer League Bishop Vesey and The Nomads are still battling it out for the division one title. Bishop Vesey with a 6-3 win over The Old Horns Lions hold on to the number one spot with 26 points from 15 games and one to play while The Nomads 5-4 win against Walmley CSC Flights are on 24 points from 14 games but they do trail Vesey on average. Walmley’s defeat sees them move down one place to fourth on 18 points one short of third in the division Highcroft Social who had a 5-4 win at Red Lion.
In the second division all ten teams have two games to play and current leaders Golden Hind Lions with a 5-4 win at Oscott Social Club and a four points lead already have one hand on the winners silverware. Only second placed Heartlands could possibly overtake Golden Hind, their 6-3 win over The Scott Armers keeping them with a very outside chance of the title.
———————————
The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played off the preliminary round of their League Cup which saw league leaders Labour Club progress to the next round by handing Shovel a 7-0 whitewash. Second in the league Ten Arches had a bye while third placed Bird in Hand ‘E’ beat Raven 5-2.
Joining the league’s top three teams in the quarter-finals will be Hollybush, Dudley Sports, Stourbridge FC, Bell ‘A’ and Ashwood who like Ten Arches also had a bye.
———————————
Waggon and Horses, leaders of the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League had a bye in game number 22 but despite that they increased their lead without throwing a dart as second placed Dewdrop ‘A’ lost 5-2 playing away to third in the table Miners Arms ‘B’ who have moved to within four points of their opponents while Waggon now hold a six points lead with a game in hand on their nearest rivals Dewdrop ‘A’.
At the other end of the table there was a rare win for next to bottom Sow and Pigs who won 4-3 at Dewdrop ‘B’, this being only their fifth win in 21 games.
———————————
No change at the top of the Silver End Sunday Morning League as leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club won 5-3 at Brickmakers Arms, second placed Old Star won 6-2 at Black Horse ‘B’ keeping them within two points of the leaders and third in the table Dudley Sports beat Kings Head ‘A’ by a similar 6-2 scoreline. Fourth in the table Bell ‘A’ were involved in a local derby with their ‘B’ side which ended in a 4-4 draw to leave the ‘A’ team nine points off the top.
———————————
The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League have got their new season underway but there is no result in for reigning champions Old Bulls Head in their game at Griffin. Gornal Labour Club finished third in the league last season and it is they that set the pace in the opening fixtures as they won 6-3 at home against Meadow Lark. Four teams, Five Ways, New Inn, Red Cow and Seven Stars are all one leg of average short of the Labour Club and in turn they won against Pensnett Liberal Club, Jolly Crispin, Chainyard and The Cabin.
———————————
Played 24, and with just six fixtures remaining in the Rowley Monday Night League only average separates the top three teams who are all on 42 points. A 7-2 win at Three Diamonds keeps Bell top of the table, seven legs to the good on second placed Clock (Whiteheath) who had a close 5-4 success playing away at Windmills End. Third placed Plough and Harrow are just the one leg of average short of Clock, they like Clock won 5-4 in a home game against White Swan who are fifth in the league.
———————————
Nick Fullwell with a 7-0 win over Ash Marson, 5-2 win against Dave Simpson and a further 7-0 success over Connor Pickett has taken his points tally to 307 in the Ashwood Premier League and has a lead of 39 over his nearest rival Chris Williams who also kicked-off his evening with a 7-0 win when he accounted for Paul Pollard and then beat Jayden Harper 6-1 but ended the evening on a low when he lost 5-2 to Tom Stockton. Third in the table Geoff Marson has two games in hand on Fullwell and six on Williams, he has a total of 247 points and on the night won 4-3 against Neil Murphy and 5-2 against Paul Pollard and although he has just a three points lead over fourth placed Dave Simpson he also has games in hand on him too.
———————————
Played three and won three that was what Graham Hall did in week 25 of the Black Country Thursday Night Singles League to see him return to pole position with a total of 348 points with a lead of two but with games still in hand. Playing against Heather Wright, Nick Whitehouse and Rich Bowen Hall chalked up respective wins of 7-1, 8-0 and 8-0 to oust Jamie Hughes from his top spot as he didn’t play this week and drops to third place on 345 points from the same 40 games as Hall. Another former leader Nick Fullwell played just the one fixture in which he beat Stella Sims 8-0 to leave him second in the table on 346 points but he has played 45 games.
———————————
Allens Bar ‘A’ with a 5-0 home win over Ashwood made it thirteen straight wins in the Black Country Men’s Super league andgives them a lead of thirteen points over second placed Railway Tavern who had a closer 3-2 home win over Allens Bar ‘C’ to keep them five points to the good on third placed Yeltz Bar ‘A’ after their 5-0 win over Rowley Bar and Grill.
———————————
John Simms with a 6-2 win over Jamie Webb in week 28 of the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Singles League may have slightly reduced the arrears on leader Scott Baker who didn’t play this week, but second placed Simms still has a huge 33 points deficit and has played two more games than Baker.
———————————
Railway and Gilbert’s Bar in turn won 5-2 against Wednesfield Legion and Stile to keep them in first and second places in the singles division of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League, however Woodfield lost 4-3 at ECC and are replaced by their opponents in third place as they dropped to fourth on the same 20 points as ECC but with a lesser average.
Hurst Hill and ECC remain the to two teams in the doubles division, Hurst Hill winning 3-0 against Dog and Partridge and ECC 2-1 against Woodfield, Hurst Hill have a two points advantage over ECC.
———————————