Week seventeen in the Kings Norton League saw leaders Copper Fox suffer a somewhat surprising setback to their title hopes as they lost 4-3 at home against Coppice who prior to the encounter were some eight places below them and with eighteen points fewer. Second placed Thurlestone with 26 points are just two short of Copper Fox with a game in hand but they are a little short on average. Third in the league Rubery Social are also on 26 points and from the same seventeen games as the leaders after their 6-1 home win over Longbridge. However with the majority of teams still having seven fixtures to play there could still well be a few more surprises before the eventual champions are crowned.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League only played one fixture this week and that was a division two preliminary round League Cup game between Lyndon Old Boys and Brian’s Flights. With Brian’s Flights currently second in the division and Lyndon Old Boys second from bottom there was little doubt about the outcome and the league form showed in the cup game as Brian’s Flights ran out ht e rather comfortable 6-3 winners.
Personal performances on the night saw Dave Sheridan (Lyndon Old Boys) produce an eleven darts leg while Brian’s Flights man Simon Moran recorded breaks of 160 and 120.
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Game number eleven in the Harborne and District League produced a local derby between Northfield Town and Northfield Conservative Club. Both teams are riding high in the league table with the Conservative Club top and Town third, however playing on their home board proved to be of no advantage whatsoever to Northfield Town as they slumped to an 8-1 defeat. The win keeps Northfield Conservative Club in pole position on 20 points from their eleven games and gives them a two point’s advantage over second placed Bugle Horn who had a similar 8-1 win away to Avenue Social who are currently residing at the foot of the table. Despite being two points behind the Conservative Club Bugle Horn do have two games in hand which could easily see them take over the number one spot.
Northfield Town hold on to their third place but they are on sixteen points, four off the top but with one game in hand, Fourth in the league Smethwick Cricket Club were another team to win 8-1 in their fixture at Weoley Castle WMC, they too, like Northfield Town are on sixteen points from the same ten games.
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The top three teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League march on, all three of them making it six wins in as many games. Quarry Bank Labour Club lead the trio on average, their latest game seeing them hand out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Seven Stars who are eighth in the table on six points from five games. Second placed Cross (Oldswinford) trail the Labour Club by five legs of average after adding their most recent 6-1 win at Netherton Conservative Club which in turn keeps them a slender one leg of average to the good on third in the league Ten Arches who were also 6-1 winners in their away tie with Cat Inn. Fourth placed Gate Hangs Well had a convincing 7-0 win at Mount Pleasant to keep them within two points of the high riding trio.
With the league’s three top teams all on maximum points the three bottom teams Rose and Crown ‘B’, Britannia and Glasscutters are all seeking their first points of the campaign.
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With fixtures now fast running out in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League Waggon and Horses who are already acclaimed champions, added a close 4-3 home win over fourth in the table Miners Arms ‘A’. The win take Waggon’s points tally to 52 from twenty-seven games and gives them a huge ten points lead over their nearest rivals Dewdrop ‘A’ who won their home game with fifth placed Vine ‘A’ 5-2. The win also confirms Dewdrop ‘A’ as runners-up as they are six points ahead of third in the table Miners Arms ‘B’ who won 5-2 at home against Albion.
At the other end of the table it was what can only be described as an amazing week for bottom of the table Tamebridge as for the first time this season, the first time in twenty-seven games they chalked up their first victory. Playing away against Sow and Pigs who at the time were two places above them on twelve points Tamebridge returned with a sweet 4-3 win. A week later and the rejoicing and celebrations can still be heard.
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After losing their first game in four when they lost 5-4 away to Townsend Social Club in the Netherton Thursday Night League Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ followed that this week with a second defeat as once again they lost by the same 5-4 margin at home to Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’. The two defeats have cost the Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ the leadership and sees them slip to fourth with Clock taking over at the top of the table. Clock made it five straight wins when they won 5-4 at Spring Meadow giving them a two point’s lead over second and third placed Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ and Townsend Social Club. Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ are now four points short of leaders Clock.
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The majority of teams in the Rowley Monday Night League have just two more fixtures to play but the league title could still go to either of the top two teams. Bell are currently top of the table with fifty points from twenty-eight games the latest of which saw them win 8-1 at home against Loyal Lodge to give them a four points lead over second placed Plough and Harrow whose game with Ex Serviceman’s was postponed. So despite trailing by four points Plough and Harrow have a game in hand which could halve the deficit to just two points and make the results from the final two fixtures vital for both of the top two teams.
At the other end of the table the bottom two teams lost 8-1, Roost who are bottom lost at Windmills End and next to bottom Hare and Hounds lost at home against Cradley Sports and Social.
Windmills End are Shadow League champions, they are on seventy-seven points and have a lead of ten on second placed Loyal Lodge with just two more to play.
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For the first time in seventeen games Quarry Bank Labour Club lost in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League. Playing away against fourth in the league Hollybush the Labour Club went down 4-3 to suffer their solitary defeat of the season so far, nevertheless they remain in pole position with thirty-two points, a lead of four over second and third placed Ten Arches and Bird in Hand ‘E’. Ten Arches had a 6-1 home win over Shovel to lift them above Bird in Hand ‘E’ who had a closer 4-3 win at Fox Inn (Lye), the difference between the two teams is just one leg of average with both on 28 points, Hollybush are a further two points adrift.
Raven moved off the bottom of the table when they handed out a 7-0 defeat to Brickmakers Arms who are three places off the bottom. Dropping into the bottom spot is Dudley Sports after they lost 5-2 at home to Bell ‘B’, they and Raven both have four points.
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After completing nine fixtures in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League one single leg of average is the difference between the top two teams. Old Bulls Head, who won their latest home fixture against The Cabin 6-3 lead the field but hot on their heels come Gornal Labour Club whose similar 6-3 home win against Griffin puts them on the same sixteen points as the leaders. Seven Stars and New Inn are both on fourteen points despite Seven Stars losing their most recent game at sixth in the league Jolly Crispin 5-4 they have the same number of points as New Inn who had a huge 8-1 home win over Chainyard. Meadow Lark are the only team in the league without a point so far.
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The big question in the Black Country Men’s Super League is will any team beat leaders Allens Bar ‘A’ who made it nineteen straight wins when they accounted for their visitors next to bottom of the table Horse and Jockey ‘A’ with a 4-1 scoreline. This latest win keeps Allens Bar ‘A’ twenty points clear of their nearest rivals Railway Tavern who had a narrow 3-2 win at home against Gilbert’s Bar who are five places below them and have thirty-two points fewer after having played one game more than them. Railway do also have a game in hand on the leaders and also on many of the teams below them including third placed Yeltz Bar who won 3-2 at home against Bell, Kingswinford ‘A’, the win keeping Yeltz Bar three points ahead of their local rivals Yeltz Bar ‘A’ who did their cause no harm when they added a 5-0 win over bottom of the table Horse and Jockey ‘B’ to their account.
Shock result of the week must be the 3-2 defeat of fifth in the table The Maverick who lost 3-2 playing away against Halesowen Cricket Club who are just three places off the bottom of the table.
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As the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League prepares to go into its final week of fixtures the winners and runners-up spots have already been decided. Scott Baker with 270 points from 29 games is the league champion with Ben Johnson who has 242 points from the same 29 games runner-up. Both players still have two games to play but their nearest rival third placed Jon Blakemore has already completed his scheduled thirty-one fixtures and is on 226 points.
Spare a thought for Wooden Spoon winner Eddie Gripton, he is bottom of the table played all of his thirty-one games and has lost all thirty-one with just 20 legs for and an eye watering 228 against. Well done Eddie its people like you with your total dedication that keep leagues going.
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With second placed ECC having a bye in week 24 of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League leaders of the singles division Railway took the opportunity to stretch their lead at the top of the division to four points with a 4-3 home win over Moreton Arms who are in a mid-table position. Third in the division Woodfield also took full advantage of the bye to draw level on thirty points with ECC with a 5-2 win at Wednesfield Legion.
In the doubles division due to ECC’s bye Hurst Hill, who won 2-1 at Cleveland Arms have replaced them at the top of the table, both of the top two teams have thirty-four points but Hurst Hill have a slim one leg of average lead on ECC. After the top two there is a huge gap of twelve points to third in the division Gilbert’s Bar who won 2-1 at home against Jack’s Bar.
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A couple of dates for the diary this week first on Sunday 20th November there will be the Grand Opening of the Old Liberal Club, 153 High Street, Quarry Bank, DY5 2AF and to help celebrate there is a darts competition. There is a £5 entry fee with a minimum of £100 being added to the prize fund, plus there is a free buffet. Game play will commence at 3.00pm.
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Hen Lane Social Club, 6 Beacon Road, Holbrooks, Coventry, CV6 4DS will be staging their Coventry Christmas Open on Tuesday 27th December. The entry fee for the singles is £8 and for the doubles £12 per pair. There will be a 12.30pm registration deadline with match play commencing at 1.00pm prompt.
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