Last weekend Warwickshire County Darts Organisation played their seventh of a scheduled eleven fixtures in the Cosmo Darts Premier Division of the UKDA National League, an away game against bottom of the division Kent.
Saturday saw the ladies ‘B’ storm to a fantastic 6-0 victory with a 3-1 win from Angela Jones over Nette Ralph setting them on their way. Following Angela was lady of the match Courtney Hine whose straight 3-0 win against Lisa Dunford earned her the team’s match award for her 18.79 average. Two further 3-1 wins from Hannah Meek and Chloe McKivett against respective opponents Violet Wood and Tina Kennard put the away team in an unassailable position with the clean-sweep achieved when Melanie Jones won 3-0 against Rebecca Garrett and Nina Bolt won the final game against Sue Bird 3-2.
Pete Hughes gave the men’s ‘B’ the ideal start when he won 4-1 against Peter Allen only to see the home side win the following three games. However by the midway point it was level pegging as Mark Carter and Mark Martin added their 4-2 wins in turn over Scott Lackford and Craig Preston.
As in the first half Warwickshire won the opening game, a 4-3 success for Lee Miller over Richard Elms and although Arron Brigden won 4-3 against Karl Reynolds to level the score at 4-4 a man of the match performance from Mark Strong gave the away side the lead once more. Strong’s 4-1 win over Keith Montgomery saw him average 28.58. The game was restored to parity yet again in the tenth when David Saint beat Noah Rose 4-3 but with a 4-3 win for Sam Price over Martin Goodin and a 4-1 win for Nigel Heydon over Adrian Samson the men’s ‘B’ won 7-5.
The ladies ‘A’ won 4-2 going two up when Donna Pinch beat Kelly Westlake 3-0 and Natalie Gilbert with a similar 3-0 result accounted for Su Holt, Natalie taking the match award for a super 21.47 average. Tammy Montgomery had a 3-0 win over Ida Heravi and with a 3-2 win for Sue Gulliver against Andrea Walker in the last game the match was won 4-2.
Like the men’s ‘B’ the Men’s ‘A’ also won 7-5, and after going 1-0 down Noel Grant levelled the score in style beating Nigel Payne 4-0 with a tremendous 33.97 award winning average. At the break it was all-square at 3-3 with further wins from Jamie Atkins, 4-3 against Dean Owen and Jack Wareing who beat Carl Wilson 4-2. The second half began well with the opening three games all going to Warwickshire’s Dave Hill, Gareth Braham and Chris Wickenden to put the visitors in an unbeatable position and with a 4-2 win over David Heath by Nigel Heydon in the penultimate game the match was won.
The overall result for the weekend was 24-12 to Warwickshire which saw them move up one place in the table to fifth on 154 points just seven short of second placed Lancashire.
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West Midlands revival continues in the L-Style Division One of the UKDA National League as they returned from Surrey with a 21-15 win but there mixed fortunes in the two days games. Saturday the ladies lost 4-2 with their two winners being Katherine Jenkins and award winner Gemma Barrett who had a 19.52 average and a 3-0 win over Eloise Milburn. The men’s ‘B’ won their game 8-4 and chalking up their wins were Neil Pointon, Kieran O’Mahoney, Mark Craddock, John Morris, Mark Maiden and Dean Simmons-Fullwood who gave them a 6-0 lead at the halfway point. Further wins in the second half came from Ian Stanton and Ben Johnson. Taking the man of the match award was John Morris whose 3-0 win against Terry Dersley saw him average 28.36.
The result for the ladies in Sunday’s games was once again 4-2, yet again going in the home team’s favour. West Midlands lady of the match Jacqueline Maiden won the opener against Jen Payne 3-2 with a 20.33 average but they had to wait until the final encounter before they got their second stripe on the board when Kat McLean beat Ashley Smith 3-2.
The men’s ‘A’ had a very useful 9-3 win but after Shaun Carrol gave them the early 1-0 lead it was game four before they got their second winner Owen Maiden and with a win in the fifth from Kevin Bambrick at the break the score was three-all. The second half was all West Midlands as they ran off six consecutive wins thanks to Rob Thompson, Jon Platt, Richard Platt, man of the match Darren Williams (28.59), Ash Khayat and Scott Baker.
The overall win sees the Midlanders hold on to fourth place in the division with 140 points, nine behind third placed Buckinghamshire.
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In Division two of the UKDA National League Black Country continue to ride high adding a further 24-12 win at home over Wiltshire to their account to give them a total of 173 points and a huge lead of 22 over their nearest rivals Tyne and Wear.
Both ladies teams ended with 4-2 results the ‘B’ team on Saturday losing with Amy-Leigh Tolley and Lacey Hughes their two winners with the former receiving the match award for her 15.60 average. The ‘A’ team with wins from Chez Allcock, lady of the match Tammy Chance (18.24), Maxine Prosser and Shannon Hall finished on the right side of the 4-2 result.
The men’s ‘B’ had a resounding 10-2 win all supplied by Jamie Rollinson, Rich Bowen, Cayden Smith, Martin Greenwood, Mark Rollinson, Gavin Smith, Jamie Barrowman, Dan Haden, Connor Whitehouse and Ali Hickinbottom with Jamie Barrowman their top player with a tremendous 31.31 average in his 3-0 win over Michael Crumpton.
Rounding off the big win for the weekend was the men’s ‘A’ team who added an 8-4 win to the tally with wins from Dan Nicholls, Rob Smith, man of the match Reece Colley who won 4-2 against Connor Hughes with a superb 30.37 average, Paul Wells 4, Shane Sheridan, Tom Bissell, Dan Homer and Stephen Jones.
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Northfield Town lost their fourth place in the table in the Harborne and District League when they lost 6-3 playing away to Copper Fox ‘R’ who replace them in fourth place on 30 points, their opponents now fifth and trailing their victors by two points. Leaders Bugle Horn had a convincing 8-1 home win over Copper Fox ‘M’ while second placed Northfield Conservative Club were 7-2 winners at Avenue Social and stay four points behind the leaders with a game in hand.
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The Four Oaks and District League are up to game 13 and in division one Nomad Flights with a 5-4 home win over third place Highcroft Social have a two points lead over Old Oscott Arrows, Highcroft Social and Old Horns Lions, Old Oscott Arrows wining 5-4 at home against Heartlands while Old Horns lost their home tie with Red Lion 5-4.
In division two Oscott Social Club lead the way their 5-4 home win over Funky Bear keeping them two points ahead of Minworth Flights who were also 5-4 winners at home to Plough and Arrows.
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At the halfway point of the season the Camp Hill League had a free week with just one rearranged fixture being played which saw Peaky Blinder win 4-3 at home against bottom placed Sedgemere Devils, Peaky move up one place to two off the bottom of the table.
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A 5-4 win for Dunky’s Boys over Langley Arrows in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League has seen the two teams swap places in the table with Dunky’s moving up from third to second and Langley going in the opposite direction. Leaders Sheldon Marlborough Arrows had a 7-2 win at Raven Arrows to keep them four points ahead of the rest of the field.
Division one leaders Langley Flights had their game with Willclare Sports and Social postponed but hang on to pole position with 16 points just two to the good on Dingle who after their 5-4 home win over Yardley Ex Colts still have a game in hand on the top side.
Brian’s Flights top division two and they had a bye this week allowing second placed Iron Horse Rebels to draw level on 18 points with them after their 5-4 win at Sheldon Marlborough Ridge, third placed Trident Spears are also on 18 points but have played one game more than the two teams above them.
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The South West Birmingham Clubs League are up to week 18 and leading the way with 31 points in the Singles Division is West Heath CEM whose latest fixture saw them win 7-1 at home against bottom team Stirchley Flights. Only one other fixture was played this week which saw fourth in the table Quarry Club win 7-1 at Moseley A.S.C.
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The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League played their League Cup down to the last eight teams and making their way into the quarter finals were the league’s top seven teams Cross (Oldswinford), Old Liberal Club, Netherton Conservative Club, The Princess, Ten Arches and Bell together with ninth in the league Seven Stars.
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A 6-1 win at Albion has seen Allen’s ‘B’ move up two places to third in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League on eight points. Leaders Allen’s ‘A’ won 5-2 at home against Tamebridge and they too are on eight points as are second placed Cottage Spring and fourth in the league Horseley Tavern with Cottage Spring having a game in hand on the other three teams.
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There were 8-1 wins for the two top teams Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ and Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ in the Netherton Thursday Night League and in turn they accounted for Spring Meadow and Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ with Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ top with 26 points two more then Netherton ‘A’.
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A 5-4 defeat at White Swan has cost Bell the leadership of the Rowley Monday Night League as they drop to fourth place on 10 points, two fewer than the three teams above them. Hill and Cakemore take over in pole position after their 6-3 home win over Rowley Bar and Grill with White Swan second and Gate Hangs Well who won 7-2 against Windmills End, third.
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No change in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League table with the top four teams all winning. Leaders Gornal Labour Club won 6-3 at Meadow Lark to put them on 22 points, second placed Old Bulls Head won 6-3 at home against Griffin, they and third placed New Inn who won 8-1 against Jolly Crispin are both on 20 points and fourth in the table White Horse have 18 points after a 9-0 win over The Cabin.
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It was the Singles Knockout finals week in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League and taking the crown with a final 2-1 win over J.Poole (Ashwood) was Hollybush man K.James.
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The West Midlands Men’s Super League are up to week six and leading the field with 31 points is Kings Head ‘A’ who won 4-1 at home against Gilbert’s A’ giving them a four points lead over second placed Gilbert’s ‘B’ who also won 4-1 against their local rivals Gilbert’s C’. Third placed Dog and Partridge had their game with Bridgtown Social cancelled, they are on 26 points and have a game in hand on the two teams above them.
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Nick Fullwell and Chris Williams are currently the top two players in the Ashwood Premier League both played and won three fixtures in week 6, Fullwell had wins over Andy Vellender (5-2), Sam Aitkens (6-1) and John Green (4-3) while Williams won against Carl Hipkiss (4-3), Jack Pritchard (4-3) and Paul Pollard (6-1) to leave Fullwell on 152 points from 24 games and Williams with 139 from 25 games).
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It’s week 8 in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League and leading division one with 59 points is Ben Johnson, Scott Baker is in second place on 55 points and Simon Mountford third with 54 points, all three having played eight games.
In division two Tony Singh has opened up an eight point’s advantage over his nearest rival Colin Wood who with 61 points is three ahead of third in the division Jason Hough.
Michele Pritchard remains top of division three with 71 points but from ten games, second placed Alan Melling is just one point behind Michele and has two games in hand.
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I am sad to report this week the sudden passing of John Watt. John in his 70’s had a heart condition and some six months ago was diagnosed with lung cancer. He has supplied me with regular weekly information for the Four Oaks and District League for more than fifteen years he was dedicated to darts especially the Four Oaks League. Although we never actually met each other we had built up a true friendship over the years through darts and this very column.
John was a real gentleman and will be sorely missed not only by myself but by all who knew him especially everyone connected with the Four Oaks League. Rest in Peace John.
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