This coming weekend at the Hen Lane Club, Beacon Road, Coventry, CV6 4DS Warwickshire County Darts Organisation will have a tough fixture against reigning champions and currently placed second in the Cosmo Darts Premier Division of the UKDA National League Lancashire. Despite Lancashire being second in the division and Warwickshire fifth the point’s difference is just seven, so a win for the home team could see them possibly move up the table and ahead of their opponents.
Lining up for Warwickshire will be Men’s ‘A’:- Jamie Atkins, Gareth Braham, Noel Grant, Nigel Heydon, Dave Hill, Steve Hine, Tom Martin, Ian McFarlane, Wayne Mynard, Jack Wareing, Matty Washbrooke, Chris Wickenden, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Carter, Adam Hancock, Pete Hughes, Mark Martin, Lee Miller, Will Naylor, Sam Price, Karl Reynolds, Noah Rose, Mark Strong, Martin Tonks, Jenson Walker, Reserves:- Carl Green, Dave Honey, Scott Hope, Ian Shaw, Mark Tomlinson snr, Carl Winters, Women’s ‘A’:- Wendy Adams, Natalie Gilbert, Sue Gulliver, Tammy Montgomery, Caroline Pike, Donna Pinch, Women’s ‘B’:- Nina Bolt, Courtney Hine, Angela Jones, Melanie Jones, Chloe McKivett, Hannah Meek, Reserves:- Marian Conway.
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In division one of the UKDA National League West Midlands will be playing against Somerset this coming weekend at their home venue Gilbert’s Wine Bar, Field Street, Willenhall in what will be their penultimate fixture. West Midlands go into the game placed fourth with 140 points some thirteen more than their opponents who are fifth in the table, however their hopes of promotion look bleak as they are twenty-eight points behind second in the table Suffolk and thirty-one short of leaders Derbyshire, but a finish in third place is still a possibility as Nottinghamshire, who are currently third are on 149 points with, just nine more than West Midlands.
Selected to play for West Midlands are Men’s ‘A’:- Scott Baker, Michael Baker, Kevin Bambrick, Shaun Carrol, Ian Jones, Ash Khayat, Owen Maiden, Ryan O’Connor, John Platt, Richard Platt, Robert Thompson, Darren Williams, Men’s ‘B’:- Karl Hughes, Jack Aldridge, Mark Craddock, Dean Fullwood, Adam Johnson, Mark Maiden, John Morris, Kieron O’Mahoney, Neil Pointon, Christopher Stanley, Ian Stanton, Reserves:- Ryan Locker, Paul Price, Jamie Woodhouse, Women’s ‘A’:- Gemma Barrett, Claire Hobbs, Kath Jenkins, Jacqueline Maiden, Kat McLean, Jacqueline Simons, Women’s ‘B’:- Gemma Barrett, Debbie Davies, Sarah Maybury, Jodie Rowlands, Shellbie Simmons, Tara Simmons-Fullwood, Reserves:- Kelly Doleman, Sophie Pinches.
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Black Country’s eighth of a scheduled nine fixtures in division two of the UKDA National League is an away game against Tyne and Wear, the two teams are currently the top two in the division. Black Country are in pole position with 173 points and their opponents although second are some twenty-two points short of their visitors. Promotion for Black Country now looks an odd’s on certainty and finishing in pole position would be confirmed should they at the worst finish all square this coming weekend.
Newcomers to county darts and in two season’s two promotions what a fantastic achievement for Black Country, just how high up the league can they go is the big question?
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Dunky’s Boys had a bye in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League in week 15 and as a result drop one place in the table to third. Taking over in second place is Langley Arrows whose 5-4 win at Kingshurst Labour Club puts them on eighteen points the same number as Dunky’s but with a far superior average. Dunky’s now with a game in hand on Langley the two teams will battle it out for the runners-up place as with just a couple of games to play leaders Sheldon Marlborough Arrows, after their 7-2 win over Hollywood Social have a six points lead and the title is already theirs.
The latest round of fixtures had no effect on the division one table with leaders Langley Flights beating Journeys End 5-4 to remain two points ahead of The Dingle whose 7-2 win at Maggies leaves them with a game in hand on Langley, however they would require a 9-0 win in that game just to draw level on points and average with the leaders.
It is still mathematically possible that any one of the top four teams in division two could take the title after former leaders Brian’s Flights slumped to a 5-4 defeat away to Hampton and Solihull Cricket Club who are placed fourth in the division. Taking over in pole position is The Trident Spears, their 6-3 home win over The Irish Centre giving them a total of 20 points from 13 games with Brian’s Flights second on 18 points from 12 games, third in the division Iron Horse Rebels had a bye, they have 18 points but have only played 11 games and Hampton and Solihull are also on 18 points but they have played 14 games. Such is the revival by The Trident Spears that not only do they lead the division two table but they are also are top of the shadow league in that division.
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It was cup week in the Four Oaks and District League, first the quarter-finals of the Coronation Shield which produced a shock defeat for division one leaders Nomad Flights who went down 10-5 at home against Bishop Vesey who are fifth in the same division. Division two leaders Oascott Social Club had a notable 8-7 win over their division one opponents Charley’s Flights while in the all division one clash between Walmley CSC Flights and Old Oscott Arrows it was the former who got the close 8-7 verdict. In the other game played The Old Horns Lions from division one had a convincing 12-3 win away to Pint Pot Flights from division two.
Making their way into the last four of the Norman Day Cup were division two trio Plough and Arrows, Minworth Flights and The Scott Armers who in turn defeated their division two counterparts Deer’s Leap (8-7), St Thomas Arrows (13-2) and Rosey Mac’s (11-4). The other last eight game was an all division one encounter between Highcroft Social and Red Lion with the 9-6 result going in favour of the former.
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After completing game nineteen fixtures in the South West Birmingham Clubs League there was no positional change in the league table whatsoever with West Heath CEM holding on to pole position with a 7-1 home win over Northfield Conservative Club and despite second placed Longbridge United winning by the same 7-1 margin at Stirchley Tascos and having a game in hand on West Heath they remain seven points adrift of the leaders as do third in the league Avenue Social who like the two teams above them also won 7-1 in a home tie with Bartley Green, Adrian Harvey notching a maximum for the winners.
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Cross (Oldswinford) took their undefeated run in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League to twenty games when they won 5-2 at home against eighth in the table Bird in Hand. Although Cross have such a tremendous record they only have a slim two points lead over second in the table Old Liberal Club who handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their visiting team Old Cat Inn. Third in the league Netherton Conservative Club had a bye this week, they are eight points behind Cross and now with a game in hand. Fourth placed The Princess are on the same 32 points as Netherton Conservative Club but from one game more after they won 5-2 at home against Glasscutters who are bottom of the league without a win in twenty games.
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There were 8-1 defeats for both of the bottom two teams in the Netherton Thursday Night League, bottom placed Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘B’ losing to league leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ and next to bottom Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ losing their home tie with Hill and Cakemore who are fourth in the league. Hill and Cakemore are four points behind Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ as are second and third placed Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ and Bulls Head who squared up to each other on the latter’s board with the 7-2 result going to the home team Bulls Head, giving the leaders a four points breathing space.
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After completing the opening six games in the new season of the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League Allens ‘A’ and Horsley Tavern are locked together at the top of the table on ten points with only average separating them. Allens ‘A’ had a 5-2 win away to Vine ‘B’ to keep them top of the table while Horseley Tavern had a closer 4-3 home win over Cottage Spring who drop from second to third in the table now two points off the top as are fourth placed Allens ‘B’ who had a bye this week and like Cottage Spring have a game in hand on the top two teams. Albion had a narrow 4-3 defeat at Sow and Pigs and replace their hosts at the foot of the table, the only team in the league without a point so far.
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Hill and Cakemore consolidated their number one spot in the Rowley Monday Night League with a solid 8-1 win at Loyal Lodge the win keeping them ahead of both Gate Hangs Well and White Swan on average as all three teams are level on fourteen points. Gate Hangs Well were 7-2 winners at Waterfall while White Swan had a much closer 5-4 success playing away against Windmills End. Bell’s 7-2 home win over Plough and Harrow keeps them in touch with the leaders, they are fourth on twelve points.
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The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League are up to game thirteen and the results from those games saw the league table remain as it was before with no movement from any of the twelve teams. Gornal Labour Club top the table, they added a 5-4 home success over third placed New Inn to their account to give them 24 points from their thirteen games and a lead of just two over second in the league and current reigning champions Old Bulls Head who also had a close 5-4 away win at Jolly Crispin. Third and fourth in the table New Inn and White Horse are both on twenty points, four off the top after New Inn lost and White Horse won 8-1 playing away against bottom of the table Meadow Lark who after their thirteen games are still without a point.
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Both of the top two teams in the West Midlands Men’s Super League chalked up 4-1 victories in week seven, leaders Kings Head ‘A’ won at fifth in the league Staffordshire Knot while second placed Gilbert’s ‘B’ won at Kings Head ‘B’ to leave them fourth points off the top of the table. Third in the league Dog and Partridge were the week’s biggest winners handing out a 5-0 whitewash to their visiting team Gilbert’s ‘D’ to put them on 26 points from four games, one game fewer than the two teams above them. Kings Head ‘A’ and Dog and Partridge are the only two teams in the league able to boast a 100% win record.
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Week four in the Black Country Thursday Night Singles League was a huge success for Rich Bowen as he began the night with a 7-1 win over Danny Bridgwood, he then won by the same scoreline against Neil Murphy and rounded off the night with his best performance an 8-0 victory over Nick Whitehouse to take him to the top of the table with 73 points from nine games. Second in the league Nick Fullwell played just the two games and won them both 8-0 against Sarah Jane Parker and Ashley Ralph to take his points tally to 69 from eight games, just four behind Bowen with a game in hand.
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It was week nine in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League and leading division one is Ben Johnson who on the night won 6-2 against Martin Angell to give him 69 points from nine games and a lead of eleven over his nearest rival Scott Baker who won 7-1 against Reece Cook Lucas Baker has played one game less then Johnson.
Tony Singh continues to lead division two, his 5-3 win over Chris Hill putting him six points ahead of second placed Colin Wood who beat Keith Hollowood 7-1 to give him 70 points from nine games leaving him with a game in hand on Singh.
Michele Pritchard has retained her place at the top of division three adding an 8-0 victory over Sandra Beardsmore to her account and taking her points tally to 81, however second placed Alan Melling, who won 7-1 against Thomas Hollowood, although two points behind Michele has played two games fewer than she has.
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