In the Cosmo Premier Division of the UKDA National League Warwickshire County Darts organisation will go into their penultimate fixture and final home game of the season this coming weekend when they play hosts to neighbours Staffordshire at the Hen Lane Social Club, Beacon Road, Coventry, CV6 4DS.
Warwickshire with 183 points are currently sixth in the division with their opponent’s three places below them on 150 points. With a good result against Staffordshire and then another winning result in their final game against Lincolnshire Warwickshire could possibly end their campaign in the top four as their final opponents are at present placed fourth and are only ten points ahead of them.
Lining up for Warwickshire will be Men’s ‘A’:- Jamie Atkins, Gareth Braham, Kevin Dowling, Noel Grant, Carl Green, Nigel Heydon, Steve Hine, Tom Martin, Wayne Mynard, Ian Shaw, Jack Wareing, Matty Washbrooke, Men’s ‘B’:- Mark Carter, Adam Hancock, Dave Hill, Scott Hope, Pete Hughes, Mark Martin, Will Naylor, Sam Price, Karl Reynolds, Mark Strong, Martin Tonks, Jenson Walker, Reserves:- Jamie Hughes, Lee Miller, Dave Redding, Noah Rose, Chris Wickenden, Women’s ‘A’:- Wendy Adams, Sue Gulliver, Tammy Montgomery, Caroline Pike, Donna Pinch, Women’s ‘B’:- Nina Bolt, Marian Conway, Angela Jones, Melanie Jones, Chloe McKivett, Hannah Meek.
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The United Kingdom Darts Association have informed Warwickshire County Darts Organisation that their following National League players have been invited to take part in the National Men’s and Women’s Singles, taking place on Saturday 1st (Women) and Sunday 2nd (Men) July 2023 at the Magna Centre in Rotherham. Congratulations go to Jamie Atkins (men’s ‘A’), Nigel Heydon (men’s ‘B’) and Hannah Meek (women’s ‘B’).
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From a starting line-up of twelve teams at the beginning of the Kings Norton League’s new season only two teams, Northfield and Copper Fox are able to boast a 100% win record after only the opening four fixtures. Northfield are in pole position their 6-1 win at Grant Arms giving them a superior average over second placed Copper Fox who had a closer 4-3 verdict at home against Bourneville, this being Bourneville’s first defeat and sees them drop from second place to third in the table now two points short of the two teams above them as are Thurlestone and Rubery Social Club who are both level on points and average. Thurlestone had a convincing 6-1 win away to bottom of the table Kings Norton Flights while Rubery Social Club went one better handing out a 7-0 whitewash to their visitors Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club. Kings Norton Flights, Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club and Longbridge are all still seeking their first points of the season.
Copper Fox player T.Hamilton in addition to his top scores of 3×100,125 and 138 also recorded a 180 plus a sixteen darts winning leg, while Thurlestone’s T.Garfield had top shots of 100,121,125,134 and 2×140.
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The Four Oaks and District League had the Richard Winslow Pairs Knockout on their fixture card and making their way through to the last eight pairs were K.Smith and N.Fields, B.Liggins and J.Liggins, A.Lineham and L.Cooksey, M.Maher and D.Parsons, S.Shorthouse and S.Pritchett, C.Sammons and S.Abbott, K.Deeley and K.Reynolds and J.Clarke and M.Pearce.
Both the semi-finals went the full three legs distance with C.Sammons and S.Abbott and J.Clarke and M.Pearce in turn taking out B.Liggins and J.Liggins and A.Lineham and L.Cooksey. The final was a little more clear-cut as Clarke and Pearce ran out the 3-1 winners with Sammons and Abbott the runners-up.
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The Sheldon and District Winter League played their final scheduled fixtures which decided two of the three league’s divisional titles. In the Premier League Sheldon Marlborough Arrows had a bye but despite that they won the division with twenty-eight points which was a huge eight points more than runners-up Langley Arrows who ended their campaign handing hosts Highwood Gerry’s Boys a 9-0 thrashing.
Division one leaders Langley Flights also had a bye in the final week’s games and although second placed Dingle won 5-4 at Journeys End to put them on the same twenty points as Langley Flights, Langley still have one outstanding game whereas Dingle have completed their programme so the title goes to Langley Flights.
Leaders of division two Brian’s Flights had a 5-4 home win over Irish Centre to put them on twenty-four points with one outstanding fixture to play while second placed Iron Horse Rebels had a massive 8-1 home win over third in the division Trident Spears to put them level on twenty points with Brian’s Flights but with two more games to play. The outcome of those three outstanding fixtures will decide who will collect the winner’s silverware in the second division.
Three players Martin Partridge (Raven Arrows), Kevin Richards (Kingshurst Labour Club) and Mick Tilley (Willclare Sports and Social) all chalked up maximums in the final week’s fixtures.
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Erdington Nomads kept their title hopes firmly on track in week fifteen of the Camp Hill League with a 6-1 away win against Peaky Blinder to keep them two points to the good on second placed Tyseley WMC who had a close 4-3 home win over Sheldon Marlborough Flights. Third placed Clumsy Swan are a further two points adrift after adding their latest 5-2 home win over Moseley Arms to their account but they have played one game more than the two teams above them and also one more than fourth placed Tyseley Bears who had a 4-3 win at Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club leaving them four points behind Clumsy Swan.
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The South West Birmingham Clubs Winter Singles League title went to West Heat CEM who amassed a total of thirty-nine points from their twenty games and finished with a five points advantage over runners-up Longbridge United. The Shadow League title went to Quarry Lane, their eleven point’s just one more than their nearest rivals Stirchley Tascos. West Heath CEM made it a fantastic double by also winning the Pre Match Doubles title, their 267 points a massive fifty-seven more than second placed Avenue Social.
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The South West Birmingham Summer League have got their new season underway and getting the perfect start to their campaign were Longbridge United who began with a bang handing out a 7-0 whitewash to their visiting opponents Perfection with Dave Hill in top form for the hosts hitting 2×140 having a 122 game shot in what was a 9 darts game. Not far behind the leaders with 6-1 wins were Avenue Social who won at Stirchley Flights and champions of the winter league West Heath CEM who played at home against Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club. Stichley United had a narrow 4-3 defeat away to Northfield Conservative Club, however their Mark Welsh was in terrific form as he had a 2-1 win over Richard Hosey with breaks of 100,105 and 120 and top scores of 118 and 140 as he also recorded a nine darts leg. Another player to hit form was Gary Corbett (Northfield) who in his 2-1 win had breaks of 105 and 100 plus scores of 105 and 118.
In addition to topping the singles league Longbridge United also top the Pre Match Doubles League with fifteen point’s two more than their nearest rivals West Heath CEM who are on thirteen.
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Week twenty-two in the Netherton Thursday Night League produced a top of the table clash between leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ and second placed Bulls Head. Despite a maximum from Bulls Head’s B.Neale the 5-4 result went in favour of the Ex Serviceman’s Club to see them open up a four points lead at the top of the table over Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’, who have taken over the number two spot from Bulls Head and Bulls Head who are now placed third on the same thirty-two points as Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ but trailing on average. Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ had a useful 7-2 win at fourth in the league Hill and Cakemore with Netherton’s L.Banner hitting a 180 and R.Hodgetts having a 160 break while M.Jones hit a maximum for Hill and Cakemore. M.Hadley was another player to find the three treble twenties as his team Townsend Social Club won 8-1 at home against Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’.
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There were mixed results for Allen’s Bar in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League as the ‘A’ side, who top the table won 4-3 at Ivy Bush and the ‘B’ team, who are second lost by the same margin at home to Sow and Pigs who are just two places off the foot of the table, this being only their third win in ten games. Nevertheless Allen’s ‘B’ hold on to the number two spot by a slender one leg of average but now trail their ‘A’ team by two points as do third and fourth placed teams Cottage Spring and Horseley Tavern. Cottage Spring with a tremendous maximum 170 game shot from R.Mccarthy won 5-2 at home against Tamebridge while Horseley Tavern had a bye.
Bottom of the table Albion are the only team without a point from their first half of the season ten games, their latest fixture seeing them go down 5-2 at Vine ‘A’ whose N.Norman had a 155 finish.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League have got their new season underway and the early pacesetters are three teams Bird in Hand ‘E’, Brickmakers Arms and Hollybush who all won 6-1 in turn against Fox Inn (Lye), Black Horse and Stourbridge FC. Ashwood and Dudley Sports and hot on the heels of the leading trio after they chalked up 5-2 wins over respective opponents Garibaldi and Netherton Conservative Club. Other teams to win their inaugural games were Kings Head, Old Liberal Club ‘A’ and Shovel who each had 4-3 wins at the expense of Wheatsheaf, Bell and Old Liberal Club ‘B’.
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Gornal Labour Club have had their lead halved at the top of the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League after losing 5-4 at home to Five Ways who are some four places below them and have eight points fewer than them. Old Bulls Head kept the pressure on the leaders, their 8-1 home win over Red Cow leaving them just two points behind Gornal Labour Club and keeping them four ahead of third and fourth placed New Inn and White Horse who both had 7-2 wins in turn against The Cabin and Pensnett Liberal Club.
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The latest round of fixtures in the West Midlands Men’s Super League produced two local derbies both involving Gilbert’s Bar as the ‘A’ team won 3-2 against the ‘C’ team and the with a similar 3-2 result the ‘B’ side accounted for the ‘D’ team. Kings Head ‘A’ piled the pressure on leaders Dog and Partridge with a 4-1 home won over fourth placed ECC.
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Week four of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League singles division saw leaders Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ travel to take on third placed ECC ‘A’ and with wins for both teams in their opening three games something had to give and it was the home side that finished on the wrong side of the 5-2 result to see them drop two places in the table to fifth while the victors Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ held on to pole position with a slender one leg of average lead over second placed Woodfield who went one better with a 6-1 home success against ECC ‘B’. Third, fourth and fifth placed Dog and Partridge, Corpus Christi ‘A’ and ECC ‘A’ are all on six points two fewer than the leading duo.
In the doubles division ECC ‘A’ had a 2-1 win over Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ to put them two points clear of the rest of the field and able to boast the only team in the doubles division with a 100% win record from their first four games but they have to keep an eye over their shoulder as Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’, Three Crowns, Corpus Christi ‘A’ and Wednesfield Legion are all just two points behind them with six points.
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