Congratulations to Tipton’s Jamie Hughes on scooping the top prize in the Coors Coventry Open played off at the Warwickshire County Darts Organisation headquarters Hen Lane Club, Beacon Road, Coventry, CV6 4DS. After playing down to the last eight the format was increased from the best of nine to the best of eleven legs, Hughes winning his quarter-final game 6-2 against Lloyd Pennell, the other winners joining him in the semi-finals were Leighton Bennett, Dan Lee and Graham Hall. Both of the semis finished with a 6-1 scoreline, Jamie Hughes beating Graham Hall and Leighton Bennett winning against Dan Lee. The final saw Warwickshire County player Jamie Hughes win the title and the top prize money in the ninth leg with a final 6-3 victory over Lincolnshire’s Leighton Bennett.
Neil Pritchard (Organiser) with (Jamie Hughes (Winner)
Neil Pritchard (Organiser) with Leighton Bennett (Runner-Up)
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The Sheldon and District Summer League staged the preliminary round of their League Cup which produced a couple of shock results as group four’s Smithswood Social Club won 4-3 away to Trident Spears from group three and group three side Kingshurst Labour Club won 6-1 at Shirley Misfits who are in group two. Biggest win of the round went to group one team Raven Arrows who handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their fellow division one side Yardley Ex Colts with Dean Grainger checking out on 101 for Raven and Chris Darby recording a maximum for Yardley. Although Kevin Hull hit a maximum and had a ten darts game, his group four team Hampton and Solihull Cricket Club lost 4-3 at home to Maggies from group two. Willclare Sports and Social (group two) won 5-2 away to Sheldon Marlborough Flights (group three) and there was a 4-3 win for Brian’s Flights (group two) against Langley Flights (group three). Banbury Flights are currently sitting top of group four and played away against Moseley Rugby Club who second in the same group, the close 4-3 win going to Banbury.
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It was another cup finals week for the Four Oaks and District League as they played off the finals of their Brian Goodman and Ken Rust Cups. In the former it was an all division one clash with the result going as expected, but only just, to Old Horns Lions who finished as runners-up in the division, they won 5-4 against Golden Hind Lions who ended their campaign just two places off the foot of the division.
In the Ken Rust Cup final secind division runners-up Oscott Social Club, with a 160 break from Gary Bushell, won 6-3 against Charley’s Flights who finished bottom of the division one table. Charley’s Flights player Dean G. Bond hit the only maximum of the night.
There was just the one rearranged outstanding division two fixture played which saw Plough and Arrows win 9-0 against Sutton Sports and Social which had no effect on the divisional table whatsoever.
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It was week four in the Harborne and District League and heading the table is the only team with a 100% win record Northfield Conservative Club. The Conservative Club took their points tally to a perfect eight with a 6-3 win away to Cock Inn. There are four teams Copper Fox ‘R’, Copper Fox ‘M’, Smethwick Cricket Club and Northfield Town who are just two points short of the leaders, Copper Fox ‘R’ had a convincing 9-0 win at The Mill while Copper Fox ‘M’ were just behind them with an 8-1 home victory over Quinton RBL. Smethwick Cricket Club were another team to hand out a 9-0 whitewash as they won at home against Weoley Castle WMC while Northfield Town won their home tie with Avenue Social 6-3.
It was maximums galore this week with no fewer than five recorded, there were two for Northfield Conservative Club supplied by A.Sutton and D.Hill, two for Copper Fox ‘R’ from E.Simpson and M.Hamilton and one for Copper Fox ‘M’ player D.Kent. In addition to his 180 E.Simpson also hit 100,125,140 and had winning legs in fourteen and seventeen darts.
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After losing their number one spot in the singles division of the South West Birmingham Clubs League last week Longbridge United are once again back in pole position. A 7-0 home win over Moseley All Services has given Longbridge a slender one leg of average lead over West Heath CEM who they have replaced at the top of the table both teams are level on sixteen points. Third placed Bournbrook are four points adrift of the leading duo after they, with a 180 from their T.Jeffs, beat Northfield Conservative Club 4-3. After the leading top three teams comes a quartet of teams Avenue Social, Stirchley United, Perfection and Northfield Town all on ten points. D.Wallis (Quarry Club) was another player to find the three treble twenties in his team’s 4-3 home win over Avenue Social.
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With the majority of teams having just seven more fixtures to play in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night league the title is still wide open as the top two teams Old Liberal Club and Cross (Oldswinford) are level on fifty-six points with only average separating them. In the latest round of games Old Liberal Club had a vital 5-2 win away against Ten Arches who are third in the league but now ten points short of the top two. Cross (Oldswinford) handed their visitors Church Tavern a 7-0 whitewash. At the other end of the table Glasscutters moved off the bottom spot when they won only their second game in twenty-nine beating Fox Inn (Lye) 4-3 to be replaced at the foot of the table by Old Cat Inn who went down 5-2 at Bird in Hand leaving them on the same four points as Glasscutters but with an inferior average.
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It was local derby week in the Netherton Thursday Night League with leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ taking on their next to bottom of the table ‘B’ side and winning 6-3 and third in the league Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ squaring up to their bottom of the table ‘B’ team, and with a maximum from R.Hodgetts it was the ‘A’ team who got the better of the 8-1 result. The current position in the league is that the Ex Serviceman’s ‘A’ lead with forty-four points from twenty-six games and two more to play, Bulls Head who won 6-3 at home against Spring Meadow are on forty-two points but have completed their programme. Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ in third place, like the leaders still have two to play and have forty points, so it is still mathematically possible for them to win the league but realistically not very likely.
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With nineteen of a scheduled thirty fixtures played in the Rowley Monday Night League only average separates the top two teams. A 9-0 win at bottom of the table Huntingtree keeps Bell top of the table on average from White Swan whose 5-4 home win over Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club leaves them trailing by a huge nineteen legs of average with both teams on thirty-four points. Gate Hangs Well have replaced Hill and Cakemore in third place following their 8-1 home win over Loyal Lodge, they are just two points off the top and two ahead of fourth placed Hill and Cakemore.
On the individual scene there was a maximum for White Swan’s Mathew Tedstone and a superb 157 game shot for A.Wallace (Gate Hangs Well).
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Leaders of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League Old Liberal Club ‘A’ had a local derby with their ‘B’ side in the latest round of fixtures, a game they won 6-1 to take their undefeated run to nine games and at the same time keep intact their two points advantage over Bird in Hand ‘E’, Hollybush and Stourbridge FC, Bird in Hand ‘E’ were also 6-1 winners playing away against Ashwood while Hollybush made it 6-1 wins for all of the top three teams when they won at Shovel. Stourbridge FC had a 5-2 win at Netherton Conservative Club.
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In his push for the Ashwood Premier League title John Green added another couple of 6-1 wins to his tally in the latest round of games, first he beat Chris Manoila and then won against Paul Pollard to take his total points from forty games to 224 while second placed Nick Fullwell also kicked-off the night with a 6-1 win when he defeated Mitch Pickett but was then held to a closer 4-3 success by Shane Passey to give him 220 from thirty-seven games.
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Allen’s Bar ‘C’ hold on to their pole position in the Black Country Men’s Super League with a 3-2 win over their ‘A’ team, the win taking the ‘C’ team’s points to twenty-six while second in the league Railway Tavern had a similar 3-2 win at home over Horse and Jockey leaving them just two points short of the leaders as are third in the table Whiteheath Tavern after they also won 3-2 at home against Townsend Social. Quarry Bank Liberal are fourth and one point further behind after they won 3-2 in their home match with Old Bulls Head.
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After playing seventeen games Dog and Partridge with 106 points top the West Midlands Men’s Super League table and have a nine points advantage over their nearest rivals Kings Head ‘A’. Third placed Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ are on the same 97 points as Kings Head ‘A’ but they have played one game more than them.
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After completing game nineteen in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League there is no change in the top seven places in division one with Scott Baker continuing to lead the field with 147 points from 19 games and having a lead of twenty-two over second placed Ben Johnson who has a game in hand on Baker.
Jason Hough tops the division two table, his 130 points giving him a lead of seven over Tony Singh who has moved up into the number two spot, Singh also has a game in hand on Hough.
Alan Melling is in a comfortable position at the top of division three, his 154 points eleven more than second placed Robert Harris who has played one game more than Melling.
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The singles division of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League is as-you-were after playing fixtures number seven with only average separating the top three teams Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’, Woodfield and ECC ‘A’ who are all on 20 points.
There are no changes in the doubles division with ECC ‘A’ leading on 22 points and having four more than second placed Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ who in turn are four to the good on both Ring of Bells and Woodfield.
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