The Sheldon and District Summer League staged the first round of their League Cup which produced a couple of surprising results one of which was the 4-3 win by group four’s Smithswood Social over their group one opponents Highwood. Another surprise was supplied by group four leaders Banbury Club who won 4-3 at Kingshurst Labour Club who are second in group three. Hornet are currently bottom of group two and they lost 5-2 at home to Lyndon Old Boys who are bottom of group three. The Dingle top group one and Sheldon Dukes top group two, they played against each other with the 4-3 result going in favour of Dingle. The biggest win of the round was 6-1 going to group one’s Raven Arrows who accounted for their group two opponents Maggies while another group one team Langley Arrows were not far behind with their 5-2 success against Bell Inn from group three. 5-2 was also the margin by which group one’s bottom team Willclare Sports and Social defeated The Raven from group four. In the other game played Brian’s Flights (group two) beat Sheldon Marlborough Ridge (group three) 4-3.
There was a maximum for Kingshurst Labour Club player Ray Evans, a 139 finish for Langley Arrows Kevin White his team mate Lee Nixon finishing on 110 while Ian Evans (Dingle) checked out on 137.
———————————
It was cup semi-finals week in the Kings Norton League, first the League Cup in which league leaders Copper Fox had a somewhat close 4-3 win playing against fifth in the league Bournebrook while fourth placed Bourneville had a more comfortable 5-2 success against Cock Inn who are placed seventh. Bournebrook’s K.Mason recorded the only maximum of the round while Cock Inn’s S.Cartwright was not too far behind with his score of 174.
In the last four games of the Consolation Cup bottom of the league Kings Norton Flights, who have only won one game in their thirteen outings, won 4-3 against Longbridge who are two places off the foot of the table. Next to bottom of the league Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club lost 7-0 to second in the table Northfield. There was a 180 for Kings Norton Flights player P.Lilley.
———————————
After completing week seven games in the Harborne and District League there was no change in the top four places with leaders Copper Fox ‘R’ adding an 8-1 win over Quinton RBL to their account to keep them top of the table on average from Smethwick Cricket Club who went one better by handing their visiting team, bottom of the league Avenue Social a 9-0 whitewash leaving them on the same twelve points form seven games as the leaders but still some six legs of average short of them. Third in the league Northfield Conservative Club were also 9-0 winners in their fixture away to The Mill to keep them within two points of the leading duo and two ahead of Copper Fox M’, Cock Inn and Northfield Town who are all on eight points. There was no result for the Northfield Town versus Copper Fox ‘M’ game so as it is presently they have played one game fewer than the rest of the league.
Three maximum scores this week supplied by P.Brookes (Smethwick Cricket Club), D.Hill (Northfield Conservative Club) and D.McConomy (Quinton RBL).
———————————
Northfield Conservative Club player Dave Hill is planning a charity night against the Air Ambulance Team at the Northfield Conservative Club, 1 The Mill Walk, Birmingham B31 4HL on Friday the 8th September. Please drop in and support a very worthy cause in addition to watching what should be a very entertaining game of darts.
———————————
The Sutton and District Summer League had the preliminary round of their Prestridge Shield on their fixture card in which division one leaders Highcroft Hotdogs booked their place in the next round with a 7-2 win away to Charley’s Flights from division two. Second in the first division Nomads were awarded a 9-0 walkover against division two leaders Scott Armers. In the two all division one clashes Old Oscott Arrows lost 7-2 to Bishop Vesey and Walmley CSC Flights lost 5-4 to Red Lion. There were wins for division one teams Aston Manor CC Flights, and Old Horns Lions who in turn won 8-1 and 6-1 against Rosey Mac’s and Rosey Mac’s Bar both from division two, while the only other division one side Old Horns Arrows lost 6-3 playing away against division two side Plough and Arrows. The other two games were fought out between four teams from division two with Erdington Arrows winning 6-3 at Sutton Sharks and St Tom Cats beating Pint Pot Flights by the same margin.
———————————
The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League have completed thirty-two fixtures and only have four more to play. With the end of season now in sight the title is still yet to be decided as the top two teams are level on sixty-two points. A 6-1 home win over Crestwood keeps Old Liberal Club top of the table with an eleven legs of average lead over their nearest rivals Cross (Oldswinford) who in their most recent fixture won a vital home game over third in the league Ten Arches 4-3. The defeat leaves Ten Arches a huge twelve points short of the top two teams but with a two point’s advantage over fourth and fifth in the table Netherton Conservative Club and The Princess, the former winning 6-1 at home against Mount Pleasant while the latter had a closer 4-3 success at home against seventh placed Bird in Hand.
Raven have taken over pole position in the Shadow League, their 5-2 win at Rose and Crown ‘A’ giving them sixteen points, two more than Crestwood, Mount Pleasant and Church Tavern with Crestwood and Church Tavern both having a game in hand.
———————————
The Netherton Thursday Night League played off the final of their Andy Bastable Trophy which brought together the league’s top two teams. Champions Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’, with a maximum from their J.Colley got the 6-3 verdict over the league’s runners-up Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ to make it a fantastic double for the Dudley side.
A reminder to all league secretaries that the league presentation will now be on the 31st August not the 17th as originally planned.
———————————
There’s no change at the top of the Rowley Monday Night League, leaders Bell making it nineteen wins in twenty-one games when they won 5-4 playing away against third in the league Gate Hangs Well. Despite their fine record Bell still only have an average lead over second placed White Swan whose latest fixture saw them win 8-1 at home against Spring Meadow, although a big win White Swan are a huge fourteen legs short of Bell which at the end of the campaign could be the vital factor. The defeat for Gate Hangs Well sees them fall four points behind the leading pair but still with a four point’s advantage over fourth in the table Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club who went down 6-3 at Rowley labour Club.
Individual feats worthy of a mention this week are maximums from G.Locke (Tividale FC) and Ste Cree (Wonder) with B.Tolley (Rowley Bar and Grill) not far behind with his 171. There was a 160 break and a nine darts game for D.Homer (Gate Hangs Well) and a 158 game shot for his team mate CCallum Allen. J.Tart (Tividale FC) had a nine darts game while K,Chambers (Plough and Harrow) checked out in ten darts,
———————————
Old Liberal Club ‘A’ made it a perfect twelve wins in as many games in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League when they won their home tie against Kings Head 7-0. The win keeps the leaders two points ahead of second and third in the league Bird in Hand ‘E’ and Hollybush the former winning 5-2 away against fifth placed Cottage while the latter won their home game with Ashwood 6-1 to leave them five legs of average short of their rivals. Fourth in the table Stourbridge FC, like the leaders handed out a 7-0 whitewash as they accounted for bottom of the table Woodman who like the team directly above them Netherton Conservative Club, have won only one of their dozen games.
———————————
Dog and Partridge took their points tally to 106 in the West Midlands Men’s Super League when they won 4-1 at home against Chase Social. The win gives Dog and Partridge a nine points lead over second placed Kings Head ‘A’ who after their 5-0 home win over bottom of the table Three Crowns still have a game in hand on the leaders. Third in the league Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ are on the same ninety-seven points as Kings Head ‘A’ and from the same nineteen games, the two teams having a huge twenty-two points advantage over fourth in the league Bridgtown Social, their 4-1 win against Kings Head ‘B’ being only their eighteenth fixture.
———————————
After game eleven it’s as you were at the top of the Black Country Men’s Super League with Allen’s Bar ‘C’ still holding on to pole position despite losing 3-2 at Townsend Social ‘A’ who are sixth in the league and seven points short of their opponents. Second placed Quarry Bank Liberal Club lost ground in the title race when they suffered a 4-1 defeat at Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ and with thirty-eight points are two off the top while their victors in fifth place are six points behind Allen’s Bar ‘C’ but with two games in hand. Whiteheath Tavern and Railway Tavern make up third and fourth places both on the same thirty-six points after Whiteheath Tavern lost 4-1 at Railway Tavern. Bottom of the table The Vine, Blackheath are the only team in the league without a win so far.
———————————
Only a handful of fixtures played in the Black Country Thursday Night Singles League this week in fact just eight with Rich Bowen not playing and as a consequence losing the number one spot and dropping to fourth place on nineteen points from two games. Taking over in pole position is Danny Nicholls who played and won two games 8-0 against Conor Dowling and Sarah Jane Parker to put him on thirty-six points from four games. Mark Jones moves up three places in the table to second on twenty-seven points after he won 8-0 against Danny Bridgwood and 6-2 against Shane Passey giving him a five points lead on third placed Conor Dowling who holds on to the third place despite losing to Danny Nicholls as prior to that game he won 5-3 against Alex Mason.
———————————
It was also a quiet week in the Ashwood Premier League with once again only eight games being played and with none of the top five players actually playing there is no change in the top five places as John Green continues to lead with 258 points from 47 games, Nick Fullwell is second on 255 from 44 games, Chris Williams third with 254 after playing 52 games, Josh Pickett has played 47 games and has 244 points and making up the top five is Gavin Smith with 242 points from 46 games. Cayden Smith played and won 7-0 against Paul Pollard to replace Martyn Harper in sixth place with 233 points from 45 games, Harper, who didn’t play drops to seventh in the table on 218 points from 45 games.
———————————
A convincing 6-1 win at Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ has seen ECC ‘A’ take over from their hosts in the number one spot in the singles division of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League with twenty-eight points from their fifteen games. Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ drop to second place on twenty-six points the same amount but with a slightly superior average than third in the table Woodfield who won 7-0 playing at ECC ‘B’.
In the doubles division ECC’A’ beat Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ 2-1 to remain in pole position with a lead of eight points over their opponents who are in second place. Ring of Bells 2-1 win at Wednesfield Legion puts them third on the same twenty points as Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’.
———————————