With no result for leaders of the Kings Norton League Copper Fox this week second placed Northfield reduced the arrears to four points as they handed their hosts Longbridge a 7-0 whitewash with N.Steventon in top form for Northfield with scores of 100 and 105 and a 134 game shot as he chalked up wining legs of nine and ten darts. Although Northfield are now within four points of the leaders they have played one game more than them as have third and fourth placed Bournebrook and Thurlestone who are on the same twenty-six points as Northfield. While Bournebrook had a surprisingly close 4-3 win away to Perfection, who are bottom of the league with just one win in seventeen games, Thurlestone, with a nine darts game from their R.Waldron had a better 6-1 win at Kings Norton Flights to put them within one leg of average of Bournebrook.
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The latest round of fixtures for the South West Birmingham Clubs League, game twenty-two, saw no change in the top four places in the singles division despite leaders Longbridge United being held to a 4-4 draw at home by third in the division Northfield Town. Longbridge are now on thirty-eight points from twenty-two games with second placed West Heath CEM on thirty-four from twenty-one games after adding their latest 6-2 home win over Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’. Third placed Northfield Town are a further five points adrift on twenty-nine from twenty-two games. Making up the top four is Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ who remain on twenty-seven points from twenty-one games after their fixture against Stirchley United was postponed.
Perfection stay top of the shadow league with thirteen points from eleven games but second placed Quarry Club are on the same thirteen points from ten games and when they play their game in hand could take well over in pole position.
West Heath CEM have returned to the top of the pre-match doubles division, they are on 235 points from twenty-one games while second and third placed Northfield Town and Longbridge United both have 232 points from twenty-two games. There is then a big gap to fourth in the division Perfection who after completing twenty-two fixtures are on 193 points.
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There was just the one rearranged fixture from week three played in the Camp Hill League this week which completed the first half fixtures. The game saw league leaders Wakefield Warriors play hosts to next to bottom of the league Sedgemere Devil’s and as one would expect the 6-1 result went in favour of Wakefield Warriors to complete an undefeated first half of seven games and their perfect fourteen points giving them a two points lead over their nearest rivals second in the league Cotterills Lane EBAHA Club. In fine form for Wakefield Warriors was their Jason Jennings who recorded a super 160 break. Bottom of the table Roost went through the first half without a single win hopes are high for better results in the second half.
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It was cup semi-finals week in the Four Oaks and District League, first the Coronation Shield in which division one leaders The Beehive took on division three leaders Pint Pot Flights, the difference between the two leagues proving decisive as The Beehive ran out the somewhat comfortable 12-2 winners. Meeting The Beehive in the final will be fellow division one side Old Horns Lions. Old Horns Lions are placed fifth in the top division and they came up with a rather surprising 9-6 victory over Bishop Vesey who are second in the same division and have only lost one of their eleven league fixtures.
In the last four of the Norman Day Cup Sutton Sharks who are fifth in division three, put up a brave fight against their opponents The Rise Club who are fifth in division two, to hold them to a close 8-7 result. The second semi-final was not so close as division two leaders Heartlands beat their third placed division three opponents St Thomas Arrows 13-2 to join The Rise Club in the final.
In addition to the semi-finals there was just one rearranged league fixture played, a division three game eleven encounter between Deer’s Leap and Sutton Sports. Deer’s Leap got the 8-1 result to see them move up one place in the table to second on the same eighteen points as third placed St Thomas Arrows but with a far superior average, however they are four points behind leaders Pint Pot Flights. Sutton Sports stay rooted at the foot of the table still seeking their first win after the opening twelve fixtures with only two more to play.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League has been engaged in the first leg of the semi-finals of their Andy Bastable Trophy. The first of the semis saw league leaders Old Liberal Club play the first leg at home against sixth in the league Plough and Harrow. Old Liberal Club with the aid of two maximums from N.Fullwell and one from B.Watts will take a 7-2 lead into the second leg away fixture. The second of the last four games matched fourth in the league Townsend Social Club against third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club. W.Cairns notched a maximum for Townsend Social Club but it is Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who will take the 5-4 lead into their second leg home tie.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League are up to week five and of the starting line-up of seventeen teams only four are able to boast a 100% record. Three of those teams are top of the table with ten points, Bird in Hand ‘E’, Fox Inn (Lye) and Hollybush with the fourth side Five Ways ‘A’ sixth as they have only played four games so far. Bird in Hand ‘E’ top the table with a two legs of average lead over Fox Inn (Lye) after they won 6-1 at home against Beech Tree Miners while Fox Inn (Lye) reduced the average deficit to two legs by winning 7-0 at home against bottom of the league Netherton Conservative Club. Third placed Hollybush are one more leg short of Fox Inn after adding a close 4-3 home success over Stourbridge FC who are just two places off the foot of the table to their account. Sixth placed Five Ways ‘A’ played away against fourth in the league Old Liberal Club ‘A’, their 4-3 win keeping alive their unbeaten run.
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On the fixture card for the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League was the first round of their Memorial Cup. Current league leaders Vine ‘A’ had a convincing 6-1 home win over Horseley Tavern ‘A’ who are sixth in the league. Tamebridge are the nearest rivals to Vine ‘A’ in the table but despite their second placing in the league they lost 6-1 away to Three Horseshoes who are placed fifth. No such problem for third placed Allen’s Bar as they handed their hosts Horseley Tavern ‘B’ a 7-0 whitewash. Cottage Spring are three places below Horse and Jockey in the league table but nevertheless beat them 4-3 to progress to the next round and also making it to the next round were Waggon and Horses and Ivy Bush who in turn won 4-3 against Vine ‘B’ and Albion..
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With Jackie Trott not playing in week fifteen of the West Midlands Ladies Super League she has surrendered her number one spot to Gemma Barrett whose 3-1 win over Claire Hobbs has taken her into pole position with forty-three points from sixteen games, Trott is now second, three points short of Barrett but with two games in hand. Also with two games in hand on Gemma Barrett is third placed Jacqueline Maiden, she took her points tally to thirty-seven with a straight 3-0 win over Julie Emery.
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Just the one result from the West Midlands Men’s Super League this week which saw current leaders Kings Head ’A’ gain an important 4-1 home win over third in the league Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ who are now six points short of their victors. Second in the league Dog and Partridge are also six points behind Kings Head ‘A’ but they have one game in hand.
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The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League are up to game twenty-two and leading the field with thirty-six points are Netherton Sports and Social Club whose latest 5-4 win at New Inn keeps them four points to the good on second in the league Gornal British Legion who won their away game at Cabin 6-1. Third in the league Gornal Labour Club had a bye this week and with thirty points are six off the top and only one leg of average ahead of fourth placed Baggeridge whose 5-4 home win over Seven Stars puts them level on thirty points with Gornal Labour Club.
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The two Quarry Bank Liberal Club teams in the Cradley Heath Tuesday Night League are battling it out for honours and this season’s title as the ‘A’ side added a straight 7-0 home win over bottom of the table Quarry Bank Social Club ‘B’ to their tally to give them a perfect thirty-three points from their eleven games while their ‘B’ side who are currently lying second in the table, not to be outdone by their local rivals also won 7-0 as they accounted for their hosts Tenth Lock who are next to bottom of the table, so there were 7-0 wins for the league’s top two teams and 7-0 defeats for the league’s bottom two teams this week. Quarry Bank Liberal Club ‘B’ are on the same 33 points as the ‘A’ team but they have played twelve games, one more than their rivals.
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Gilbert’s Bar was the setting for the latest Jack Jones Memorial Knockout which attracted fifty PDC, County, Super League and local players. Making their exits in the quarter-finals were Mark Jones, Brian Dolman, Ian Jones and Paul Price who all received £20 for their efforts. The first of the semi-finals saw Ryan O’Connor win 6-1 against Danny Lauby while from the other side of the draw Graham Hall beat Connor Whitehouse 6-3. Both Danny Lauby and Connor Whitehouse picked up £50.
Graham Hall turned out to be a worthy winner beating Ryan O’Connor 7-2 in the final in which he recorded a nine darts game and walked away with the top prize of £400, Ryan O’Connor receiving £200.
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Only three teams remain undefeated after the opening five games in the singles division of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League. A 5-2 win at Ring of Bells keeps Junction ‘B’ top of the table by two legs of average over Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ who handed their visitors Three Crowns a 7-0 whitewash. Third in the league Hotshots are a further five legs of average behind Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ after their close 4-3 home win over Corpus Christi ‘A’ who are seventh in the division. It was a good week for Junction ‘A’ as they chalked up their first win of the campaign, a 4-3 success at Dog and Partridge.
In the doubles division only two teams remain undefeated, once again it’s Junction ‘B’ who top the table and again they have a two legs of average advanatage over their nearest rivals, on this occasion Hotshots who were 3-0 winners over Corpus Christi ‘A’. Gilbert’s ‘Bar ‘A’, Wednesfield Legion and Woodfield are all on eight points two fewer than the two teams above them. New Gate Inn ‘A’ moved off the foot of the table with a 2-1 win at Corpus Christi ‘B’ this being their first win in five games.
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