On the fixture card for the Sutton and District League were the first rounds of their Prestridge Shield and Roy Bird Cup, in the former current division one leaders Highcroft Hotdogs accounted for their division two opponents Pint Pot Flights with a 7-2 result while Nomads @ Hollyfields, who are second in division one, went one better with an 8-1 success over their opponents Great Barr Social, once again from division two. In the two all division one clashes Bishop Vesey got the better of Erdington Arrows with a 7-2 win and Old Horns Lions took out St Thomas Arrows with a 6-3 result. Heartlands (division one) moved into the next round with a 6-3 win over Plough and Arrows (division two). Beggars Bush, Drakes Drum and Rosey Mac’s had a bye,
In the Roy Bird Cup, top division team Rise Club won their fixture with fellow division one side Hollyfields 5-4 while Rise Club’s nearest rivals in the second division, Deer’s Leap won their tie with St Thomas Arrows (division two) 6-3. There were narrow 5-4 wins for division one sides Old Oscott Arrows and Charley’s Flights who in turn accounted for Oscott Social Club (division two) and Walmley CSC Flights (division one). The all division two game between Misfits @ Holly Lane Sports and Social Club and Sutton Sports saw the latter win 5-4. Minworth Bulls, Rosey Mac’s Bar and Sutton Sharks had a bye.
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The Kings Norton League are up to game eight of their scheduled two-four fixtures, this week league leaders Northfield had a bye but held on to pole position with a perfect fourteen points from their seven fixtures giving them a lead of two over second placed Greenlands who were held to a close 4-3 win at home by fourth in the league Bournebrook. Third placed Bourneville also had a narrow 4-3 win in their away game against Perfection to leave them level on ten points with Bournebrook, four points off the top, but with game in hand.
Three players achieved the top score of 180 this week, R.Foxhall (Kings Norton Flights), P.Taylor (Perfection) and P.Garvey (Bourneville).
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The South West Birmingham Clubs Winter League staged round one of their divisional cups this week and in the division one games the outstanding fixture was that between Northfield Darts Club and Quarry Lane Club which with maximums from both A.Chidley and R.Needham Northfield Darts Club went on to win the fixture 6-3. There was a 180 each for Stirchley United and Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’, K.Webb for Stirchley United and A.Bailes for Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ with the close 5-4 result going to Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’. 5-4 was also the result for the game between Perfection and Bournbrook with the former winning through to th next round.
Division two league leaders West Heath CEM were the biggest winners in the division two games, winning 8-1 against Longbridge Arrows whose J.Taylor scored a maximum. Second in the division Kings Norton Flights suffered a 6-3 home defeat to Bartley Gree FC who are currently fourth in the division. E57 are placed third in the league table they went down 5-4 at home to fifth placed Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’ whose G.Corbett scored a 180. Also making it through to the next round were Cue Club who had a narrow 5-4 win at Longbridge Supremes.
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Week six in the Sheldon and District Winter League brought about no change in the top four places in the premier league with Sheldon Marlborough Arrows adding a 7-2 home win over fourth placed Dog Inn Nomads to keep them two points clear at the top of the table with an undefeated twelve points. Highwood remain second after they returned from Mackadown Sports and Social Club with a 6-3 result. Langley Arrows are third, so far they have only played four games, the latest of which saw them, with a maximum from Richard Nixon, win their home fixture with Brian’s Flights 7-2 to give them six points and although six short of the leaders they do have two games in hand.
A 7-2 win at Lyndon Old Boys saw division one leaders Banbury Club make it five wins in six games, however they only lead the division on average as second and third placed RAFA Arrows and Raven are both on the same ten points. RAFA Arrows added a 5-4 win at Trident Spears to replace their hosts in second place, Spears dropping to fifth place two points behind the leading trio. Raven won their home tie with Moseley Rugby Club 6-3. Sheldon Marlborough Ridge are fourth and although two points behind the top three teams they have played one game fewer than them, their latest fixture at Station Inn was postponed.
Dave Reid (RAFA Arrows) was the only player in division one to find the three treble twenties this week.
There was a top of the table clash in division two with leaders Langley Pints travelling to take on second placed CBMC-A. The outcome was a close 5-4 win for Langley Pints to see them go two points clear at the top of the table while their hosts dropped one place to third on eigh points, two fewer than their opponents but with a game in hand. There is a similar situation for newly second placed Maggies and fourth placed Hollywood Social Club who are both two points off the top with a game in hand. Maggies were 7-2 home winners over Castle Bromwich Spitfires while Hollywood Social Club lost ground in the title race going down 5-4 at Hunters Moon who are just two places off the foot of the table.
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Games are now fast running out in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League but current leaders Old Liberal Club contimue in winning ways adding a 7-0 home success over Ten Arches ‘B’ to their account to give them a total of fifty-eight points from thirty-one games and a lead of two over second placed Gornal British Legion whose 5-2 home win over third placed Ten Arches ‘A’ was their thirty-second fixture, their visitors now two points behind them and four behind Old Liberal Club.
At the other end of the table Glasscutters ‘B’ are bottom, their most recent fixture seeing them lose 4-3 at home to Crestwood making it thirty-two straight defeats, can Glasscutters ‘B’ chalk up a win before the end of the season?
Gate Hangs Well top the Shadow League with fourteen points and have a two points advanatge over second placed Raven ‘A’.
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Leaders of the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League Quarry Bank Liberal Club, handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their visitors Jolly Crispin to make it thirteen games without defeat giving them a two points lead on their nearest rivals, second placed Netherton Sports and Social Club, who had an 8-1 home win over Cabin ‘2’. After the top two there are three teams all on twenty-two points, four off the top, and they are Gornal British Legion, Red Cow ‘1’ and Parkes Hall. Gornal British Legion had a 6-3 win at British Oak while Red Cow ‘1’were 8-1 winners at Hilly House. Parkes Hall beat their hosts Wheatsheaf 6-3.
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The top two teams in the John Edwards Thursday Night League, Bostin Darts ‘B’ and Tividale Sports are both on twelve points from seven games, Bostin Darts ‘B top the table by one single leg of average despite suffering their first defeat of the campaign when they lost 6-3 at home to fourth in the league Wonder. Tividale Sports had a convincing 8-1 win away against bottom of the table Navigation. After the leading duo there are six teams, Whiteheath Tavern, Wonder, Double Tops Micro Bar, Island Inn, Smethwick Cricket Club and Club ‘99’ all on ten points, two fewer than the top two, however Whiteheath, Wonder and Double Tops have all only played six games and wins in those fixtures would see them draw level on points with the top two. Whiteheath Tavern handed their hosts Brandhall Labour Club a 9-0 whitewash while Double Tops Micro Bar had a much closer 5-4 home win over Blackheath Liberal Club.
There were no fewer than seven top scors of 180 in the league this week, Wonder’s C.Devonport hitting two while there was one each for D.Brookes (Tividale Sports), K.Harrison (Whiteheath Tavern), J.Bradshaw (Ivy Bush), A.Bennett (Blackheath Liberal Club) and D.Smith (Smethwick Cricket Club).
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There were 5-3 wins for the top two teams in the Silver End Sunday Morning League this week, leaders Old Star winning at home against Vine while second placed Dudley Sports ‘A’, who also had a home tie, won against Pensnett Liberal Club ‘A’ to keep within five points of the leaders. Third placed High Acres ‘A’ are sixteen points behind Old Star after they won 6-2 at Glasscutters and a further one point behind them are fourth and fifth placed Old Liberal Club and Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who in turn won 6-2 at Tenth Lock and 5-3 at home over New Talbot.
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Round two of their League Cup was on the agenda for the Brierley Hill Monday Night League with both of the Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club teams winning 7-2, the ‘A’ side away to current league leaders High Acres and the ‘B’ team at home against Raven. The biggest win of the round went to Bridge who handed their hosts Mount Pleasant a 9-0 whitewash, Lamp Tavern not far behind with their 8-1 win at home over Roebuck ‘B’. Dudley Sports ‘B’ and Little Barrel in turn had 6-3 wins over Rose nd Crown ‘A’ and Dudley Sports ‘A’ while both Wombourne Club and Roebuck ‘A’ made it through to the next round with narrow 5-4 wins over their respective opponents Rose and Crown ‘B’ and Starving Rascal.
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Chop House consolidated their number one spot in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League when they handed their hosts Five Ways a 7-0 whitewash to keep intact their six points lead at the top of the table. Second placed Stourbridge FC ‘A’ lost ground in the title race as they went down 6-1 playing away against fourth in the league Old Liberal Club ‘A’ who are now, with twenty-eight points, only two behind their opponents. Third placed Bird in Hand ‘E’ are also on twenty-eight points after they won their home tie with Plough ‘A’ 6-1, fifth and sixth in the league Hollybush and New Inns also have twenty-eight points, the former after winning 4-3 at home against Fox Inn (Lye) and the latter after they won 5-2 at Netherton Conservative Club.
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The Rowley Monday Night League palyed off the finals of their singles knockouts, the top-half title going to D.Homer (Gate Hangs Well) who beat H.Kainthal (Tividale FC) in the final.
The shadow league title went to R.Poll (Spring Meadow) with S.Attwood (Rowley Bar and Grill) the runner-up.
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A convincing 5-0 home win over Old Crown keeps Allen’s Bar ‘A’ top of the Black Country Men’s Super League table with ninety-two points, seventeen more than second placed Quarry Bank Liberal Club who have played two games fewer than the leaders, their latest fixture seeing them lose 3-2 playing away against High Acres who are some six places below them and with thirteen fewer points. Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club are third, their 5-0 home win over Townsend Social seeing them reduce the arrears on Quarry Bank Liberal Club to a single point.
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With a 3-0 win over Sarah Barrett, Jacqueline Maiden made it sixteen wins in seventeen games in the West Midlands Ladies Super League giving her a fifteen points advanatge over second placed Gemma Barrett who didn’t play this week and now has a game in hand on Maiden. Third placed, and reigning champion Evonne Taylor also didn’t play this week, she is twenty-one points short of Jacqueline Maiden but has five games in hand.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League staged round one of their 501 Cup and winning their way through to round two were, Three Crowns, Woodfield, Junction ‘B’, Ashmore, Junction ‘A’, Dog and Partridge ‘A’, Dog and Partridge ‘B’ and Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’.
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