It was cup week in the Sutton and District League, first round two in the Brian Goodman Cup, which brought together division one leaders, Highcroft Hotdogs and division two leaders, Rise Club, the result was a 6-3 win for Highcroft Hotdogs. Biggest win of the round went to Erdington Arrows who chalked up a 9-0 whitewash against their division one rivals Drakes Drum. Nomads @ Hollyfields are currently placed second in division one, they won 5-4 against fellow division one team Old Horns Lions. In the all division two encounter Pint Pot Flights finished on the right side of the 6-3 result in their game with Great Barr Social.
In round two of the Ken Rust Cup, the all division one fixture between Bishop Vesey and Charley’s Flights saw the former get the narrow 5-4 victory. The remaining three games were all between second division teams. Sutton Sharks may be three places below their opponents Deer’s Leap in the league but it was the Sharks who got the 6-3 result. Fourth in division two, Hollyfields had a convincing 7-2 win over next to bottom of the division St Thomas Arrows while bottom placed Misfits @ Holly Lane Sports and Social Club lost 9-0 to the team four places above them Oscott Social Club.
There was one rearranged division one game played between the divisions bottom two teams, next to bottom Walmley CSC Flights playing hosts to bottom of the table Rosey Mac’s. The result produced a first win in eleven games for Rosey Mac’s as they won 5-4 to put them level on two points with their opponents but still bottom of the table trailing on average.
———————————
Copper Fox ‘R’ made it eleven consecutive wins in the Harborne and District League when they won 7-2 at Thimble Mill, they are the only team in the league with a 100% win record, but still only have a two points lead on second placed Northfield Conservative Club who had a 6-3 win at Smethwick Cricket Club, the home side dropping one place in the table to fourth on eighteen points, some four off the top of the table. Northfield Darts Club had a 6-3 home win over Weoley Castle WMC to see them move up one place to third on the same eighteen points as Smethwick Cricket Club.
No fewer than eight players found the three treble twenties this week, and they were L.Fowler, L.Allen (Northfield Darts Club), R.O’Neill, J.Best (Weoley Castle), G.Bolton (Stag and Three Horseshoes), D.Hill, S.Jones (Northfield Conservative Club) and R.Cashmore (Lion Bar).
———————————
The fixture between the top two teams in the Premier League of the Sheldon and District Winter League Langley Arrows and Sheldon Marlborough Arrows were due to play each other this week but the game was postponed and as a result both teams drop down the table one place. Taking over in pole position is Highwood, who had a convincing 8-1 win at Kingshurst Labour Club, and although they have a two points lead on both Langley Arrows and Sheldon Marlborough Arrows, the former has two games in hand and the latter three games in hand.
In division one, the week’s results had no effect on the top seven places in the division with Banbury Club holding on to the number one spot with an average lead over both second and third placed Trident Spears and RAFA Arrows after they won 6-3 at Station Inn, Trident Spears won 5-4 at Raven and RAFA Arrows won 6-3 at Moseley Rugby Club. Sheldon Marlborough Ridge are fourth on sixteen points, two points adrift of the leading trio after they won 7-2 at home over Langley Flights.
Although the result from the game between Raven Flights and Langley Pints was a late result, the latter holds on to pole position in division two with a superior average over second placed CBMC-A , both teams on eighteen points. CBMC-A won their home tie with Shirley Misfits 6-3 while third placed Maggies, who are two points behind the top two teams, had a close 5-4 result at Hunters Moon. Both Langley Pints and Maggies have played ten games whereas CBMC-A have played eleven.
Four maximums in the league this week, and they came from Sam Hicks (RAFA), Danny Chiswell (Dog Inn Nomads) plus Grant Reeve and Jordan Grainger (Raven).
———————————
The South West Birmingham Clubs League staged their singles knockout this week and scooping the men’s title from an entry of sixty-four players, with a final win over Rodney Needham was Luke Coles. Making their exits in the semi-finals were Jim Cutler and Mark Welsh.
Clinching the ladies title was Tracey Trace who defeated Lindsey Bandy in the final.
———————————
It was a very hughscoring week in the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League with no fewer than eight players finding the three treble twenties. There were four for the Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ from Phil Tonks, Jake Robinson, Carl Hadlington and Jamie Rollinson while Old Liberal Club had two, thanks to Jeff batham and George Willetts. Making up the eight were Will Caines (Townsend Social Club) and Jason Southall (Plough and Harrow).
On the league front four teams are on fifteen points with all of them having played five games apart from second placed Bulls Head who have played six. Old Liberal Club top the table leading on average after their latest 9-0 home win over Townsend Social Cub. Bulls Head won 8-1 at Rose and Crown while third placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ beat their local rivals Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ 7-2. British Oak are fourth, they had a 5-4 home win over Gate Hangs Well. Plough and Harrow make up the top five they won 8-1 at Netherton Sports and Social Club to leave them three points short of the four teams above them.
At the other end of the table, Rose and Crown are the only team in the league still seeking their first win after playing six games.
———————————
Quarry Bank Liberal Club continued their quest for the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League title by adding an 8-1 home win over British Oak to keep intact their four points lead over second placed Red Cow ‘1’ who also had a home tie which they won 7-2 against Stump. A further two points adrift with thirty-six points is third placed Gornal British Legion who had a 6-3 win away to bottom of the table Meadow Lark. Netherton Sports and Social Club are fourth they missed the opportunity to go third, and are on the same thirty-six points as Gornal British Legion, but trail heavily on average after losing their latest fixture at home against Wheatsheaf 6-3.
———————————
The John Edwards Thursday Night League staged the preliminary round of their 301 Cup in which only two of the fixtures produced 6-3 results with the other five games all going down to the wire with 5-4 results. Chalking up the 6-3 wins were Tividale Sports and Island Inn who in turn accounted for Artisian Micro Bar and Navigation. The five 5-4 winners were Ivy Bush, Club ‘99’, Oldbury British Legion, Blackheath Liberal Club and Double Tops Micro Bar who all won at the expense of respective opponents Brandhall Labour Club, Geroge, Smethwick Cricket Club, Red Cow, and Whiteheath Tavern. Bostin Darts ‘A’ had a bye.
———————————
Leaders of the Black Country Ladies Super League, Allen’s Bar ‘A’ were held to a close 3-2 win by their second placed ‘B’ side to open up a four points gap between the two teams. Third in the league Allen’s Bar ‘C’ lost 4-1 to the ‘D’ side to put both teams now on the same thirty-nine points.
———————————
In the Black Country Men’s Super League, leaders Allen’s Bar ‘A’ have played twenty-seven games and have one hundred points, they have a lead of twelve over second placed Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club who have only played twenty-five games. Quarry Bank Liberal Club are third, they have played the same number of games as the Ex Serviceman’s Club and are just one single point behind them but nine to the good on fourth placed Townsend Social Club who like the leaders have played twenty-seven fixtures.
———————————
Newcomers to the West Midlands Men’s Super League, Carrington Club, are the early pacesetters in the league having won all three of their fixtures so far, the latest of which was a 3-2 home win over another new team to the league Samba Social. Dog and Patridge’s 3-2 home win over Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ puts them second in the league table with eleven points, just one short of the leaders as are third and fourth placed Kings Head and Staffordshire Knot, Kings Head winning their home game against Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ 3-2 while Staffirdshire Knot had a more comfortable 4-1 home win over Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club. Dog and Prtridge and Kings Head have alsowon all three of their fixtures.
———————————
With few games remaining now in the Silver End Sunday Morning League, leaders Old Star have one hand firmly on the winners silverware, their most recent 8-0 win at Pensnett Liberal Club ‘A’ keeping them six points to the good on their nearest rivals Dudley Sports ‘A’ who like the leaders won 8-0 in their home game with Pensnett Liberal Club ‘B’, not a good day for the Pensnett Clubs!!. Dudley Sports ‘A’ have a twelve points advantage over third placed High Acres ‘A’ after they won 6-2 at home against Roebuck, while fourth in the league Old Liberal Club are a further six points adrift but with a game in hand on the three teams above them.
———————————
A 6-3 home win over Railway Inn keeps Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ top of the Brierley Hill Monday Night League with a total of thirty-six points. They have a lead of two points over second and third placed Lamp Tavern and Raven, Lamp Tavern winning 6-3 at home against bottom of the table Tipton Sports and Social Club who are the only team in the league without a win in sixteen games. Raven were also 6-3 winners in their home fixture with Kingswinford British Legion. Fourth in the league table Bridge, once again were 6-3 winners, winning at home against Dudley Sports ‘B’ to put them on thirty-two points but from only eighteen games. They have two games in hand on all three teams above them and wins in those games would see them go level on points with leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’.
———————————
The Chop House charge continues in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, a 5-2 home win over Plough ‘B’ taking their points tally, at the top of the table to forty-six and gives them a six points breathing space over both third and fourth placed Hollybush, who won 4-3 at home against Swan and New Inns who had a 5-3 win away to Old Liberal Club ‘B’. Fourth placed Bird in Hand ‘E’ are two points behind Hollybush and New Inns after, on their home board, they beat Five Ways 5-2.
———————————
The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League have got their new season underway and getting the new season off to the best possible start were Cross who handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their visitors Bull and Bladder. Close behind Cross, with 6-1 results, were Bird in Hand, Netherton Conservative Club ‘A’ and Old Liberal Club who in turn accounted for Glasscutters ‘A’, Netherton Conservative Club ‘B’ and Glasscutters ‘B’. Other winners on opening day were Gornal British Legion, Raven, Five Ways, Fox Inn (Lye), Hinkford Arms, Queens Head (Wordsley) and Swan.
———————————
A 6-1 win over Trevor Cunningham followed by a 5-2 success against Sam Page has seen Nick Fullwell take over at the top of the Amblecote RBL Premier League with fifty-six points, one more than former league leader Jason Lowe whose 5-2 win against Chris Pickett and 6-1 win over Joe Woodhouse has put him on fifty-five points. League newcomer Spike Green continues to impress, a 4-3 win over Craig Slater and 5-2 success against Rhys Cox leaving him in third place with fifty-two points, just four short of Fullwell.
———————————
Game five in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League and Simon Pritchard and Michele Pritchard continue to lead the respective division one and division two tables. In division one Simon Pritchard won 6-2 against Kyle Szabo and then 7-1 against Christopher Jones to put him on fifty-two points from six games and although second placed Chris Manoila beat Kevin Bate 5-3 and has a game in hand on Pritchard he is seventeen points behind him. Third placed and reigning champion Scott Baker didn’t play this week, he has two games in hand on Pritchard and is nineteen points adrift.
In division two, Michele Pritchard didn’t play but her thirty-two points and average keep her top of the table, Wayne Barratt drawing level on points with Pritchard after finishing level at 4-4 with Stuart Davis however Michele Pritchard now has a game in hand on Barratt.
———————————
There is no change in the top seven places in the singles league of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League, Junction ‘B’ holding on to pole position with forty-eight points after adding their 5-2 home win over Pheasant which gives them a four points advanatge over second placed Dog and Partridge ‘B’ after they won 6-1 at Golden Lion ‘B’.
Golden Lion ‘A’ lead the way in the doubles league, taking their tally to thirty-eight points after suffering a 2-1 defeat away to Woodfield. The lead at the top of the table has now been reduced to just two points with Junction ‘B’, Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ and New Gate Inn all on thirty-six points.
———————————