It was cup semi-finals week in the Sutton and District League, first the Coronation Shield in which Pint Pot Flights, who are placed fifth in division two, beat Old Horns Lions, who are second in division one, 9-6 at Rosey Mac’s. The second semi-final was played at St Thomas Club and was an all-division one affair, fifth in the division Erdington Arrows winning 8-7 against fourth placed Bishop Vesey.
Three of the last four teams in the Norman Day Cup hailed from division one, Plough and Arrows the only exception as they play in division two, they were taken out with a close 8-7 result by division one leaders Highcroft Hotdogs. Joining Hotdogs in the final will be Charley’s Flights who again had a close 8-7 result against Old Oscott Arrows.
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With no result for Highwood in the Premier League of the Sheldon and District Winter League, they drop from top to third place with twenty-four points from fifteen games. Taking over in pole position is Langley Arrows, their 6-3 win at Kingshurst Labour Club putting them on twenty-four points but from fourteen games. Second in the division Sheldon Marlborough Arrows are also on twenty-four points and again from fourteen games but trailing Langley by seven legs of average after having a bye in the latest round of fixtures. With the top two teams having two more games to play and third placed Highwood one, the title could go to any one of the top three teams.
Only one maximum scored this week in the Premier League and that came from Owyn Jackson (Brian’s Flights).
The top two teams in division one squared-up to each other this week, Banbury Club travelling to take on RAFA Arrows. The result was a 5-4 win for the home side RAFA Arrows to see them open up a four point’s lead on their second placed opponents. Third in the division Sheldon Marlborough Ridge won their home tie with Yardley Ex Colts 8-1 to leave them two points behind Banbury and six adrift of RAFA, but they have played one fixture fewer than both of the top two sides.
Two players found the three treble twenties in the division, Jordan Grainger (Raven) and Preston Cupkovic (Trident Spears).
In division two Langley Pints already have one hand on the winner’s silverware, their fixture with Maggies was postponed but despite that they have a two games in hand and a four points lead on second placed Hollywood Social Club after they won 7-2 at home over Shirley Misfits, and a six points lead on third placed Maggies who have a game in hand on Langley Pints and three in hand on Hollywood Social Club.
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The Kings Norton League are up to game seventeen and leaders Northfield made it a straight seventeen wins when they won their home game against Stirchley 5-2. Second in the league Greenlands were also 5-2 winners at home against Perection to leave them six points short of Northfield with a game in hand and four ahead of third placed Bourneville after their close 4-3 win at Dingle. Fourth in the league Bournebrook are a further four points behind on twenty points.
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Leader of the Heartlands Sugardarts M&E Co Double Top League, John Frost suffered a set-back in his opening game of week twelve as he finished on the wrong side of the 2-1 result with John Yates, however he was quick to respond and then won by the same 2-1 margin against Ryan Cain to keep him top of the table with fifty-four points from twenty-three games. Second in the league Steve Cain only played the one fixture in which he beat Emma Cain 2-1 to put him on fifty-one points from twenty games, three points short of Frost but from three games fewer. Third placed Ryan Cain is also on fifty-one points but from twenty-two games after he won 3-0 against Sophie Cain in which he hit a maximum before losing to John Frost. John Burdett makes up the top five places, he had mixed fortunes on the night losing his first game against Stuart Bloomer 2-1 but then recording two straight 3-0 wins over Sue John and Dylan Bloomer to give him a total of fifty ponts from twenty-three games.
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Game eleven results in the South West Birmingham Clubs League had no effect on either division one or division two, Northfield Darts Club holding on to leadership of division one with a 5-3 win at third placed Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ to put them on seventeen points, five more than their nearest rivals Stirchley United who were held to a 4-4 draw at Bournbrook. Although five points off the top Stirchley have two games in hand on the leaders. Northfield Conservative Club ’B’ remain third on eleven points from nine games, one more than Stirchley and one fewer than Northfield Darts Club.
A 7-1 home win over Longbridge Arrows keeps Wet heath CEM top of division two but only by one point as second placed E57’s 4-4 draw at home with Cue Club gave them a total of fifteen points. Third and fourth placed Kings Norton Arrows and Bartley Green FC are both on thirteen points, the former having played eleven games and the latter ten. The two teams met each other this week, the 5-3 result going to Bartley Green FC.
In the division one pre-match doubles table Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club top the table with 113 points and have a lead of three points over second placed Northfield Darts Club who have played one fixture more than the leaders. Third placed Stirchley United have only played eight games and are on eighty-nine points.
Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’ top the division two pre-match doubles table with ninety-four points from eleven games, their nearest threat coming from West Heath CEM who have played ten games and are twelve points off the top.
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Leaders of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, Chop House, suffered only their third defeat in thirty games when they went down 5-2 away to fourth in the league Old Liberal Club ‘A’. Despite the defeat, Chop House are now champions as this was the last game of the season and they finished four points ahead of runners-up Hollybush who won their away game at Plough ‘B’ 6-1 to see them finish two points to the good on third in the table New Inns who had a 5-2 success playing at sixth in the league Stourbridge FC ‘A’. At the other end of the table there were final defeats for the bottom six teams with the bottom two Stourbridge FC ‘B’ and Plough ‘B’ both going down 6-1 to respective opponents Raven and Hollybush.
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Quarry Bank Liberal Club’s push for the title in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League:continues as they added a further 7-2 win at New Inn to their tally to give them a total of fifty-eight points and a lead of four over second placed Red Cow ‘1’ who went one better by handing out a 9-0 whitewash to their visiting team Cabin ‘1’ to remain six points ahead of third in the league Gornal British Legion after they also won 9-0 in their home game with bottom of the table Red Lion.
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In the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League, leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ had a vital 5-4 win away to Old Liberal Club to make it eleven straight wins which gives them a six points lead on second in the table, Rose and Crown Wordsley, Old Liberal Club losing out on the number two spot after their defat and dropping one place to third on twenty-four points, however both Rose and Crown, Wordsley and Old Liberal Club have two games in hand on Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club.
Four players found the three treble twenties this week, Matt Hall (Haden Cross), Dave Edwards (Rose and Crown, Wordsley), Jeff Batham (Old Liberal Club) and Colin Brown (Bulls Head). Steve Tipper (Bulls Head) had a 160 break.
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Week twenty-three was a bad week for former leader of the West Midlands Ladies Super League, Jacqueline Maiden as she began the night with a 3-0 defeat to Gemma Barrett and then lost 3-2 to Shellbie Guest. Maiden holds on to second place but is now nine points behind leader Evonne Taylor with just one game in hand and only four ahead of third placed Hannah Davies, but she has played two games more than Maiden. Gemma Barrett is in fourth place on ninety-eight points, just two short of Davies but with two games in hand.
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A 4-1 home win over Gate Inn was not enough for Dog and Partridge to hold on to outright leadership of the West Midlands Men’s Super League as Staffordshire Knot handed out a 5-0 whitewash to their visitors Landywood to put them on the same fifty-one points as Dog and Partridge and from the same eleven games. Kings Head are third, two points adrift of the two teams above them after they won their home tie with Carrington Club 5-0 to give them an eight points breathing space on fourth in the league Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club after they had a narrow 3-2 home win over Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League staged the quarter-finals of their 501 Cup and the biggest shock of the round was the win by thirteenth in the league, Dog and Partridge A’ who beat third placed Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’. League leaders Junction ‘B’ won against Woodfield who are ten places below them in the league table while second placed Dog and Partridge ‘B’ beat Three Crowns who are tenth in the league. Joining Dog and Partridge ‘A’, Junction ‘B’ and Dog and Partridge ‘B’ on finals night will be Junction ‘A’ who beat their fourth placed opponents Ashmorer, who are two places above them
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