The Four Oaks and District League had the preliminary round of their Brian Goodman Cup on the agenda and there were comfortable 7-2 wins for first division sides The Fox Flights and The Nomads against respective division three opponents Bishop Vesey and Highcroft Dragons. Sutton Sports and Red Lion Flights, also from division one in turn beat division two teams Pint Pot Flights 7-2 and The Leopard 6-3. However, there was no joy for Boldmere Sports, another first division club, as they went out of the competition losing 6-2 to Bromford Club, from division three.
Drakes Drum sportingly waited until the last game for an absent player for their opponents The Heartlands, but with the match poised at 4-4 a reserve had to be nominated. Drakes Drum were rewarded for their sportsmanship with a 5-4 win. In the all Old Oscott tie it was WMC who got the 5-4 verdict over Arrows.
Other teams to progress into the next round were, Erdington Arrows, Plough and Barrows and Pint Pot Arrows.
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The Small Heath League staged their doubles knockout and attracted a total of sixteen pairs. Reigning champions Neil Parsonage and Ray Fisher were unable to retain the title as they went out in the quarter finals to Tony and Antony Daly.
The semi finals saw Nick Walker and Dave Heighway lose out to Clive Austin and Ian Jones, while last seasons runners up Peter Yardley and Peter Hopkins defeated the two Daley’s.
Yardley and Hopkins were determined not to emulate last seasons result and went all out for the win from the start and despite a spirited performance from Austin and Jones the title went to Yardley and Hopkins.
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This coming Saturday the Bishopsgate Club, Foleshill Road, Coventry, CV1 4LF will be the setting for the ever popular Coventry Open.
The men’s competition will carry a guaranteed £500 for the winner and depending on the number of entries, prizes down to the last sixteen players.
This year £100 has been set aside for a Ladies Open, which is subject to a minimum entry of sixteen players, the more entries the better the prize money.
The entry fee to each competition is £8.00 and anyone requiring any further information should contact Neil Pritchard on 07721-386908.
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After the first two weeks of the South Birmingham League Mackadown Social lead the field in division one, but only on average from Punch Bowl. Ravens Flights and Riley’s Kings are the only other teams in the division with a 100% win record, they have only played on fixture so far.
In the second division only two points of average separate the top four teams, in current league order they are The Centurion, Banbury Flights, Pavilions and Toby Jug, all four having played just one fixture.
Top individual performances this week came from L.O’Donnell (The Digby Hotel) with a 160 break and M.Cooper (The Crown Shard End) who had an eight darts game.
All second division secretaries should note that due to lack of players The Dog have dropped out of the league.
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With leaders Three Horse Shoes having a bye this week in the Tamworth League, second placed Three Tuns reduced the arrears with a convincing 6-1 win over bottom of the table Tam O’Shanter. However, Three Tuns are still one point behind Shoes and have now played one game more than them.
Boot Inn ‘B’ are in third spot on 28 points, six adrift of Three Tuns, but they have a game in hand and a win would see them take over second place.
In the players league Ash Bowyer (Wigginton) and Paul Smallwood (Tam O’Shanter) are both on a maximum 12 points from four games. Pete Cheneler (Mile Oak Rovers) is also on 12 points but has played five games.
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Saltley Amateur Gardeners have taken over pole position in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League after beating Kingshurst and District labour Club 8-1, Kingshurst have dropped from fourth to eighth in the table.
Riley’s Arrows lost the number one spot after losing 5-4 away to Highwood ‘A’ and Crown at Shard End have moved up to third following a 7-2 win at Old Bill and Bull.
Shirley RBL Flights are top of division one a 5-4 win at Sheldon Social maintaining their unbeaten run and in division two George V and Willclare Sports and Social are joint top of the division on 10 points, but third placed Small Heath Amateur Gardeners are only two points behind with two games in hand on both teams.
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For the first time this season Dolphin lost in division one of the Pip Club League. Playing away to bottom of the table Birchmoor Club, who prior to the game were without a win, they went down 9-7. Third placed Bulls Head (Polesworth) also lost for the first time, finishing on the wrong side of a 9-7 scoreline away to second placed Dosthill Club, in division two Pip Club chalked up their first win of the campaign, a 9-7 result at the Gate Inn.
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