A total of fourteen pairs turned out to do battle for Warwickshire’s play off for the Riley’s BDO Gold Cup. Taking the title were Rob Hawker of Castle Vale, who teamed up with Mike McFall of Sutton Sports. The duo beat Long Itchington pair Simon Power and Steve Ward in the final by a 4-2 margin.
Reigning champions Tommy Ryan and Antony Allen were seeking another Lakeside trip but their hopes were shattered when they were beaten 4-3 by Steve Giddings of Coventry Bishopsgate and Ian McFarlane from Sutton Sports.
Losing semi-finalists were Paul Deslandes and Dave Harris who lost out to Power and Ward, while Hawker and Mcfall defeated Leamington’s Mark Strong and Dave Sanders. The grand finals will be staged at Lakeside Country Club Frimley Green Surrey on 29th June.
———————————
Crown at Olton’s hopes of lifting the premier division title in the Sheldon and District Winter League took a jolt when they lost their home tie with fifth placed Highwood ‘A’ 5-4. As a result Crown drop two places in the table to fourth, they have now played one game more than leaders Saltley Amateur Gardeners and are four points behind them.
Saltley’s 7-2 home win over Raven keeps them two points ahead of both Crown at Shard End and Old Bill and Bull with just three fixtures remaining.
Shirley RBL Flights had a massive 8-1 win against Custard House in division one to give them 32 points, six more than second in the table Banbury Club, who won 7-2 at home to Yardley Arms, both teams have two remaining fixtures. Third placed Langley Hall Sports and Social can still mathematically overtake Shirley. Despite being six points behind they do have three matches to play, and Shirley have to play Banbury Flights in on of their final two games, it’s going to be a close finish.
One win from their final three games should be enough to give George V the division two title. They are currently on 32 points from 17 games, with Willclare Sports and Social second on 28 points having played the same number of games.
———————————
A 6-1 win away to their nearest rivals Scruffy Ringers stretched Midland Darts Centre’s unbeaten run to eleven games and extended their advantage at the top of the Camp Hill League to four points. Crown Arrows, Redhill Tavern and Devil’s Club all won 4-3 in turn against Custard House, Waggoners and Bordesley Labour Club.
———————————
The Four Oaks and District League staged the early rounds of their Derek Masters Individual Trophy at two venues, Riley’s Snooker Club and the Red Lion. At the former the final saw M.Archer (The Nomads) beat N.Gilbert (Pint Pot Flights) 2-0 after he had beaten M.Pearce (Drakes Drum) in the semi finals and L.Barberan (The Nomads) in the quarter finals, both with 2-0 scorelines.
At the Red Lion it was T.Frost, again from The Nomads who won through. Frost had a final victory over L.Harris (Sutton Sports).
On the night maximums were hit by L.Barberan, R.Liggins, M.Ashton (Sutton Sports), A.Day (Drakes Drum) and W.Taylor (The Heartlands).
———————————
With Belgrave Club having their fixture with Bulls Head (Polesworth) cancelled in the Pip Club League, Dolphin took advantage, winning 15-1 at Two Gates Club to take over pole position in the overall league table. However, they only have a point lead over Belgrave and a win in their outstanding game would see them return to the top.
———————————
Gulp Tribe march on in the Small Heath League, an 8-1 home win over Cobs Bar sees them hold on to their six points lead over Emerald Club. Emerald Club meanwhile had a vital 5-4 win away to third placed Wagon and Horses to open a six points advantage between the two teams.
At the other end of the table Custard House Flights moved off the foot of the table with a 6-3 win at Redhill Wanderers, Clock Inn, who lost 5-4 at Custard House drop into the bottom place.
———————————
Brickmakers made it ten wins in as many games in the Cradley Tuesday Night League when they won 5-2 at the Vine to keep them four points ahead of Quarry Bank Liberal Club, who also won 5-2 in their tie at Roost ‘A . Jay’s Bar take over third place following their 7-0 whitewash of Bulls Head, but remain six points off the top. Gate, Yeltz Bar, Victoria, Hawne Lane Tavern and Swan, like third placed Jays Bar are all on 14 points.
———————————
After a 6-1 win at Globe Inn, Three Horse Shoes have a huge 24 points lead at the top of the Tamworth League. Their lead being consolidated by the fact that their two nearest rivals Old Liberal House and Three Tuns, Fazeley, both lost this week. Old liberal House went down 5-2 away to fifth placed Anchor Inn, while Three Tuns played at home against sixth in the table Sports Bar and lost by the same 5-2 margin.
In the Players League, Paul Smallwood (Tam O’Shanter) leads the way on 33 points from 14 games, with Kev Lawrence (Three Horse Shoes) second with 27 points from 13 games. Mark DeLeon (Anchor Inn) and Trevor Barrs (Sports Bar ‘180’) are also on 27 points, but they have played 14 games.
———————————
The South Birmingham League staged their Divisional Cups. In the division one games Mackadown Social handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their opponents The Punchbowl in the semi finals and went on to win the final against The Crown 5-0. Crown had won by a close 5-4 in the semis against Raven Flights.
The division two cup was played down to the semi finals and the winners were Trident and Centurion who in turn won 5-3 against Toby Jug and Smithswood Social. The final will be played on 10th June.
———————————
Wolverhampton Sports Arena lost ground in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League division one title race when they were surprisingly beaten 4-3 at the Merry Boys, who are bottom of the table, this being their first win in six games. Sports Arena drop to second place and taking over in the top spot is Village ‘A’ who had a 4-3 home win over fifth in the table Wednesfield Legion ‘A’. Both Village and Sports Arena have 12 points, the former having the better average, Victoria and Otter and Vixen each have 10 points and in turn beat respective opponents Bushbury Arms and Penn Bowling 4-3.
In the second division top team Electric made it seven straight wins when they won 5-2 against Riley’s ‘A’, who drop two places to fourth, Bull take over second place on average as they have the same 10 points as Village ‘B’, Bradmore, Riley’s ‘A’ and Emerald.
———————————
The Tettenhall Wednesday night League had the first round of their cup this week and winning through to the next round were, Bushbury Arms ‘B’, Bushbury WMC, Bushbury Arms ‘A’, Moreton, Whitmore Reans WMC, Riley’s ‘B’, Royal Oak and Wednesfield FC.
———————————
With three games left to play Riley’s Flights have almost wrapped up the division one title in the Forest of Arden Winter League, they are four points clear of Olton Crown, who only have two fixtures remaining and in the penultimate one of the season the two teams play each other, which could easily decide where the title will eventually go.
In division two it’s still a two horse race between leaders Crown Arrows and The Crane, who are two points adrift. However, the odds are that Crown Arrows will lift the winner’s silverware.
———————————
The Netherton Thursday Night League staged their doubles knockout and winning the title with a final 2-1 win against W.Humphreys and R.Smith (Springfield Social)) were Dudley Ex-Serviceman’s duo P.O’Brien and R.Carr. Losing 2-1 to the winners in the last four play off were A.Turley and T.Stockton (Brickmakers ‘B’). The other losing semi finalists were S.Skidmore and M.Harper (Brickmakers ‘A’), who also lost by the odd leg.
———————————
Top played bottom in the Rowley Monday Night League, the outcome, a resounding 9-0 for leaders Bull Terrier over Moon Under Water. Second placed Rowley Golf Club kept the pressure on the leaders and stayed level on 20 points after a 5-4 home win against third placed Bell, who also have 20 points, but have played one game more than the two teams above them.
———————————