First game in the second half of the season in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League and Saltley Amateur Gardeners made it twelve straight wins with a 6-3 result at Kingshurst and District Labour Club. Saltley’s lead has now been extended to six points after second in the table Crown at Olton lost their home tie with ninth placed Sheldon Dukes 5-4. Crown at Olton hang on to second spot but now have to share the position with another Crown, Crown at Shard End, whose convincing 8-1 win at George V puts them lvel on both points and average with the Olton team.
At the other end of the table Banbury Club chalked up their second win in twelve a somewhat surprising 6-3 home success over Old Bill and Bull, who are fifth in the table.
In division one there were wins for the top two teams, however EBAHA, who beat Shard End Social 8-1 have gone clear leaders, but only on average from Raven, who had a closer 5-4 win against Crown-Forget-Me-not.
Division two leaders Crown Arrows were another team to win 8-1, their visitors being Shirley RBL Misfits. Second in the table Baldwin Bears remain four points adrift following their 6-3 win over Emerald Flights.
———————————
Three teams are on 14 points at the top of division one of the Four Oaks and District League, two of them The Nomads and Sutton Sports each had 6-3 wins against respective opponents Drakes Drum and Old Oscott WMC. The third of the three, Red Lion Flights, who beat The Greyhound 5-4, are currently in pole position with a slightly superior average however they have played one game more than their rivals and need to keep winning to stay in contention for the title.
The Beehive stay top of division two with a 5-4 win at Plough and Barrows, who are bottom of the table. Anvil Nomads won 6-3 at Bromford Lions to trail the leaders by two points, while Boldmere Sports suffered a setback to their title hopes losing 5-4 as hosts to The Fox, putting them four points behind the leaders in third place.
Bishop Vesey won 6-3 against Crown Warriors to top division three by virtue of a postponed fixture between previous leaders White Lion and Cross Keys Arrows. Bishop Vesey and White Lion are both on 16 points, the latter with a game in hand.
M.Ashton (Sutton Sports) and J.Frost (Bromford Lions) both hit a maximum this week.
———————————
The Aston League staged their annual singles knockout and had a fantastic turnout in excess of 80 players. The semi finals saw Rob Hawker, from the Riley’s beat Dean Bond (Red Lion) and from the other half of the draw Heartlands Will Naylor defeated Mark Birch (Riley’s).
The final produced some excellent darts with high scores and finishes, but it was Rob Hawker who ran out the 3-1 winner, with Will Naylor runner up.
———————————
Strangely this week in the Netherton Thursday Night League there were more winners from the bottom half of the table than there were in the top half. Biggest surprise from the top half was the 6-3 defeat of Prince of Wales by eighth in the table Bulls Head. Prince of Wales drop one place to third but level on the same 27 points with second placed Brickmakers Arms ‘A’, who had an 8-1 win at Fairfield.
Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club hold on to the number one spot with a 6-3 away win against fifth placed Springfield Social Club and now have a three points lead plus a game in hand on the rest of the field.
———————————
It was cup week in the South Birmingham League, first the Knockout Cup where the only shock of the round was the 6-3 win by second division’s Coleshill Social over their first division opponents The Farthings. Other winners from the round were Riley’s Kings, Mackadown Social and The Crown.
In the Jimmy Walker Cup The Trident, who are bottom of division two and without a win in seven games, beat Pavilions, who are next to bottom of division one 5-4. Also going through to the next round are The Dog, The Punch Bowl and Smithswood Social.
The league will be staging a charity night at the Forget-Me-Not, Tyburn Road, on April 11th with the proceeds being shared between The Children’s Hospital and Cancer Trust. The evening will consist of a Sportsman Management team of Jelle Klaasen, Kim Huybrechts, Ronnie Huybrechts and Stephen Bunting take on an MDA Promotions team of Daryl Gurney, Dean Winstanley, Stuart Kellet and Wes Newton.
Tickets will cost £5 each, to obtain tickets or for further information contact Sue Kingdon at [email protected]
———————————
The Cradley Tuesday Night League got their new season underway with the first round of the Harry Siviter Memorial Trophy playing with the new format of nine players per team as opposed to seven previously.
Biggest winners of the round were Chainmakers ‘B’ who handed out an 8-1 thrashing to Jays Bar. There were mixed fortunes for the two new teams as Members Club beat Hawne Lane Tavern 6-3 and Hasbury Inn lost by the same margin to Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’.
Joining Chainmakers ‘B’, Members Club and Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’ in the hat for the next round will be, Yeltz Bar, Gate (Darby End), Brickmakers, Chainmakers ‘A’, Crown ‘B’ and Gate (Colley Gate).
———————————
Week two in the Camp Hill League and Shaftmoor Lions have taken over pole position with a 6-1 win at Wagonners, Cotterills Lane Club are the only other team with a 100% win record after the first two games, their latest success being a 4-3 home win over Gulp Tribe. Reigning champions Scruffy Ringers had an early set back as they lost 5-2 at home to Bordesley Labour Club.
———————————
The Pip Club League staged a top of the table clash between leaders Bulls Head ‘A’ and Dolphin. There was no home advantage for Dolphin as they lost 9-7 to give Bulls Head 21 points, a clear three points more than Birchmoor Club, who have moved up from fourth to second place after Dolphin dropped to third. Birchmoor were also 9-7 winners at home to Pip Club.
Belgrave Club were also surprise losers, going down 10-6 at Wilnecote Club.
Bulls Head ‘A’ now lead the seeded division one table over Birchmoor, while Travellers, who won 9-7 at Bulls Head ‘B’ are top of division two, but only by one point over Two Gates Club.
———————————
The top two teams in division one of the Forest of Arden Winter League both won this week, leaders Highwood ‘A’ had a 6-3 home win over The Crane, while their nearest rivals Olton Crown recorded a massive 8-1 victory against the Harvester.
Chelmsley Town and Riley’s Wings are first and second respectively in division two and this week they played each other on Riley’s board. The result was a close 5-4 win for Chelmsley to open up a six points lead over Wings and Sheldon Flights, Flights winning 5-4 at home to Highwood Exiles.
———————————
Played ten won ten that’s the record for the Fox and Dogs in the Tamworth League their most recent win being 5-2 at Old Liberal House, who are third in the table, Old Liberal House were the only losers in the top five teams but hang on to third place, Dolphin ‘A’ are second and they beat Wigginton 5-2 leaving them eight points off the top. Forth in the table are Three Tuns, Fazeley, who were also 5-2 winners over Tam O’Shanter and making up the top five is Sports Bar ‘180’ with again a 5-2 win, their opponents being Mile Oak Rovers.
In the players league Martin Edwards (Fox and Dogs) was sole leader before the latest round of fixtures, after a defeat by Dave Jones (Old Liberal House) he has to now settle for joint leadership on 24 points with Paul Smallwood (Tam O’Shanter), but Edwards has played ten games to Smallwood’s nine.
———————————