Local counties go into the penultimate fixture of the season in the Riley’s BDO Inter County Championships this coming weekend Warwickshire will be looking to consolidate their third place in the premier division, while in division two West Midlands will be hoping to close the gap on their promotion rivals and move up the table from their current fourth place.
Warwickshire play their final home game of the season against Essex, who are just below them and only four points behind, so it will be a must win game if the hosts wish to hold on to their third place.
Lining up for Warwickshire will be, Men’s ‘A’:- Jamie Atkins, Richard Foster, Tom Aldridge, Mark Carter, Noel Grant, Steve Hine, Dean Stewart, Kevin Dowling, Jamie Hughes, Dave Harris, Nigel Heydon, Mark Westgarth, Men’s ‘B’:- Antony Allen, Dane Vickers, Luke Kennedy, Mark Strong, Will Naylor, Tom McGlone, Simon Power, Mark Archer, Carl Green, Dave Sanders, Ian McFarlane, Ashley Hykin, Reserves:- Paul Deslandes, Rob Hawker, Steve Giddings, Jimmy Hill, Matt Edgar, Women’s ‘A’:- Trina Gulliver, Kat Spanswick, Angela Jones, Denise Keyte, Wendy Adams, Donna Pinch, Women’s ‘B’:- Melanie Hill, Lisa Whitmore, Anne Rodgers, Louise Graham, Marian Conway, Edwina Holdsworth, Reserves:- Natalie Gilbert, Sue Gulliver, Nina Bolt.
West Midlands will be travelling down to Swindon to take on the local county Wiltshire. Although West Midlands are 33 points to the good on their hosts it will not be an easy game as the home side are in a relegation battle and are just one point ahead on next to bottom Leicestershire.
Lining up for the West Midlands will be, Men’s ‘A’:- Gavin Baker, Mick Baker, Shaun Carroll, Danny Coyle, Ian Jones, John Platt, Richard Platt, Neil Pointon, Paul Price, Mark Rollinson, Ian Stanton, Peter Wyse, Men’s ‘B’:- Martin Angell, Mark Craddock, Glen Cullen, Nick Fullwell, Karl Hughes, John Mycock, Dean Nicholls, Avtar Singh, Jordan Singh, Rob Thompson, Mark Watkiss, Gary Watts, Reserves:- Adam Johnson, Simon Meredith, Jamie Barrowman, Women’s ‘A’:- Sarah Roberts, Lisa Astbury, Diane Tolley, Jackie Crew, Kath Jenkins, Heather Wright, Women’s ‘B’:- Kim Fellows, Gemma Barrett, Lisa Maiden, Sam Maiden, Claire Hobbs, Jackie Maiden, Reserves:- Doreen Kaye, Jacqui Simmons.
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The top two teams in division one of the Sheldon and District Winter League, Raven and EBAHA squared up to each other in week 20, the result was an emphatic 8-1 victory for Raven to put them ten points ahead of their rivals and the title almost certainly guaranteed.
The division two title is still undecided as leaders Crown Arrows won 7-2 at Meadway Sports and Social to give them 36 points and second placed Baldwin Bears had a massive 9-0 home win over Small Heath Amateur Gardeners to put them on 32 points. So with two games to go four points separate the two teams and it would take extra ordinary for Crown Arrows not to lift the silverware.
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The Cradley Tuesday Night League had the preliminary round of their League Cup o the fixture card. Two games were played and saw The Gate (Colley Gate) win 5-4 against Wheatsheaf in a very closely fought match which went to the final game in which T.Nock (Wheatsheaf) had first throw at a finishing double, he narrowly missed out and allowed M.Roberts to check out on 74 to seal the win for The Gate.
The other game was not so close as The Gate (Darby End) beat Members Club 7-2.
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On the last night of the Four Oaks and District League’s season, the finals of the Individual Singles, Brian Goodman and Ken Rust Cups were played off. The Derek Masters Individual Singles was won by R. Hawker from Sutton Sports who convincingly beat M. Horacek of The Nomads 3-0. In the Brian Goodman Cup The Beehive met Sutton Sports. Sutton Sports dominated the match with only K. Reynolds from The Beehive able to take a game from the League Champions.
The highlight of the evening came in the last match the Ken Rust Cup. Drakes Drum took the first four games from Bromford Lions and needed just one more to secure the Cup. Bromford Lions however were not ready to concede and took the fifth game 2-0. This was the start of a monumental fight back, every one of the remaining games was won in the final leg, Bromford Lions taking the last four games to turn a 4-0 deficit into a 5-4 win.
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The League Cup semi finals were the order of the day for the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League. Played on a two leg basis the first round games saw The Bell go down 4-3 to The Swan (Brettell Lane) and Rose and Crown lose 5-2 to Ten Arches ‘A’.
In the second leg The Bell reversed the earlier result beating The Swan 4-3 to take the game to a play off, which The Swan won 2-1.
The other second leg game once again saw Ten Arches ‘A’ beat Rose and Crown 5-2 to go through with a 10-4 aggregate.
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The Forest of Arden Winter League played off their Presidents and Consolation Cup’s. The final of the Presidents Cup saw Highwood ‘A’ beat Sheldon Flights, while in the final of the Consolation Cup Olton Crown defeated Highwood Exiles to claim the crown.
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Big wins for the top two teams in the Stourbridge Monday Night League as leaders High Acres won 7-2 at home to Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) and second placed Brickmakers went one better to beat Gigmill ‘A’ 8-1, to leave them two points off the top.
Third placed Ten Arches suffered a shock 6-3 home defeat at the hands of the Bird (Wordesley), who are eighth in the table. Ten Arches are now six points behind High Acres.
Plough maintained their push for the shadow league title with an 8-1 win at Queens, but despite the big win are only one leg of average above Bird ‘B’ (Stourbridge)who also won 8-1 against Crestwood Beauties.
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Third place in the table was not the place to be in the latest Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League fixtures as in division one Oxbarn lost their home tie with fourth in the table Victoria and in division two Boat ‘A’ went down 4-3 away to sixth placed Castle and as a result drop two places to fifth.
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Allens Sports Bar were the only losers in the top five teams in the Rowley Monday Night League this week, playing at home against third placed Ivy Bush ‘Z’ they lost 5-4 and move down one place to sixth.
Leaders Crown kept the momentum going, a 6-3 home win over Whiteheath Tavern making it 13 consecutive wins, but still only giving them a two point’s lead over Springfield Social Club, who won 5-4 at home to York Road Sports and Social and Ivy Bush ‘Z’.
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A gap is now opening between the top two teams and the rest of the field in the Camp Hill League. Cotterills Lane Club lead on 18 points following their 5-2 win against Scruffy Ringers and second in the table Gulp Tribe’s 7-0 success over Station Hotel gives them a total points of 16, then there is a four points gap to third in the table Bordesley Labour Club.
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An 8-1 win over Farthings as seen Riley’s Kings take over pole position in division one of the South Birmingham League. They now lead second placed The Crown by two points, however The Crown have a game in hand plus a superior average.
In division two kept their eight points advantage intact with a 6-3 win at Smithswood Social, second in the table Iron Horse won 8-1 against bottom of the table Kingfisher.
There were two 180’s in the league this week, supplied by C.Betteridge (Riley’s Kings) and J.Lacey (Iron Horse).
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Emerald Club lost their number two spot in the Small Heath League when they suffered a narrow 5-4 defeat away to league leaders Gulp Tribe, who now have a perfect 14 points from seven games and Emerald Club, on 8 points drop to fourth.
Shannon’s 6-3 win at Clock Inn takes them up into second place on 10 points, above Westminster Lions on average only as they beat Emerald Club Flights 7-2.
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Congratulations to Ian Turner and Kev Clubley (Dolphin), who with a final win over Terry Stubbs and Nat Bailey (Bull, Two Gates) lifted the Pip Club League’s doubles title.
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Just one positional change in the Tamworth League this week, which sees Wigginton move off the bottom to be replaced by Sports Bar after Wigginton beat Sports Bar 4-3, only their third win in 17 games.
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