After spending out over Christmas why not recoup some of those expenses by entering the Coventry Christmas Open which will be held at the Bishopsgate Club, Foleshill Road, Coventry, CV1 4LF on Saturday 27th December. Historically prize money has normally exceeded £750, so remember you have to be in it to win it!!
Registration for the pair’s event will close at 1.30pm and start at 2.00pm with an entry fee of £8 per pair. Registration for the singles competition will be accepted throughout the day with play commencing on the completion of the pairs knockout. Entry to the singles will cost £7 per player.
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With the very last leg of the final game Golden Hind Arrows beat Brookvale Social 5-4 to secure their first win in the six games played in division one of the Four Oaks and District League. Sutton Sports hold on the title slipped further away when their visitors Old Oscott Arrows won 5-4 to leave Sutton four points adrift of leaders The Beehive, who won their home tie with Red Lion 6-3.
Just one leg of average separates the top two teams in division two, Boldmere Sports, with 180’s from L.Barberan and C.Packer, just having the edge on Golden Hind, despite Boldmere only winning 5-4 against Plough and Arrows and Golden Hind having an 8-1 win at Pint Pot Flights, whose M.Mills hit a maximum.
In division three the top two teams both won 9-0, Anvil Nomads holding on to their two points advantage with a win over Bishop Vesey, while their nearest rivals The Fox defeated Boldmere Oak.
Other players finding the three treble twenties this week were R.Hawker (Sutton Sports), D.Watkins (Red Lion) A.Mountford (Old Oscott Arrows) and R.Stanton (The Fox).
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Saltley Amateur Gardeners, defending champions in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League are seeing this seasons title hopes gradually slip away, their latest fixture saw them lose 5-4 away to Old Bill and Bull, who together with Crown at Olton, (who won 6-3 at Willclare Sports and Social), are both just two points behind leaders Crown at Shard End with a game in hand.
With Banbury Club’s result not available at the time of print Castle Vale Stadium’s 7-2 win over Baldwin Bears takes them into pole position in division one, they lead Banbury on average both having played six games.
It was a good week for Langley Hall Sports and Social Flights in division two as they beat fourth placed Highwood Exiles ‘A’ 5-4 to record their first win of the season’s seven games, which takes them off the foot of the table.
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The League Cup was on the agenda for the Lye Ladies Wednesday Night League. Current league leaders Top Bell suffered a 4-3 defeat away to Park Lane Tavern, who are second in the table, two points behind Top Bell. Black Horse without a win in three games in the league won their tie with Bull and Bladder 5-2, the same margin by which Bulls Head defeated Netherton Sports and Social. Brickmakers Arms had a bye into the next round.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League staged the early rounds of their singles knockout and making the last eight were, J.Southall (Netherton Sports and Social), P.Tonks, D.Brown (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club), R.Smith, R.Harris, K.Chambers (Springfield Social Club), J.Batham, J.Gough (Rose and Crown).
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Just one rearranged fixture in the Camp Hill League which produced a surprising 4-3 defeat for leaders Scruffy Ringers going down at home to third in the table Gulp Tribe. Ringers are now on 20 points as are second placed Cotterills Lane Club, who have played one game less than the leaders.
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The Black Country Premier League have got their Vintage Gamer Trophy underway and leading group ‘A’ with a perfect four points from two games is Black Country Belters, however Hasbury Monks and Britannia Bulldogs have both played only one fixture and are both just two points adrift.
In group ‘B’ Blackheath Beechers with opening 12-0 and 12-1 wins over respective teams Park Lane Taverners and Team Bathams top the table, Gate R&R just one point behind them.
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The final of the Cradley Tuesday Night League’s singles knockout brought together two of the league’s top players, Jason Lowe (Crown’A’) and Nick Fullwell (Chainmakers ‘B’). In the first leg of the final Fullwell was unable to match the fire power of Lowe as he went 1-0 down, he scored well in the second leg hitting his fifth 180 of the night and but for a miss on double twenty could have forced a deciding leg, his miss however proving costly as Lowe checked out on double eighteen to seal a 2-0 win and the title.
In the semi finals Lowe beat Mick Roberts (Gate, Colley Gate) 2-0 and with a similar scoreline Fullwell took out Matt Tedstone (Crown ‘A’).
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Britannia lost their second spot in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League when they were surprisingly beaten 6-3 away to New Inns, who are eleventh in the table. With Britannia dropping to third taking over in second place and going two points ahead of Britannia is Ten Arches, who won 7-2 at The Cat (Wordsley). Leaders Ashwood took their unbeaten run to 15 games with a close but nevertheless winning 5-4 verdict at Bird ‘B’ (Stourbridge) to keep them two points ahead of the rest of the field.
The Fox (Lye) chalked up only their fourth win in fifteen when they won 8-1 at Crestwood, who are bottom of the table.
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In division two of the South Birmingham League The Trident opened up a four points lead between themselves in second place and third placed The Dog after beating them 5-4. Coleshill Social remain in the number one spot and two points ahead of The Trident after their 6-3 win at The Kingfisher.
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It was top versus bottom in the Small Heath League this week with leaders Gulp Tribe travelling to take on bottom of the table Clock Inn. As would be expected Gulp ran out the comfortable 7-2 winners to stay top of the table and leave Clock still seeking their first win of the campaign.
Second placed Wagon and Horses had a convincing 8-1 win at home to Cob’s Bar to leave them on the same 12 points as Gulp, trailing slightly on average, but having played one more game than their rivals.
After losing the opening four matches Warwick Arms made it two winsin a row when they beat their visitors Emerald Flights 6-3.
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Round one of the Pairs Cup was on the fixture card for the Forest of Arden Winter League and the biggest shock from the round was the 9-6 win by second division outfit Iron Horse over division one opponents Harvester.
Other teams winning through the first round were, Journeys End, Chelmsley Town, Olton Crown, Riley’s Red Arrows and Highwood ‘A’.
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R.Powers (Dudley Sports ‘B’) is the new holder of the Brierley Hill Friday Night League singles title. Powers beat Netherton Cricket Club representative C.Davies in the final.
Losing semi finalists were S.Bloomer (Bridge ‘A’) and B.Neale (Bulls Head, Netherton).
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Riley’s ‘C’ won the division one Riley’s Cup in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League beating Victoria in the final. The division two title went to Wednesfield Legion ‘A’, with Wednesfield Conservative Club runners up. Wednesfield Conservative Club had some consolation as they won the Knockout Cup beating Dog and Partridge in the final.
Otter and Vixen won the division one Knockout Cup, their final opponents were Riley’s ‘C’.
The singles knockout was won by Kev Jones (Ukrainian Club), with Dave Shinton (Victoria) runner up.
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With only a couple of fixtures remaining in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League, top of the table Blue Brick ‘C’ made it 40 wins from 42 games when they won 7-2 at The Swan. Second placed Dudley Sports ‘B’ also won 7-2 at home to Brickmakers, but are a massive 14 points behind the already acclaimed champions.
Bulls Head (Netherton) moved up into third place with a 5-4 win at Rose and Crown (Brierley Hill), who as a result drop one place to fourth.
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The Tamworth League played off the finals of their League Cup, in the last four Three Tuns ‘A’ (Fazeley) beat Sports Bar ‘180’ 4-2 and Fox and Dogs won 4-0-against Globe Inn.
The final was a 4-2 win for the league’s reigning champions Fox and Dogs, Three Tuns ‘A’; (Fazeley) having to settle for the runners up spot.
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Ten Arches ‘A’ lost for the first time in 19 games in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League when they went down 4-3 at home against Rose and Crown, who are sixth in the table and a massive sixteen points behind the leaders. Ashwood ‘A’ reduced the gap to four points between them and Ten Arches ‘A’ with a 5-2 home win over The Bell. Third placed Ashwood ‘B’ lost ground as they lost 4-3 away to fifth in the table Dudley Sports and are now six points off the top.
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The Pip Club League had the Challenge Cup on the agenda and in the division games there were wins for Tamworth Motor Spares, Wilnecote Club, Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) and Bull (Two Gates).
Going through I division two were Pip Club, Globe ‘A’, J W Belgrave and Progressive Club.
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Black Horse had a good 5-2 win at Park Lane Tavern in the Halesowen Ladies Monday Night League, while Haden Cross and The Gate both won 4-3 against respective opponents Spring Meadow and The Widders.
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