Warwickshire could not have ended the year on a better note as they completed their final 2014 premier division fixture in the BDO Inter County Championships with a win.
Playing at home against Lincolnshire the ladies ‘A’ finished all square at 3-3 with Trina Gulliver (23.12) winning her fourth lady of the match award for the season. The ladies ‘B’ lost 4-2, their top player being Wendy Adams (18.79), to make it three award’s from four games.
It was good news for the men as the ‘A’ team won 8-4 Mark Westgarth the man of the match with a great 30.36 average, while for the ‘B’ side Ashley Hykin took the award with a tremendous 31.81 average in the 7-5 victory.
The 20-16 win sees Warwickshire move up into fourth place in the table, the position they finished in last season, but they are close on the heels of third placed Essex, who are just two points ahead of them.
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It was not such a good end to the year for West Midlands in division two of the BDO inter County Championships as they lost their home tie with Berkshire by 19-17.
The only highlight of the weekend was the 7-5 win by the men’s ‘A’, with Sean Carroll (30.08) their award winner. The ‘B’ side who, are still seeking their first win made it three consecutive defeats as they finished on the wrong side of a 7-5 result, Paul Price being their top player with a 25.47 average.
Lisa Astbury (19.99) made it three out of three match awards for the ladies ‘A’ as they lost 4-2, while Christine Banks (19.78) recorded the same feat for the ‘B’ team as they finished all square at 3-3.
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The Beehive had their lead at the top of division one of the Four Oaks and District League reduced when for the first time in seven games they lost, playing away to third in the table Old Oscott Arrows they went down 5-4 after leading 4-2 and as a result have their lead at the top cut to just two points as reigning champions Sutton Sports close in on them with a 6-3 win at Brookvale Social.
Boldmere Sports have been ousted from pole position in division two. After taking a 4-3 lead at Golden Hind they went on to lose 5-4, their hosts taking over from them at the top of the table with a two points lead.
In division three it was top versus bottom as leaders Anvil Nomads returned from Boldmere Oak with a 7-2 result to take their 100% win record to six games.
J.Prince (The Beehive) hit his second 180 of the season and A.Gallett (Boldmere Sports) chalked up his first.
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Crown at Olton suffered their first defeat of the campaign in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League going down by a massive 8-1 at home to The Pirates, a surprising result as Crown are second in the table and Pirates are third from bottom. Crown at Olton are now level on 14 points with The Lyndon (formerly Old Bill and Bull), who won 6-3 at Willclare Sports and Social to leave both teams two points behind leaders Crown at Shard End.
A close 5-4 win against Baldwin Bears keeps Banbury Club in the number one spot in division two, but Castle Vale Stadium are hot on the heels, an 8-1 win at Marston Green Tavern keeping them within two points of the leaders with a game in hand.
Division three’s Crown-Forget-me-Not are the only team in the league with an unbeaten record, their latest fixture seeing them win 8-1 at home to Ridgemere Social to keep them four points ahead of second placed Maggies, who won their home tie with Emerald Flights 5-4.
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The Cradley Tuesday Night League staged two of their cup finals, the first being the Harry Siviter Memorial Cup which saw the Brickmakers Arms take on The Gate (Colley Gate). The Gate won all three of the doubles games but had finishing problems in the singles and eventually lost 6-3.
In the Wally Fellows Memorial Trophy A.Cowley (Crown ‘A’) narrowly missed a maximum 170 checkout as after scoring two treble twenties he hit the 25 for the bull and then lost his game, nevertheless his side still went on to win 5-4 against Jay’s Bar.
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The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League played off the finals of their doubles knockout and taking the title were Dave Lucas and Paul Bromley (Wednesfield Legion ‘A’) with a final 3-1 win over John Nixon and Dave Edwards form The Victoria.
The league are now looking forward to their 2015 season and are inviting all old and new teams to join them at their AGM on Tuesday 27th January at the Emerald Club, Cross Street, Wolverhampton, which will get underway at 8.00pm. Representatives should have a list of players ready for the meeting.
Anyone requiring any further information should contact Michele Pritchard on 07933-246173.
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A 6-2 home win over Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) has seen Birchmoor Club go from fourth to top of division one of the Pip Club League with nine points, Bulls Head ‘A’ dropping from pole to fourth place. Wilnecote Club are close behind with eight points after their convincing 7-1 win at Wigginton.
J W Belgrave lead division two, an 11-5 win over Gate (Amington) putting them two points ahead of second placed Pip Club, who beat Progressive Club 9-7.
Sports Bar ‘180’ dropped one place to third a 9-7 defeat at Old Liberal their second defeat in seven games, Old Liberal move up one place to fifth.
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Dolphin ‘A’ go from third to top of the Tamworth League following their 6-1 win away to bottom team Three Tuns ‘B’ (Fazeley) and the demise of former leaders Old Liberal House, who lost their home game with Three Tuns ‘A’ (Fazeley) 4-3. Reigning champions Fox and Dogs had a 5-3 win over Belgrave Club to leave them in second place with 42 points, the same as Old Liberal House and two less than Dolphin ‘A’.
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Spring Meadow lead the field in the Halesowen Ladies Monday Night League with 36 points, a clear eight points advantage over second in the table Haden Cross and third placed The Gate, the biggest battle being between the second and third teams for the runners up spot as Spring Meadow looks odds on for the title.
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There were two top of the table clashes in the Stourbridge Monday Night League, first leaders Ashwood played hosts to their nearest rivals Ten Arches and beat them 5-4 to open up a four points lead at the top. Fourth in the table Brickmakers played away to fifth placed Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) and returned with another close 5-4 victory, which sees the home side drop one place to sixth.
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Blue Brick ‘C’ made it 41 wins from 43 games when they beat fifth in the table High Acres 8-1 in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League. Second placed Dudley Sports ‘B’, who are sixteen points behind the league champions had a bye but with 66 points are confirmed as runners up as the following three teams, Rose and Crown (Brierley Hill), Bridge ‘B’ and Bulls Head (Netherton) are all six points behind them.
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Game of the week in the Small Heath League took place at Sheldon Marlborough Flights, who hosted league leaders Gulp Tribe. Gulp opened up what appeared to be a winning 4-0 lead, but somehow the home side managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat, win the final five games for a stunning 5-4 win and erase the Gulp’s unbeaten record.
Wagon and Horses took on bottom team Clock Inn and romped to a 7-2 win to put them level on points and average with Gulp as joint leaders.
Emerald Club were looking to maintain their challenge for the title but found their hosts Mitre too tough to handle and went down 5-4 to leave both teams two points behind the leading duo.
League newcomers Warwick Arms were hoping to continue their winning run at Cob’s Bar, but in a very tight game it came down to the last game, the home side coming out the 5-4 winners.
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There were 6-3 wins for the two top teams in division one of the Forest of Arden Winter League, leaders Olton Crown winning at Chelmsley Town and second placed Highwood ‘A’ won at Journeys End to keep them within two points of Olton.
A 5-4 win over Highwood ‘C’ has seen Iron Horse replace their opponents at the top of division two, both teams having 12 points but Highwood ‘C’ have played one game more than their rivals.
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Divisional Cups were on the agenda for the South Birmingham League, winning through in the division one games were, Mackadown Social, Crown-Forget-Me-Not and The Raven, while making their way into the next round in division two were, Coleshill Social, The Dog and Banbury Flights.
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Crown made it 31 perfect wins in the Rowley Monday Night League when they won 8-1 at Whiteheath Tavern to keep them four points ahead of Springfield Social Club, who won by the same margin at Little Beech.
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Cotterills Lane Club returned to the top of the Camp Hill League with a 6-1 win at bottom team Devil’s Club after former leaders Scruffy Ringers had a bye. Cotterills now have a two points advantage over Ringers.
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Top Bell, leaders of the Lye and District Ladies Wednesday Night League had a bye this week, but they hold on to the number one spot despite a 4-3 win by second placed Park Lane Tavern at Bull and Bladder. Third in the table Netherton Sports and Social won 5-2 at Black Horse to put the top three teams all on six points, Top Bell having played one game less than the other two.
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The Bulls Head lost ground in the Netherton Thursday Night League title race when they were beaten 5-4 in their game at the Brickmakers Arms, the result seeing them drop two places to fifth and their victors move up one to fourth. Both teams have 15 points, nine short of leaders Springfield Social Club who handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts White Swan, who are bottom of the table. Netherton Sports and Social trail Springfield on average only as their 7-2 win, over Pensnett and Bromley puts them on the same 24 points as the leaders.
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