Despite both having away fixtures in the BDO Inter County Championships it was a good weekend for local county teams Warwickshire and West Midlands as they both won.
Warwickshire in the premier division played away to Glamorgan but the weekend didn’t get off to the best of starts as in Saturday’s games the ladies finished all square at 3-3, Donna Pinch with an 18.70 average chalking up her second successive match award, while the men went down 7-5, Prakash Jiwa (29.63) their top player.
Sunday was a different story the ladies winning 4-2, their first win since the weekend of the 23/24 March 2013 when strangely the score then was 4-2 and they were again playing away to none other than Glamorgan, taking the lady of the match award on this occasion was Angela Jones with a superb 23.48 average.
Putting the final overall score to a winning 19-17 were the men’s ‘A’ team who recorded a 7-5 win Mark Westgarth recording his second award winning average of the season 29.91.
The win takes Warwickshire into fourth place in the table with 138 points just four short of third placed Essex who they play later this month.
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In division two West Midlands travelled to take on Northamptonshire, and with all four teams returning undefeated they won the tie 20-16 to ease their relegation fears and put them 22 points above the relegation zone with two to play.
Both of the ladies teams shared the points in what were 3-3 scorelines, Lisa Astbury (17.11) making it six match awards from seven games for the ‘A’ while Sarah Roberts (19.52) made it three in a row for the ‘B’.
The men’s ‘B’ team made it two wins in a row, an 8-4 result with Danny Coyle (27.00) their top player, Jonathan Platt (29.66) was the ‘A’ teams man of the match as they finished all square at 6-6.
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Week 18 produced some shock results in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League as the top two teams both lost, leaders Crown at Olton finished on the wrong side of a 5-4 scoreline away to fourth in the table Mackadown Social but hold on to pole position albeit on average only as The Lyndon have taken over second place from Crown at Shard End after beating them 6-3.
In division one Banbury Club won a vital away game against Castle Vale Stadium 6-3 to lead the division on 26 points from 15 games and leave their opponents in second place two points adrift with a game in hand.
Crown-Forget-Me-Not held on to their four points lead at the top of division two with a 5-4 win away to third in the table Sheldon Marlborough Flights, while second placed The Maggies won 5-4 at Ridgemere Social.
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With top of the table Spring Meadow having a bye this week in the Halesowen Monday Night Ladies League second in the table Park Lane Tavern took full advantage to reduce the arrears to just two points with a 4-3 win away to Black Horse who are fourth on six points. Haden Cross are third also with six points, their convincing 6-1 win at The Widders keeping them just ahead of Black Horse on average plus they have a game in hand.
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The Camp Hill League played their Singles Knockout down to the last eight players and making up the quarter finals are L.Barberan (Journeys End), P.Yardley, M.Hogan (Lions), R.Bailey (Wagon), M.Cooper (Cotterills Lane Club), C.Murphy, A.Humpage (Scruffy Ringers) and S.Edwards.
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Hilltop Friendly League had the quarter finals of their Black Country Windscreens Cup on their fixture card and winning their way through to the last four were Old Hop Pole, Jolly Collier, Merry-Go-Round and The Vine who in turn defeated Tipton Sports, Hayes Social, Ivy Bush and Dewdrop.
Just one rearranged league fixture was played which saw the two bottom teams play each other, Horsley Tavern losing their home tie with Island Inn 6-1, this being Island Pool’s first win in seven and leave Horsley still seeking their first points of the season.
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Roebuck have dropped from third to sixth in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League following their somewhat surprising 5-4 defeat away to Griffin who remain three places off the foot of the table.
At the top of the table Dudley Sports ‘C’ and Bridge ‘B’ are both on 20 points from eleven games the latest results seeing Dudley Sports ‘C’ winning 6-3 at home against Liberal Club to keep them in pole with the better average despite Bridge ‘B’ beating Brickmakers Arms 8-1.
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Miners (Wollescote) have taken over the number one spot in the Brierley Hill Friday Night League after winning 6-3 against former leaders Pensnett Welfare Club. Miners now have a two points lead on the Welfare Club and Roebuck who won their home tie with The Bridge 6-3.
Mitre moved off the bottom of the table with a 6-3 home win over Netherton Cricket Club who have dropped one place to sixth.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League fixtures brought together the two bottom teams this week and although bottom of the table White Swan had home board advantage they lost 6-3 to Pensnett Liberal Club to open up a gap of six points between the two teams.
At the top end of the table there were wins for the top four teams, fifth placed Bulls Head being the sole losers in the top six as they finished on the wrong side of an 8-1 result against second placed Netherton Sports and Social Club.
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It was knockout week for the Small Heath Darts League as they held their Captains & Secretaries and League Singles knockouts at the Emerald Club, first up was the Captains and Secretaries Knockout, the first semi saw Neil Parsonage defeat Rob McConnell to secure his place in the final. The second semi brought together Paul Webster and Derek Rivitt, both players produced steady darts, but in the end it was Derek who found the vital doubles for his final place.
In the final it was the better finishing power of Parsonage that earned him the title.
In the Singles Knockout it was that man Neil Parsonage who made the final once again this time to face up to Peter Yardley, the honours going to Neil as he secured yet another title to go with the countless ones he has already won.
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The South Birmingham League had semi finals on their agenda and in the Roy Parry Cup there were 5-4 wins for Crown at Shard End and St John’s at the expense of Crown-Forget-Me-Not and Toby Jug.
In the Roy Parry Consolation Cup Punchbowl handed out a 9-0 defeat to Banbury Club and Coleshill Social beat The Trident 6-3.
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The Pairs Cup finals were on the card for the Forest of Arden Winter League and in the semi’s Iron Horse won 8-4 against Chelmsley Town while Riley’s Red Arrows had a closer 8-7 win over Crown at Olton.
The final, with a 180 from R.Parry saw his team Iron Horse take the title with an 8-6 win over Riley’s Red Arrows.
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Jamie Hughes was in brilliant form as he won the Warwickshire playoff for the BDO Men’s Gold Cup. Jamie won through his first three rounds with straight 3-0 victories over Charlie Symons, Steve Ward and Mark Carter. In the semi finals he had a 3-2 victory over Rob Hawker with a superb average of 34.80.
From the other half of the draw Ian McFarlane emerged as Jamie’s final opponent after battling through his games against Antony Allen, Carl Green and then in the last four Adam Smith-Neale with a 29.95 average, all went to the final leg. The final was also a great battle with all the legs going with the darts Jamie the eventual 3-2 winner.
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Congratulations also go to Warwickshire’s Trina Gulliver who won the Lincolnshire Ladies Open, she had a tough semi final encounter with Cambridgeshire’s Amanda Abbott which went to the wire, Trina starting the final leg with a 180 before finishing brilliantly on a 152, she then faced West Midlands Sarah Roberts in the final who had earlier taken out Cambridgeshire’s Claire Ball. The final despite some high scoring from Sarah went to Trina with a straight 4-0 scoreline to give Trina a winning average of 26.72.
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Former Warwickshire player Graham Hall was the winner of the Bishopsgate Easter Bash with a final victory over West Midlands man Nick Fullwell a climax in what was a great day of darts even though the number of entries were a very disappointing 35 players.
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Abbey lost an important game in the Harborne League this week, losing their number one spot after going down 6-3 at home to West Heath Snooker Club who have replaced them at the top with a two point’s advantage. Hillyfields ‘A and Court Oak are now on the same ten points as Abbey.
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Wins for the top two teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League, leaders Ashwood beating Shrubbery Cottage 8-1 and second placed Tenth Lock having a 6-3 win over Quarry Bank Conservative Club. Not such good news for third placed Britannia as they lost their home tie with seventh in the table Bird (Wordsley) 6-3.
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White Horse with a convincing 8-1 result over Chop House took their unbeaten run in the Cradley Tuesday Night League to ten games. Crown ‘A’ kept the pressure on the leaders and remain just two points behind with a 6-3 win against Netherton Sports and Social ‘B’.
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Prince of Wales and Tamworth Motor Spares swapped places in division one of the Pip Club League when the former beat their visitors 5-3 to take over the number three spot.
In the second division J W Belgrave kept their push for the title going with a 10-6 home win over Old Liberal and now have a six points lead plus a game in hand on their nearest rivals Pip Club.
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Members Club ‘A’ suffered their first defeat in seven in the Halesowen Friday Night League this week losing 4-3 at home to The Vine who are fourth in the table and although six points adrift have two games in hand.
Third placed Townsend also lost ground as they were beaten 5-2 at home by Hare and Hounds and are now four points off the top.
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Three teams are on ten points at the top of division one of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League, ECC, Wednesfield FC and Otter and Vixen, however Wednesfield FC are the only team in the division with a 100% win record they have only played five games compared to the other two having played six.
In division two Pheasant took their undefeated run to six games with a 5-2 win at Red Lion, Boat ‘B’ dropped two places to fourth after going down 5-2 at Old Stags Head who move up one place to sixth.
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Could be a close finish to the Aston League despite current leaders Sportsmans Rest having a four points lead on second placed Red Lion as Sportsmans have played 14 and Red Lion 13, also third placed Kingstanding Ex Serviceman’s come into contention as they are six off the top but have two games in hand.
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Riley’s ‘A’ have opened up a two points lead in the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League after beating Village Inn 5-2 and Riley’s ‘B’ who were in outright second place lost 4-3 at The Bull and now share joint second with Otter and Vixen who had a 5-2 win at Whitmore Reans WMC, Village Inn have the same 12 points as Otter and Riley’s ‘B.
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A final reminder that Riley’s, Hobs Moat Road, Solihull will be staging an Open Youth Darts Knockout on this coming Sunday all entrants male or female must be under 21, 17 or 14 as at 1st January 2015. There will be singles, doubles and time permitting other competitions, there is a guaranteed prize fund of £100 plus all monies in will be paid out.
Entry to the singles will be £3 and the doubles £6 with registration by 11.00am, match play commencing at midday, for any further information contact Sue Kingdon at [email protected] or [email protected]
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