2008-05-01

A defeat against their nearest rivals, knocked off pole position, just how damaging will West Midlands loss away to Derbyshire prove to be at the end of the season, especially when they complete their campaign with another tough game against third in the promotion table Norfolk. Perhaps home advantage will prove to be the deciding factor, let’s hope so.
The weekend got off to a good start as the ladies ‘B’ stormed into a 3-0 lead thanks to wins from Claire Ford, Sarah Robbins (Lady of the match 18.70) and Lisa Astbury, who in turn defeated Lesley All, Ann Birkin and Dee Fenn. Elaine Marshal with a 3-1 win over Jayne Stubbs reduced the deficit for the hosts only to see Chris Banks and Kim Fellows chalk up 3-0 wins over respective opponents Sharon Winfield and Rahael Ellis to give the West Midlands a convincing 5-1 win.
The first five games of the men’s ‘B’ match went against the darts advantage. Anthony Palfreyman was Derbyshire’s first winner, a 3-1 success over Mick James. Mark Lloyd replied for the West Midlands with a 3-2 win against Neil Parkin. The hosts went ahead again this time thanks to another 3-1 win supplied by Andy Gillott against opponent Nicky Bache. Once again the West Midlands drew level and it was Paul Price who made it 2-2 with his 3-1 success over Gary Barker. The sequence continued into game five when Steve Rogers twice came from behind against Jack Routledge to win 3-2 and going into the break Mick Chapman broke the run when he beat Robert Carr 3-1 to give the home team a 4-2 lead.
Viv Gould (West Midlands) lost the first leg of the second half to Robert Needan, but fought back to earn a 3-1 win. Gould’s team mate Chris Jones was not so fortunate as he lost out to Alan Evans 3-1. With the score at 5-3 to Derbyshire Richard Foster pulled out a man of the match performance against John Hendy. Foster won in three straight legs recording a 25.47 average. Carl Frith restored the home teams two games advantage again when he beat Eddie Price 3-2 after Price had twice reduced the game to level terms.
At 6-4 Derbyshire were guaranteed at the worst a share of the points, but a 3-1 win over Greg Parkes by Paul Preston ensured them of the win. The final game was a close affair with Tim Daniels (Derbyshire) twice taking the lead against Colin Wood, however Wood stood firm and went on to win the fifth leg and the game 3-2 putting the result at 7-5 to the hosts.
Unlike their ‘B’ side the ladies ‘A’ did not get the best of starts and it must be said the best of results. Tracey Johnson, despite losing the first leg to Claire Hobbs went on to win 3-1. Tracey’s team mate Rachel Bird took full advantage of Leanne Jennings’ missed doubles and won 3-0. Sara Jukes was West Midlands first and as it turned out their only winner. She went 2-0 up against Jane Densley, lost the third leg and won the fourth for a 3-1 win and, her 20.04 average giving he the match award.
Victoria Heathcote took the scoreline along to 3-1 with her straight 3-0 win against Kath Jenkins and although Diane Tolley twice fought back to level terms against Lorraine Farlam she eventually went down 3-2. The final game saw Joanne Oldershaw win the first leg against Julie Aston, Julie won the following two legs and Joanne bounced back to snatch a 3-2 win and give her side a 5-1 win.
The men’s ‘A’ now required a 7-5 win for just a share of the points, but with Derbyshire breathing heavily down their neck in the promotional table an overall win was what was required. The proceedings got underway with Mark Jones putting on a man of the match display. Mark went two up against Steve Pashley in 18 and 15 darts, Pashley then replied with 18 and 21 darts to square the match at 2-2. The deciding leg was another 18 darts leg for Jones as he checked out on 99 for his 3-2 victory. At number two for Derbyshire was Steve Soar who handed out a 3-1 defeat to Lol Frazer and levelled the game. West Midlands took the lead again when Chris Plumpton, after trailing 2-0 to Brian Startin stuck to his task and went on to win 3-2. The away teams lead was extended to 3-1 when Steve Farmer beat Simon Birkett 3-1, the home player once again the early leader as he won the opening leg.
The penultimate game of the first half saw West Midlands Ian Jones suffer a rare defeat. Jones won the first leg against Phil Henshaw in sixteen darts. Henshaw replied with a fifteen darts leg. Jones went ahead again with a magnificent TEN darts leg hitting 140, 180 and 131 and checked out on the bull. For a second time Henshaw levelled with another fifteen darts leg and then went on to win the decider, yet again in fifteen darts for a 3-2 victory. Rounding of the half Terry Birch (Derbyshire) took the first leg off Stuart Kendrick only to see Kendrick go on to win the tussle 3-1 and put the West Midlands into what appeared to be a commanding 4-2 lead. The second half was quick to prove that was not so. Jim Beardmore beat David Arnold in three straight legs, Dave Smith-Hayes recorded a 3-2 win over Peter Wyse and Richard Hanson won 3-1 against Martin Angell to reverse the advantage and give Derbyshire a 5-4 lead.
Game ten swung one way then the other as Mark Rollinson (West Midlands) went one up against Mick Haynes, but Haynes won the next two to go within one leg of victory. Rollinson won leg four to force the decider which proved to be a real nervous affair with both players struggling on their finishing doubles, but it was Rollinson who eventually got the vital double five for a 3-2 win and put the match dead level on five each.
Dean Allsopp kept Derbyshire’s hopes of a win on course when he defeated Jamie Hughes 3-1 and the win most certainly looked to be on the cards when anchor man Kenneth Smith opened up a 2-0 lead over Chris Hickman in the final game. However, the third leg saw Smith miss out on his win when he missed his finishing doubles after two visits to the oche and Hickman stepped in to reduce the arrears with a double ten checkout. Leg number four saw Smith left back on 100 when Hickman shot out on double twenty and in the final leg he found double twenty with his thirteenth dart to win 3-2 and earn a 6-6 draw for his team mates.
Unfortunately a draw was not enough for an overall win, the 19-17 scoreline went in favour of Derbyshire which took them back to pole position on 173 points and West Midlands dropped to second on 170 points. Close behind the West Midlands are their next opponents Norfolk who have 168 points and then Sussex on 165. It’s going to be a nail biting finish to the season.