With most teams having completed three quarters of the season in the Sheldon and District Winter League all three divisions are still too close to call. In the premier division leaders Crown at Shard End suffered a major blow to their title hopes when they lost 5-4 away to Sheldon Dukes, this was only Sheldon’s fourth win in fifteen games, the win lifting them off the foot of the table. Crown at Shard End hold on to pole position but are now only two points ahead of Crown at Olton who have a game in hand on them and won 6-3 away to middle of the table Mackadown Social.
Solihull Moors look comfortable at the top of division one with a six points lead over Highwood KB’s, however KB’s have two games in hand on their rivals. In division two Crown Arrows lead the way with 20 points but only on average from Highwood Arrows after Highwood Arrows, their closest rivals, beat them 5-4 in the latest fixture. Although both teams are now level on points Highwood have played one game more than Crown.
In the quarter finals of the Sheldon Shield winning through to the last four were Sheldon Marlborough Flights, Maggies, The Lyndon and The Pavillions, while in the Punchbowl making the semi finals were EBAHA, Crown at Olton, Castle Vale Residents and Iron Horse.
———————————
Division one of the Four Oaks and District League produced a top of the table clash between leaders Boldmere St Mikes and second placed The Beehive. Despite home advantage St Mikes went down 6-3, their first defeat in fourteen games, to leave them just two points to the good on Beehive who have played one game fewer. Golden Hind lost 6-3 to Plough and Arrows and with it any hope of finishing as runners up.
In the second division Bishop Vesey hammered The Park 9-0 and with a superior average are just two points behind leaders Golden Hind Arrows with only three more games to the end of the season.
———————————
The South Birmingham League played off their doubles knockout and from a starting 33 pairs winning the event were Ash Kavanagh and Dean Young who just got the 2-1 edge on Paul Bryant and Chris Cooke in the final.
Both of the semi finals went to the wire with 2-1 results, Kavanagh and Young beat Neil Parsonage and Anthony Savage while Bryant and Cooke took out Robbie Earl and Jason Evans.
(Left) – Paul Bryant (Runner Up), Sue Kingdon (Organiser) and Chris Cooke (Runner Up)
(Right) – Sue Kingdon (Organiser), Ash Kavanagh and Dean Young (Winners)
———————————
A 5-4 win over Riley’s Red Arrows has confirmed Olton Crown as champions of division one of the Forest of Arden Winter League. Journeys End who looked odds on to finish as runners up lost 5-4 away to Sheldon Marlborough Arrows and now have one game to play and it’s against third in the table Riley’s Red Arrows, the outcome of that game could well decide who finishes as runners up.
Highwood KB have won the division two title as Sheldon Marlborough Flights and Ivy Leaf are four points behind them.
———————————
Wins for the top eight teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League and big wins for the top three as leaders Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) win 9-0 at home to Garibaldi, second placed Ten Arches ‘A’ had an 8-1 win at The Fox (Lye) and third in the table Ashwood were 7-2 winners at home to Stourbridge RBL.
———————————
Hillyfields lost their second place in the Kings Norton League table and dropped to fifth when they were handed a 7-0 home defeat by leaders and champions Court Oak who have taken their unbeaten run to 27 games. Moving up from third and taking over from Hillyfields in second place is Stirchley United who won their home tie with Bulls Head 6-1 to give them 42 points, twelve less than Court Oak.
———————————
Week seven of the Shirley Red Lion Premier League saw Mick Bown lose his number one spot after going down 3-1 to middle of the table Andy Hoy, Bown recovered to beat Julian Harris 3-2 but his 35 points leave him two short of new leader Adam Stuart who won both of his games, 3-1 against Dave Hesketh followed by a 3-2 win over Brian Lawton. With 3-0 wins over Steve Thomas and Mark Cater, Ken Hopton has moved up four places to third in the table on 32 points just three behind Bown.
———————————
No change at the top of the Shirley and District Monday Night League as all of the top five teams won in week eight to keep Highwood two points ahead of the rest of the field in pole position.
Legion Royals were the only team in the bottom half of the table to chalk up a win this week a 6-3 success away to Blue Bell who are just two points to the good on bottom team Shirley Spartac.
Last Friday the league took on the Sports Argus Charity Team and although they lost 7-2 they raised a terrific amount of £200 which will go to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Shirley’s two winners were Tom McCabe who won 2-0 against Tom McGlone and Craig Clarke who beat Pat Sinnett 2-1.
———————————
A reminder that the Sheldon Marlborough Cricket Club will be the venue hosting the charity fixture between a Forest of Arden Select and the Sports Argus on Friday 18th March.
All proceeds will go to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital, for any further information contact Mrs Sue Kingdon on 07703-812332 or alternatively e-mail Sue on [email protected] or visit the league’s web site www.foadartsleague.co.uk
———————————
Court Oak kept not only their title hopes on course but also stretched their unbeaten run to twelve games in the Harborne and District League when they won 8-1 away to bottom of the table Avenue Social. The win maintains Court Oak’s two points lead over second placed Hillyfields ‘A’ who beat Sportsman 5-4, but Hillyfields ‘A’ have also played one game more than the leaders.
———————————
A 4-3 win over Chris Fox and a 6-1 success against Liam Baker has seen Mick Baker extend his lead at the top of the Winmau Centre Thursday Night Champions League to thirteen points. Former leader Kevin Harris holds on to second place even though after he won 4-3 against Robert Pierce he then lost by the same margin to Rob Harris.
With the fixture card getting ever closer to completion Mick Baker, apart from a major upset, does now look all set to become this season’s new champion for which he will collect the top prize of £300 plus a sponsorship deal with Winmau.
———————————
The Wednesbury and Darlaston Wednesday Night League staged their trebles knockout and taking the honours on the night were the Staffordshire Knot representative team of Mick James, Cav Timmins and Ryan O’Connor who defeated the Red Lion trio of Tom Hargroves, Kieron Stanford and Phil Sheargold in the final.
———————————
Dudley Sports ‘C’, reigning champions in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League have extended their lead at the top of the table to four points after winning 8-1 against Brickmakers Arms who drop from third to seventh in the table. Second placed Bridge were also losers going down 6-3 at home to Roebuck who move up three places to eighth. Four teams are on ten points, four fewer than the leaders, Bridge, Bulls Head (Netherton), Bell and Pensnett Liberal Club, the Bell having a game in hand on the other three and Dudley Sports ‘C’.
———————————
The top three teams in the Brierley Hill Friday Night League all played away and all won but despite winning 5-4 at Pensnett Welfare Club Miners (Wollescote) have lost their number one spot to Brickmakers Arms who handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their hosts Roebuck. Brickmakers are now on the same 20 points as Miners with a game in hand, third placed Netherton Cricket Club who won 8-1 away to The Bell are four points adrift of the leading duo.
———————————
A 9-0 win over Pip Club in division one of the Pip Club League keeps Prince of Wales in pole position but only by two legs of average over Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) who won 8-1 away to third in the table Birchmoor Club. The top two are now undefeated in nine games.
In division two Globe (Tamworth) remain the only unbeaten team in the division as they recorded a 10-8 win over Royal Oak which keeps them two points ahead of second placed Globe Trotters who were also 10-8 winners against Old Liberal.
———————————
Wins for the bottom three teams in the Rowley Monday Night League bottom of the table Yeltz Bar winning 6-3 away to Haden Cross ‘A, next to bottom Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’ won 5-4 against Haden Cross ‘Z’ and Roost had a 6-3 win at Britannia.
Springfield Social Club had a 7-2 win at Beech Tree to make it seven wins in as many games and keeps them two points ahead of The Bell whose 5-4 win over Ivy Bush ‘A’ takes them to a maximum twelve points from their six games played, third placed Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ were 6-3 winners at Bacaba.
———————————
A 5-2 home defeat by their nearest rivals Dewdrop in the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League has seen The Vine replaced in pole position by their opponents. Dewdrop’s unbeaten five games run has seen them open a two points lead over The Vine and Island Inn who had a close 4-3 home win over Jolly Collier to replace them in the number three spot.
———————————
It was cup week in the Cradley Tuesday Night League, first the Harry Siviter Memorial Cup which saw wins for Gate Hangs Well, White Horse, Members Club and Rose and Crown while in the Wally Fellows Memorial Cup progressing into the next round were White Swan, Netherton Sports and Social and Crown ‘A’.
———————————
It’s so close at the top of the Pensnett and Bromley Tuesday Night League that a 6-3 win for The Bridge was not enough to keep them in the top spot as second placed Samson and Lion, with a 7-0 win over Pensnett Liberal Club replaced them with a slightest of advantages just one leg of average.
After only five games the leading pair have already opened a four point’s lead over their nearest rivals Pensnett Welfare Club ‘A’, High Acres and Dudley Sports Club.
———————————
A 4-3 win at The Bell by White Horse has seen the two teams draw level on points and average to share second place in the Halesowen Monday Night Ladies League. Both Bell and White Horse are two points behind leaders Spring Meadow who had a 5-2 away win over Townsend ‘A’.
At the other end of the table Hare and Hounds moved off the foot with a 4-3 win over The Widders, replacing them in the bottom position is Townsend ‘A’.
———————————
Upsets at the top of the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League as Claregate lose the number one spot and drop to third following their 5-2 home defeat by Riley’s ‘B’ who go level on points and average with Claregate. The Bull lost 4-3 at home to Jack’s Bar and drop four places to sixth while Riley’s ‘A’ who were fourth jump up to the top of the table with a 6-1 win over Moreton, Whitmore Reans WMC join the leaders on eight points after their 4-3 win at Brewood British Legion.
———————————
The results from week eleven of the Tamworth League had no affect on the league table whatsoever, not one single movement in the table with Prince of Wales ‘A’ leading the field with 95 points their latest win being 6-1 against Wigginton Arms ‘A’ while Prince of Wales ‘B’ who are second and on 89 points had a 7-0 win away to Mile Oak Rovers.
———————————