2013-03-07 – Alan Towe Darts

County Durham v Derbyshire

In their latest division one fixture in the Riley’s BDO Inter County Championships, Derbyshire travelled north to take on County Durham. With both teams struggling for points this season and only one leg separating them at the wrong end of the table the outcome was vital to both teams.

Saturday was not a good day for the ladies despite lady of the match Nicky Fletcher (16.71) restoring parity with a 3-2 victory against Angela McDonald after her team mate Louise Rawson had lost the opener 3-1 to Sandra Cairns, the hosts then romped to a 5-1 result, further wins being added by Linda Ithuralde, Liz Tait, Karol Dagga and Kathleen Renwick.

Rick Gray kicked off for the men’s ‘B’ and sailed into a 2-0 lead, but although he was within an ace of victory he then lost his way on doubles and Paul Tennant put County Durham one up. Danny Thomas cancelled out the home teams lead with his 3-0 win over Darren Meldine only to see the home side go 3-1 up with wins from Paul Telford and Lee Wright.

With a 117 finish Frank Davis reduced the arrears when he beat Ian Adamson 3-2, but once again the home side opened up a two games lead when Stephen Hayers defeated Ian Hannah. Matt Padgett (Derbyshire) continued his recent fine form with a 3-2 win against Craig Anderson, the Ilkeston man fresh from a fantastic weekend at the UK Open claimed Derbyshire’s man of the match award with a great 29.33 average and in the process reduced the arrears to 4-3 to keep his team in the game.

The following two games both went the five legs distance, but unfortunately for the visitors it was Durham’s Raymond Foreman and Gerry Hall that got the verdict in turn against Andy Houghton and Tony Cresswell. Now at 6-3 down the away side required something of a minor miracle to get anything whatsoever out of the game, and that’s exactly what they got.

Brian Snell got the ball rolling with his 3-1 win over Chris Kitch, Rob Wood took his total to five straight wins when he added his 3-0 win over Chris Allen to the tally, leaving the result hinging on the final game between Gerald Grieve (County Durham) and John Clifford. The game once again went the full five legs but it was the away team’s John Clifford who won 3-2 to earn his team mates a hard fought 6-6 draw.

As per the previous day the ladies didn’t get the best of starts, Rachel Bird going down 3-0 to Kirsty Hutchinson. However, Joanne Oldershaw (21.47) quickly put last month’s rare defeat behind her and romped to a straight 3-0 win over Margaret Stewart, Joanne hitting the only ladies maximum of the weekend.

Dawn Buckley was making her 100^th appearance for Derbyshire and following her 3-1 defeat to Sharon Haywood announced her retirement from the playing side of the game to allow her more time to concentrate on the official / paperwork side for the county.

Steph Allerton (Derbyshire) found herself up against a very talented Jennifer Summerson who won 3-0 with a 23.48 average, the highest ladies average of the weekend. With the score at 3-1 to the home side Derbyshire needed to quickly pull something out of the hat to salvage anything at all from the game. That was exactly what they did as Jackie Sweet beat Allison Wells in a very close 3-2 game and to round off procedures Derbyshire, who appeared to have kept their best till last in the form of Jane Densley earned a share of the spoils when Jane beat Cheryl Adamson 3-1 to claim her second consecutive match award with a very creditable 21.88 average. The final score 3-3.

The men’s ‘A’ with three wins and only one defeat in the previous four outings this season had been in fine form but what happened in the first seven games was totally unexpected.

County Durham’s James Forster, Rob Douthwaite, David Gill, Stephen Annan, Keith Gowland, Stephen Knight and John Dowd all won against respective opponents Alan Evans, Reece Spurr, Adie Asprey, Daz Brown, another Derbyshire player making his 100^th appearance, Paul Bettney, Pete Slater and Nigel Daniels, to put the home team in an unassailable 7-0 lead.

Dave Smith-Hayes was the man who stopped the rot. Back from his weekend with Wales Smith-Hayes turned on a fantastic display hitting two maximums, recording two fourteen darts legs plus a fifteen darts leg in his 4-1 success over Paul Clark. Dave registered a brilliant 31.63 average to secure the visitors man of the match award.

As if inspired by Smith-Hayes performance, Derbyshire’s last four players, Gary Fenn, Aden Kirk, Phil Henshaw and Mel Hopkins in turn all won against David Brown, David Dodds, Kevin Naughton and Martin Farmer, Fenn won 4-1 the other three won 4-2 to finish the game with a more respective 7-5 defeat, and after trailing 7-0 that was a remarkable comeback.

The final overall result of the weekend was a 21-15 win for County Durham which now leaves Derbyshire in a very precarious position, next to bottom with 85 points, only four more than bottom team Staffordshire and more importantly nine behind County Durham the team directly above them. Nevertheless with four more fixtures to play there are still plenty of points up for grabs and there is still time for Derbyshire to pull away from the relegation zone.

Full Results:

Men’s ‘A’:-

James Forster 4 v 1 Alan Evans
Rob Douthwaite 4 v 3 Reece Spurr
David Gill 4 v 1 Adie Asprey
Stephen Annan 4 v 2 Daz Brown
Keith Gowland 4 v 1 Paul Bettney
Stephen Knight 4 v 3 Pete Slater
John Dowd 4 v 3 Nigel Daniels
Paul Clark 1 v 4 Dave Smith-Hayes
David Brown 1 v 4 Gary Fenn

David Dodds 2 v 4 Aden Kirk
Kevin Naughton 2 v 4 Phil Henshaw
Martin Farmer 2 v 4 Mel Hopkins

Men’s ‘B’:-

Paul Tennant 3 v 2 Rick Gray
Darren Meldine 0 v 3 Danny Thomas
Paul Telford 3 v 1 Doug Walker
Lee Wright 3 v 2 Daz Sullivan
Ian Adamson 2 v 3 Frank Davis
Stephen Hayers 3 v 1 Ian Hannah
Craig Anderson 2 v 3 Matt Padgett
Raymond Foreman 3 v 2 Andy Houghton
Gerry Hall 3 v 2 Tony Cresswell
Chris Kitch 1 v 3 Brian Snell
Chris Allan 0 v 3 Rob Wood
Gerald Grieve 2 v 3 John Clifford

Ladies ‘A’:-

Kirsty Hutchinson 3 v 0 Rachel Bird
Margaret Stewart 0 v 3 Jo Oldershaw
Sharon Haywood 3 v 1 Dawn Buckley
Jennifer Summerson 3 v 0 Steph Allerton
Allison Wells 2 v 3 Jackie Sweet
Cheryl Adamson 1 v 3 Jane Densley

Ladies ‘B’:-

2013-03-07