West Midlands first fixture of the New Year in the Premier Division of the BDO Inter County Championships saw them slump to a 23-13 defeat away to reigning champions Yorkshire and yet the weekend got off to quite a good start as after the opening day’s play the overall score stood at 9-9.
The ladies ‘B’ team opened up a 2-0 lead thanks to wins from Heather Wright and lady of the match Sophie Singh (19.95) but then had to wait until the final game before securing their 3-3 draw when Jacqueline Maiden came from 2-0 down against Linda Moorhouse to fight back and win 3-2.
The men’s ‘B’ trailed 4-0, drew level at 4-4 went 6-4 down and with wins in the last two games from Owen Maiden and Avtar Singh earned a 6-6 draw. Jonathan Platt was their man of the match with a 4-2 win over Graham Elvidge and a 29.04 average.
Sunday was a different ball game completely as the ladies lost 4-2 with Sarah Roberts (21.78) their top player and the men suffered a huge 10-2 defeat with just Ian Jones and Gareth Watts recording wins. Ian Jones was man of the match as he beat Justin Hobson 4-0 with a magnificent 33.40 average including outshots of 98,121 and 110 and legs of 17,12,15 and 16 darts.
The overall result has left West Midlands with just one win in five games and lying just two places off the foot of the table with 79 points the same number as Essex just below them and only seven to the good on bottom of the table Cheshire who they take on at home next month.
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With Thomas Bent and Phil Thomas not playing in week ten of the Shirley Premier League Ken Hopton took the opportunity to return to the top of the table with a 4-0 win against Chris Thomas snr and although later he suffered a 3-1 defeat to Jordan Thomas his 57 points from 20 games was enough to give him pole position and a two points advantage over Mark Henderson who has moved up one place to second despite losing 3-1 to John Smyth and only drawing 2-2 with Lee Lattimer.
Former leader Bent has dropped to third in the table with 54 points from 18 games and in fourth place comes Phil Thomas who has played the same amount of games as Bent but trails him by just one point.
Mark Gwalchmai holds on to third place after winning 3-1 against Antony Daly to put him on 52 points from 19 games.
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C’s Top Guns took their unbeaten run in division one of the South Birmingham League to three games with a 6-3 result against The Punchbowl and are now the only team in the league’s two divisions with a 100% win record. Guns win keeps them top of the table on average from Coleshill Social who have played one game more than them. In the other division one fixture Banbury Arrows beat The Gate 7-2.
In division two leaders The Dog had a bye and moving to within two points of them with a game in hand is Toby Jug after their 5-4 win away to The Trident. It was a good week for C’s Flights as they chalked up their first win in four when they beat local rivals C’s Hot Shots 5-4.
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With Bob Nixon, leader of the C’s Club Double Top Wednesday Night League not playing in week 14 he lost his long standing position at the top of the table to Mitchell Mann who on the night recorded three wins beating Steve Sidwell 3-0, Phil Ashford 2-1 and Jack Sidwell 3-0 to put him on 69 points from 29 games with second placed Nixon six points behind with six games in hand.
Simon Edwards climb up the table continues as he added 3-0 wins over Frank Dixon, Gavin Davidson and Luke Beale to his account to take him up into third place on 60 points from 22 games, a 3-0 win in his game in hand would put him on level terms with Bob Nixon.
A 3-0 defeat and a 2-1 win against respective opponents Charlie Kingdon and Jamie Carter has seen Richard Mills lose his number three spot and drop to two places to fifth in the table on54 points.
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The Four Oaks and District Winter League have been involved in the second round of their Coronation Shield and Norman Day Cup. In the former Bishop Vesey opened up a 4-2 lead against their visitors The Fox but then only managed to win one more leg as they crashed out 10-5, A.Cooksey recording a 180 for the Fox. M.Wild hit his third maximum of the season for Boldmere St Mikes on their way to a 10-5 win over Oscott Sports and with yet another 10-5 result Golden Hind beat their hosts Drakes Drum in a game that produced no fewer than 40 three figure scores.
The Norman Day cup produced some nail biting finishes with none no closer than The Towers versus lad in the Lane. For the second week The Towers, who are without a win so far this season came within an ace of winning a match as they were beaten by Lad in the Lane who had to win the final leg of the match for a very close 8-7 victory. Old Oscott Arrows beat The Oscott Social 10-5 while Erdington Arrows opened up a 7-2 lead at St Thomas Arrows and went on to win 11-4. Third division’s The Digby took on second division side Boldmere Tap and in another tense finish took the final game 2-1 for an impressive 8-7 win.
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The results from week 25 of the Shirley and District Monday Night League did not alter the league table one iota, leaders Highwood handed out a 9-0 whitewash to their visiting team Saracens Misfits to keep intact their four points lead over second in the table The Wharf who were 7-2 winners in their tie with Sharmans Cross. Red Lion kept within two points of Wharf with a resounding 9-0 win over bottom of the table Shirley Spartac and with games now running out the title looks odds on to go to Highwood with the runners up spot contested by The Wharf and Red Lion.
In the big local derby Legionnaires stole the ninth game to edge a 5-4 win over an unlucky Legion Royals.
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The biggest winners in week 17 of the Small Heath League were second placed Heartlands Club who recorded a notable 8-1 home win over third in the table Sheldon Marlborough Arrows to open up a massive twelve points gap between the two teams. Although an impressive win Heartlands were unable to reduce the two points arrears on leaders East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association who took their undefeated run to fourteen games when they won 7-2 against bottom of the table Sheldon Marlborough Flights plus they have the added advantage of a game in hand on Heartlands.
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It’s week two of the Camp Hill League’s new season and only three of the starting line-up of ten teams are able to boast a 100% win record. Roost Rebels and Tyseley WMC Club are joint leaders level on points and average after both teams won 5-2 in turn against White Swan Nomads (reigning champions) and Sheldon Marlborough Flights. Sedgemere Devil’s Club are third just one leg of average short of the two teams above them following their 5-2 win over Station Wagon.
With the top three teams winning 5-2 a fourth team to win by the same margin was Wagon and Horse who beat visiting North Star, New Inn were the only side not to win 5-2 as they beat Emerald Club 4-3.
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There are still a dozen of the scheduled forty two fixtures to be played in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League and although leaders Brickmakers Arms have won all thirty played so far they still only have a slender two point’s lead at the top of the table.
In the latest round of games Brickmakers won 8-1 away to Old Cat (Wordsley) and second in the table Ten Arches ‘A’ went one better with a 9-0 home win over Stourbridge RBL but despite just the two point’s difference Brickmakers are way ahead on average.
After the leading duo there is a four points gap to third placed Ten Arches ‘B’ who won their game at Bird (Wordsley) 5-4.
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The Rowley Monday Night League has got its new season underway and the early pacesetters are last season’s winners and runners up George and Bell. So close was it last season that George only won the title by three legs of average as both teams finished on 56 points and this season could be another close affair as both teams secured 8-1 wins in their opening games George beating Three Diamonds and Bell accounting for Cradley Sports and Social.
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The Netherton Thursday Night League played the first leg in round one of their pre-season League Cup Knockout and with 7-2 results Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club and Bulls Head in turn defeated Saracens Head and Netherton Conservative Club. Riddins Tavern had a 6-3 win at White Horse and Townsend Social Club will be taking a 5-4 advantage over Fairfield into the second leg.
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The Brierley Hill Friday Night League staged the semi-finals of their 3 A-Side Knockout and making their way to the final with a 4-0 win over Miners (Wollescote) were Old Star, meeting them in the final will be Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ who beat Delph Bell 4-1, after winning the league title they will be looking to make it a fantastic double.
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6-1 wins for Ivy Bush and Merry-Go-Round over New Talbot and Hayes Social have kept the two winning teams level on points and average at the top of the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League after the first two games. Just two legs of average behind the top two teams are Miners Arms and The Vine who in turn won 4-3 against Dewdrop ‘A’ and 5-2 over Waggon and Horses.
After a bye in the first week reigning champions Tipton Sports come straight in at sixth in the table with a 6-1 win at Island Inn.
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A 7-2 win at The Plough has seen the Wheatsheaf emerge as the early leaders of the Cradley Tuesday Night League, two teams Malt Shovel and Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’ are close behind with their 6-3 wins in turn over Gate Hangs Well and Netherton Sports and Social ‘B’. Phil O’Brien (Wheatsheaf) got the season off in style with a maximum and a fourteen darts leg.
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After completing 22 games in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League only two points separate the top three teams. Swan hold on to pole position with a 6-1 win at Holly Bush ‘B’ and second placed Ashwood ‘A’ who are on the same 42 points as Swan beat Glasscutters 4-3. Third in the table Ashwood ‘B’ trail the top two by two points after their convincing 6-1 win at Wilson Hall. After the top three teams there is a huge ten point’s gap with Wombourne Cricket Club, Gate Hangs Well, Glasscutters and Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ all on 30 points.
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The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League played off the finals of their Knockout Cup and Knockout Trophy and taking the respective titles were Old Bulls Head and Red Cow.
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An 8-1 win over Limes Club has taken The Swan to the top of the Brierley Hill Monday Night League table in the opening game of the season. Other teams to kick off the season with a win were Delph Bell, High Oak, Rose and Crown, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’, Dudley Sports ‘A’, Mount Pleasant, Roebuck and Wombourne Pool Bar.
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Played five, won five, 36 legs for, 9 legs against and 10 points, that is the record of both Studley Cricket Club and Studley Conservative Club in the Henley and District Winter League. In the latest round of fixtures the Cricket Club and Conservative Club both won 8-1 in respective games against Village Inn and Dorridge with third placed Dorridge their nearest rival on six points.
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It was Challenge Cup Divisional semi-finals week in the Pip Club League and in the division one games league leaders Queens Head with a 180 from Sam Whittaker defeated Dolphin Wanderers and setting up what should be a terrific final between the league’s top two teams was Belgrave Sports and Social Club who with a 180 from Phil Daulman beat Birchmoor Club whose Mark Young also hit a 180.
The division two final will be between Globe (Wilnecote) and Pip Club who in turn took out Kettlebrook Club and Progressive Club. Mark Faulkner hit a 180 for Globe.
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As the Kings Norton League moves into the second half of its season Avenue Social chalked up a 7-0 win over Weoley Hill to take their undefeated run to fifteen games and at the same time keep intact their four points lead over second in the table Rubery RBL who added a 6-1 win over Grant Arms to their tally. After a 5-2 win over Cock Inn Coppice hold on to third place and remain just two points behind Rubery.
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The big question in the West Midlands Men’s Super League is will anyone beat Allen’s Sports Bar ‘A’ as they have now gone 22 games without defeat their latest victory being 5-0 against Bridgtown Social to put them on 139 points with a 19 points lead over second in the table Yeltz Bar who won their most recent fixture at King Arthur 4-1 to keep a three points gap between them and third in the table Woodside Inn who also won 4-1 at Cabin.
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