After suffering relegation from the Premier Division in the BDO Inter County Championships last season the West Midlands County Darts Organisation began life in division one showing everyone their clear intention to make a quick return to the top flight by handing out a 22-14 defeat to Cambridgeshire.
The ladies ‘B’ began the weekend with a convincing 5-1 win with Shellbie Simmons (21.09) taking their match award, however it was not such a good weekend for the ‘A’ side as they went down 4-2 with Cheryl Alcock (21.47) their top player.
It was good news all round for the men as the ‘B’ team won 7-5 Alfie Jacques their man of the match with a 26.03 average and the ‘A’ team won 8-4. After trailing 2-0 they stormed into an unassailable 7-2 lead Dan Nicholls setting them on their way when in the third game he beat Jason Marriott 4-0 and took the match award for his 29.47 average.
The win has taken the West Midlands into pole position in division one with 25 points, three more than Oxfordshire, London and Staffordshire who in turn are second, third and fourth in the table.
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The Shirley Legion Double Top League have now completed all of their outstanding fixtures and what a close finish to the season it was with just two points separating the top three players. Lee Harris finished as champion with 102 points with Thomas Bent, who for long periods held the number one spot throughout the season, taking the runners-up spot with 101 points only one short of Harris. A further one point behind was Steve Sidwell who took third place with 100 points.
Following the outstanding fixtures the league staged another of their knockouts. In the semi-finals, after losing the first leg, Mark Gwalchmai recovered to win 3-1 against Craig Clarke while Thomas Bent had a straight 3-0 win against Gary Cleverley to book his final place.
The final was nip and tuck with Bent going 1-0 up only to see Gwalchmai take a 2-1 lead. Bent levelled in the fourth and then with a 180 in the fifth went on to clinch a 3-2 victory.
Tomorrow night the league will be holding their presentation and already there is talk of season 14 getting underway, all players interested in joining the league should do so by the 10th October.
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The Small Heath League staged their Jim Haveron 3 A-Side Knockout and taking the title were the East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association ‘B’ side Matt Cooper, Colin Wyatt and Terry Webster who won the final 6-3 against the Heartlands Club ‘B’ side Jim Frost, John Frost and Ian Jones.
In the last four games E.B.A.H.A. ‘B’ took out their ‘A’ team with a 6-3 result and Heartlands ‘B’ in another local derby had a 7-2 win against their ‘A’ team
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Of the nine fixtures played in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League six of them had a 6-3 result with the league’s bottom three teams Bird (Stourbridge), Hare and Hounds and Kingswinford Conservative Club all losing 6-3.
At the other end of the table leaders Brickmakers Arms made it ten straight wins with their 6-3 win over British Oak to keep intact a two points lead over their nearest rivals Britannia who had conclusive 8-1 home win over Fox Inn (Lye) to stay two points ahead of third in the table Gate Hangs Well who had a close 5-4 win at Gigmill.
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In the Kings Norton League leaders Avenue C.Fox extended their unbeaten run to nine games with a 6-1 win at Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club giving them a two points advantage over Rubery RBL who have taken over second place in the table from Bournbrook after they won 7-0 against Weoley Hill. Bournbrook and Grant Arms are third and fourth in the table both on 14 points, four short of Avenue C.Fox and they have played one game more than the top two teams.
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A 4-3 win over New Inn was not enough to keep Emerald Club in pole position in the Camp Hill League as reigning champions White Swan Nomads handed their visitors Tyseley WMC a 6-1 defeat to go ahead of Emerald by one leg of average with both teams on undefeated 8 points. Tyseley’s loss sees them drop two places to fifth but on the same six points as the two teams directly above them Roost Rebels and Sheldon Marlborough Flights.
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The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday night League were involved in the semi-finals of their Russells Skips Cup and it was certainly not a good night for Dewdrop as second in the league Tipton Sports had a 5-2 win over Dewdrop ‘A’ who are third in the league table and Island Inn with a more comfortable 6-1 result took out Dewdrop ‘B’.
There was one rearranged fixture played which saw Miners Arms win 6-1 at Court House which had no effect on the league table whatsoever.
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With the majority of teams having completed their fixtures in the Cradley Tuesday Night League and Brickmakers Arms ‘A’ confirmed as champions with Netherton Sports and Social Club ‘A’ runners-up, all that remains are a few outstanding rearranged fixtures. Three of those rearranged games were played this week which saw Gate Hangs Well move off the foot of the table with only their fifth win in 20 games when they won 6-3 at Malt Shovel, Netherton Sports and Social ‘A’ beat third in the table Brickmakers Arms ‘B’ 5-4 and in the other game there was a 9-0 win for Riddins Tavern over Roost.
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A 6-3 win over The Wharf keeps Dunky’s Boys top of the Shirley and District Monday Night League with 36 points, two more than second in the league Highwood who handed Blue Bell a 9-0 whitewash. The Lion in third place are a further two points behind Highwood with a game in hand after they won 5-4 away to Saracens Jesters.
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Week two in the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League, and for the second successive week leaders Ashwood ‘B’ were 6-1 winners as they followed up the win over their ‘A’ team with a win against Church Tavern ‘A’. The two big wins give the leaders an average lead over King Arthur, Wilson Hall and Brickmakers Arms who in turn won 4-3 against Ashwood ‘A’, 5-2 at Wombourne Cricket Club and 4-3 against Bird (Wordsley).
Plough kicked off their season the best possible way with a 7-0 victory over Swan ‘B’, Swan ‘A’ and Ten Arches ‘B’, like Plough have only played one game so far and are the only other two teams with a 100% win record.
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With the finishing post getting ever closer in the Netherton Thursday Night League leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club took another step nearer to clinching the title with a 7-2 win over fourth in the league Townsend Social Club. The win gives the Ex Serviceman’s Club a lead of six points with two games in hand on second in the table Riddins Tavern who won their game at White Horse 6-3.
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The Brierley Hill Friday Night League will be holding the AGM for their forthcoming season at Dudley Sports and Social Club, DY5 3QT on Sunday the 20th October at 11.00am. Anyone interested in entering a team in the league should attend this meeting.
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It was the first leg of the semi-finals of the Team Knockout and Shadow Cups in the Silver End Sunday Morning League, first the Team Knockout Cup in which Glasscutters ‘A’ take a massive 7-1 lead into the second leg against High Acres while High Oak have a lesser 5-3 lead against Dudley Sports.
In the Shadow Cup New Talbot were 6-2 winners against Kings Head ‘A’ and Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club won 5-3 against Bell leaving everything to play for in the second leg.
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The quarter finals of the League Cup was the order of the day for the Brierley Hill Monday Night League and winning through to the last four were Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’, Limes Club, High Oak and Rose and Crown who in turn defeated Wombourne Pool Bar (6-3), Brickmakers Arms (5-4), Roebuck (5-4) and Dudley Sports ‘B’ (5-4).
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The Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League is up to week two and reigning champions Old Bulls Head continue to lead the field, their latest 6-3 win at Hilly House giving them a slender one leg of average lead over Lamp Tavern who moved up one place in the table to second with a 7-2 win at Five Ways. Jolly Crispin lost the number two spot after they lost 8-1 away to Gornal British Legion and drop to eighth place in the table. Third and fourth in the league Netherton Cricket Club and New Inn are now the only two teams other than the two above them to have won all two opening fixtures.
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Nick Fullwell, leader of the Ashwood Premier League didn’t play in week ten but nevertheless held on to pole position with 137 points from 20 games. Fullwell’s nearest threat currently comes from second in the table Chris Williams whose 4-3 win over Stuart Quarry followed by a 7-0 success against John Underhill has seen him take his points tally to 121 from 22 games. Connor Pickett is third in the league, he added a 5-2 win over Chris Fox and 6-1 win over Jay Moule to give him a total of 119 points from 20 games, just one point more than Richard Bowen in fourth place who took his number of games played to 20 with 6-1 wins against Jay Moule and Stuart Aitkens before losing 4-3 to Sam Aitkens.
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After only the third week Highwood Gerry’s Boys and Mackadown Social are the only unbeaten teams in the Premier Division of the Sheldon and District Winter League. Highwood Gerry’s Boys top the table after their 7-2 win away to Kingshurst Labour Club giving them four points from their two games while Mackadown who had a bye this week are third and also unbeaten in their two games. Langley Arrows are second on average their 6-3 win over Dunky’s Boys being their third game.
Hornet made it three straight wins in division one when they beat Yardley Ex Colts 5-4, second in the division Lyndon Old Boys had a bye, they are two points behind Hornet with a game in hand after playing just two.
Holy Souls are the only 100% winners in division two their latest success being 7-2 away to Small Heath Gardeners to put them two points ahead of Inn on the Green, Meadway Sports and Social, Hampton and Solihull CC and Langley Flights.
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With just four more fixtures to play the Bell’s 7-2 win over fifth in the Rowley Monday Night League table Ivy Bush has given them a six points lead at the top of the table as Cradley Sports and Social who were second lost 5-4 away to Fairfield who are sixth in the table and as a result drop to third place behind George on the same 44 points but trailing on average after George beat Windmills End 7-2.
There was a rare win for bottom of the table Bulls Head as they won their fifth in 26 games a 5-4 home win over Loyal Lodge.
Winning through to the last sixteen of the league’s Bottom Half Singles Knockout were J.Benningfield (Bulls Head), D.Bourne (Three Diamonds), D.Price, I.Bamford, D.Hambridge (Hare and Hounds), S.Jones, S.Hadley (Loyal Lodge), S.Edmonds, N.Hickman, M.Devine (Spring Meadow), A.Barlow, D.Whittle, L.Sims, M.Wright (Windmill), J.Debney, S.Cree (Wonder),
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The Pip Club League have got their new season underway and leading the Combined Division with an 8-1 win over Aldergate Club is Belgrave Sports and Social Club. Sports Bar ‘180’lead the Seeded One section after they won 5-4 against Globe (Wilnecote) and top of Seeded Two is Dolphin who had a 7-2 success in their tie with Kettlebrook Club.
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Hurst Hill leaders of the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League won what could be a vital game against third in the league Cleveland Arms 4-3 to keep them two points to the good on second in the table Whitmore Reans WMC who won their tie at the Bull 5-2 to open a gap of four points between them and Cleveland.
For the second successive week ECC Sports and Social’s two teams won, the ‘A’ side, who are fourth in the table won 4-3 at Brewood British Legion and the ‘B’ had a 5-2 home win over Pilot to move them up one place in the league to sixth.
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Woodside Inn extended their lead at the top of the West Midlands Men’s Super League to six points when they handed out a 5-0 whitewash to their hosts Horse and Jockey ‘B’ and second in the table Allen’s Sports Bar ‘A’ won 4-1 away to The Bell.
Third in the table Yeltz Bar ‘A’ have drawn level on the same 52 points as Allen’s Sports Bar ‘A’ after they won 5-0 at The Griffin.
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