With all of the divisional titles settled and only a few outstanding rearranged fixtures to play the Sheldon and District Winter League are winding down their campaign with cup finals. First the Punchbowl which saw both semi-finals finish with close 4-3 results.
There was a clash between the top two premier division teams which produced a win for runners-up Sheldon Marlborough Arrows over divisional champions Langley Arrows while in the other last four game there was a shock result as division two side Willclare Sports and Social took out their premier division opponents Dunky’s Boys.
In the final Willclare continued to impress going on to lift the title with another close 4-3 win over Sheldon Marlborough Arrows.
No such shock results in the semis of the Sheldon Shield as division one side Sheldon Dukes beat their opponents Irish Centre, who are next to bottom of the same division 4-3.
The second semi had a similar 4-3 scoreline with premier outfit Mackadown Social beating Maggies from division one. As with the previous games the final was no exception with 4-3 being the winning margin which went to Mackadown Social with Sheldon Dukes runners-up.
Full Results:Punchbowl:Semi-Finals:- Sheldon Marlborough Arrows 4 Langley Arrows 3, Willclare Sports and Social 4 Dunky’s Boys 3, Final:- Willclare Sports and Social 4 Sheldon Marlborough Arrows 3, Sheldon Shield:Semi-Finals:- Sheldon Dukes 4 Irish Centre 3, Mackadown Social 4 Maggies 3, Final:- Sheldon Dukes 3 Mackadown Social 4.
The Camp Hill League have got their new season underway and kicking off the campaign in style were Clumsy Swan and Cotterills Lane Club who in turn handed out 7-0 defeats to Peaky Blinder and Sedgemere Devils.
Nearest to the top two is last season’s runners-up Aston Inn Nomads who won 5-2 at Moseley Arms to take third place while Tyseley Bears are fourth following their opening 4-3 win over local rivals Tyseley WMC.
Full Results:Game 1:- Moseley Arms 2 Aston Inn Nomads 5, Tyseley WMC 3 Tyseley Bears 4, Cotterills Lane Club 7 Sedgemere Devils 0, Clumsy Swan 7 Peaky Blinder 0.
The Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League has reached the midway point of its season and leading the field with a clear four point’s advantage is Waggon and Horses. Waggon and Horses completed the half and took their unbeaten run to ten games with a 6-1 win at Vine ‘A’ who are third in the table on 14 points, six off the top. Second placed Dewdrop ‘A’ also won 6-1 in their home game against bottom of the league Tamebridge and next to bottom Sow and Pigs lost by the same 6-1 margin at home to Miners Arms ‘A’.
Full Results:Game 11:- Albion 3 (S.Charlesworth 180) Dewdrop ‘B’ 4, Miners Arms ‘B’ 4 Vine ‘B’ 3, Dewdrop ‘A’ 6 Tamebridge 1, Sow and Pigs 1 Miners Arms ‘A’ 6, Vine ‘A’ 1 Waggon and Horses 6, Horseley Tavern had a bye.
The Netherton Thursday Night League staged a top of the table clash between leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club and second placed Townsend Social Club. The outcome was a bit of an anti-climax as Townsend struggled to put out a strong side due to work commitments, however they still did their part in making it a good game but ran out 7-2 losers. The win for the Ex Serviceman’s Club has seen them now have a firm grip on the champions silverware as despite only having a two points lead over Townsend they have three more games to play whereas Townsend only have the one.
Next to bottom of the table Spring Meadow Social Club recorded a rare win, only their ninth in 27 games as they won 5-4 at home against Old Hill Cricket Club who are just above them but still nine points to the good.
Full Results:Game 27:- Spring Meadow Social Club 5 Old Hill Cricket Club 4, Bulls Head 7 Netherton Conservative Club 2, Clock 3 Netherton Sports and Social Club 6, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club 7 Townsend Social Club 2.
The Rowley Monday Night League had no league fixtures due to the Bank Holiday but instead laid on a Bank Holiday Monday Knockout which saw three of the last four games finish with 2-0 scorelines producing wins for Connor Whitehouse, Dave Whittle and Alex Howells who in turn took out Dean Yeomans, Shane Sheridan and Grant Jackson. The other game was a close 2-1 win for Phil O’Brien over Adam Davies.
The semi-finals were extended to the best of five legs and with a straight 3-0 result Connor Whitehouse defeated Dave Whittle while Alex Howells had a narrow 3-2 success over Phil O’Brien.
Whitehouse continued his good form in the final winning the top prize with a 3-1 result over Howells.
Full Results:Quarter-Finals:- Connor Whitehouse 2 Dean Yeomans 0, Dave Whittle 2 Shane Sheridan 0, Adam Davies 1 Phil O’Brien 2, Alex Howells 2 Grant Jackson 0, Semi-Finals:- Connor Whitehouse 3 Dave Whittle 0, Phil O’Brien 2 Alex Howells 3, Final:- Connor Whitehouse (Whiteheath Tavern) 3 Alex Howells 1.
The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League played off their Doubles Knockout, the quarter-finals seeing N.Cooper / J.Batham (White Horse) and C.Moreton / A.Moreton (Ten Arches ‘A’) both win 2-0 against respective opponents D.Simpson / A.Batham (Ten Arches’A’) and M.Pritchard / D.Ellerton (Bird in Hand ‘A’). The other two games both went to a deciding leg producing 2-1 wins for C.Slater / L.Davies (Bird in Hand ‘A’) and J.Wrench / T.Stockton (Raven) at the expense of A.Smith / S.Skidmore (Bird in Hand ‘E’) and A.Marson / J.Harper (Ten Arches ‘A’).
The last four games also went to the wire with narrow 2-1 wins for N.Cooper / J.Batham over C.Moreton / A.Moreton and J.Wrench / T.Stockton against C.Slater / L.Davies.
In the final there was a clear-cut 2-0 victory for Cooper and Batham with Wrench and Stockton finishing as runners-up.
Full Results:Doubles Knockout:Quarter-Finals:- A.Smith / S.Skidmore (Bird in Hand ‘E’) 1 C.Slater / L.Davies (Bird in Hand ‘A’) 2, D.Simpson / A.Batham (Ten Arches’A’) 0 N.Cooper / J.Batham (White Horse) 2, C.Moreton / A.Moreton (Ten Arches ‘A’) 2 M.Pritchard / D.Ellerton (Bird in Hand ‘A’) 0, A.Marson / J.Harper (Ten Arches ‘A’) 1 J.Wrench / T.Stockton (Raven) 2, Semi-Finals:- C.Moreton / A.Moreton 1 N.Cooper / J.Batham 2, J.Wrench / T.Stockton 2 C.Slater / L.Davies 1, Final:- J.Wrench / T.Stockton 0 N.Cooper / J.Batham 2.
A large audience from the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League were treated to some top class darts at the New Inn who staged the finals of the league’s doubles and singles knockouts.
In the doubles final Carl Sparrow and Tom Bissell beat Danny Gray and Ricky Riaz while the singles title went to Geoff Marson after his opponent Ant Fear had narrowly missed double twenty to clinch the win.
The league will get back underway once again in September with the AGM being held in August.
Full Results:Singles Knockout:Final:- Geoff Marson beat Ant Fear, Doubles Knockout:Final:- Carl Sparrow and Tom Bissell beat Danny Gray and Ricky Riaz.
The top two teams in the Netherton Tuesday Night League had emphatic 6-1 wins in week seven, leaders Church Tavern kept their three points lead intact when they won at home against next to bottom of the table Quarry Bank Social Club while second in the league Netherton Sports and Social returned with their win from Wheatsheaf who are placed fourth.
Samson recorded their first win of the seven games season so far, a 5-2 home victory over Plough to lift them off the foot of the table to be replaced by their opponents who have only played six games.
Full Results:Game 7:- Bulls Head 3 Chop House 4, Quarry Bank Social Club 1 Church Tavern 6, Samson 5 Plough 2, Wheatsheaf 1 Netherton Sports and Social Club 6.
The Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League played the second leg of round one of their Knockout Cup which saw league leaders Gilbert’s Bar, after taking a narrow 4-3 lead away to Cleveland Arms lose by the same 4-3 margin to force a play-off which they lost and Cleveland went through as 8-7 winners. Second in the league Wednesfield Legion played against third placed Railway and after winning the first leg 5-2 Railway went on to seal a final 9-5 win with a further 4-3 victory.
Also winning through to the next round with an overall 9-5 result was ECC who added a 5-2 win over Red Lion to their previous 4-3 success.
Hurst Hill won 5-2 at Moreton Arms and made it an overall 10-4 win as they won the home leg by the same 5-2 margin. Stile had an overall convincing 12-2 win over Yew Tree, winning 5-2 away and then 7-0 at home.
Full Results:Knockout Cup Round One Second Leg:- ECC 5 Red Lion 2 (ECC won 9-5), Stile 7 Yew Tree 0 (Stile won 12-2), Hurst Hill 5 Moreton Arms 2 (Hurst Hill won 10-4), Cleveland Arms 4 Gilbert’s Bar 3 (Aggregate was 7-7, Cleveland won the play-off), Wednesfield Legion 3 Railway 4 (Railway won 9-5).
—–ENDS—–
Words: Alan Towe ( Supported by Red Dragon)
