ADC Leaders Mass in Manchester

Matt Jackson will make his way to Winmau Championship Tours 5 and 6 as the Number 1 ranked player in the Amateur Darts Circuit, leading Steve Brown in second by 331 points.

The Englishman won his nineteenth title of the year on Wednesday, claiming victory in the Grand Prix Event 5 at the Highbridge Social Club to earn himself a further 64 points after becoming the first player in ADC history to reach 1000 points.

The Action included a Shanghai checkout in beating Mervyn Adams 4-1 in the Final to break throw early, as well as coming out on top against Warriors Title holder Ryan Palmer in the Quarter Final finding a 3-1 victory and an impressive average of 95.40, including three maximums.

The 38-year-old is yet to win a Winmau Championship Tour, having fallen to a Last 32 exit at the hands of Adam Smith Neale in event three and an opening round defeat in event four. The ADC Number 1 did not appear at the opening two events in the Northeast but will have his eyes firmly set on putting a good run together in Manchester, as he sits in a lowly 110^th in the ADC Championship Tour Table.

The leader of the CT Order of Merit after the first four events is Gary Blades who, despite not winning a tournament thus far, is currently a point clear with 23 points ahead of second placed Tony Wood having reached the Final of Event 2 and the Quarter Finals of Event 4.

Gateshead man Tony Wood is 78 points of third placed Adam Atkinson in the rankings and will hope to go one better than he did in the Northeast, losing in the Final of Event 1 to the man who made his Online Live League debut last week. (Atkinson).

many will be on the look out for Wood’s sartorial efforts after his unusual fashion choices were spotted over the Bristol weekend. Could ‘What’s Woody Wearing’ become a bit of an ADC meme?

The 54-year-old has won twice on the ADC circuit this year but a strong run in Manchester could all but secure his spot at the Grand Finals sitting second in the ADC Championship Tour table with 22 points, four ahead of Winmau man Brown in third.

The Bomber goes into Manchester on the back of a win in the Charity Darts Singles on Saturday after beating Kieron Spurdle in a last leg decider. The Bristol man is familiar with winning on the Championship Tour having won at the Thornbury Conference Centre last month, beating Dan Read 6-2 in the Final of event 3 to earn 256 points.

Dan Read though was perhaps the standout performer from Bristol having reached the Final of event 3 before going one better on the Sunday, beating Michael Huntley 6-3 in the Final of event 4 to claim £1000 for his win. The Man he sits seventh in the ADC Championship Tour table with 16 points, level with Kevin Garcia having not even played the first two tournaments at the Rainton Arena earlier in the year.

Former UK Open finalist Colin Osborne sits in the top five of the Championship Tour rankings and will feel that a better performance is due. The Wizard has reached multiple Qtr. finals but was disappointed not to go further.

Ahead of the two tournaments at the Forum Hall, there will be a warmup tournament on Friday night at Riley’s in Chorlton. With two Plate Tournaments on offer to those at the weekend should they exit the main tournament earlier on there will be enough to keep the keenest of arrowsmiths busy?

With just four events left to play, the race for rankings points, as well as points for the ADC Championship Tour table, will intensify with the knowledge the top 64 players will qualify for the Grand Finals later in the year.

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