Cup Mode For Midlands Leagues

The Sutton and District Summer League completed their league fixtures with a rearranged division one game between Aston Manor CC Flights and Walmley CSC Flights. Despite home advantage Aston Manor CC Flights finished on the wrong side of the 7-2 result which saw them finish bottom of both the main and shadow leagues. Their opponents moved up two places in the main league to finish fifth on eighteen points some ten short of champions Highcroft Hotdogs. In the shadow league they moved from third to top of the table to clinch the title with ten points two more than second and third placed Old Horns Lions and Nomads.

With the domestic league fixtures all done and dusted it was time for cup finals and in the Prestridge Shield the final between Old Horns Lions and Highcrft Hotdogs finished all-square at four each, the title going to Old Horns Lions who had the higher number of legs won.

In the final of the Roy Bird Shield Old Horns Arrows didn’t turn up and as a result their would-be opponents Old Oscott Arrows were awarded a 9-0 win due to Old Horns Arrows default.

Full Results: Prestridge Shield:Final: Old Horns Lions 4 HighcroftHotdogs 4 (Old Horns Lins won on legs),

Roy Bird Shield: Final: Old Horns Lions 0 Old Oscott Arrows 9 (walkover),

Rearranged League Fixture: Game 10: Division One: Aston Manor CC Flights 2 (Thomas Purcell 111, Des Shannon 100, Alan Whitehouse 140, Ian Lloyd 140, Gary Bushell 100, Robert Graham 100) Walmley CSC Flights 7 (Rich Smith 100,124, Jake Liggins 109).

The Sheldon and District Winter League were another league to have cup games on their fixture card, for them it was the first round of their Punchbowl Cup with division one side Willclare Sports and Social Club providing possibly the biggest shock of the round by winning their home tie with premier division outfit Sheldon Dukes 5-2. Another surprising result was the home win by division one side Shirley Misfits who took on division one leaders Brian’s Flights. Prior to the fixture table toppers Brian’s Flights had won seven of their eight games while their hosts had won just one and played nine.

Despite league form the Misfits ran out the convincing 7-0 winners. In the all-premier division clash between Sheldon Marlborough Arrows and The Dingle, despite a maximum from Dingle’s Sam Hicks the close 4-3 result went to Sheldon Marlborough Arrows. Premier leaders Langley Arrows with a 137 game shot by Bobby Nixon won 5-2 away to division one outfit Trident Spears whose Tom Cupkovic recorded an eleven darts game.

All of the other results went as would be expected with Kingshurst Labour Club winning 6-1 against Raven Arrows The Banbury Club had a 5-2 success against Sheldon Marlborough Flights, Sheldon Marlborough Ridge lost their home tie with Iron Horse Rebels 5-2 and Yardley Ex Colts had a 5-2 win over Castle Bromwich WMC.

Full Results: Punchbowl Cup: Round One:- Trident Spears 2 (Tom Cupkovic 11 darts game) Langley Arrows 5 (Bobby Nixon 137f), Kingshurst Labour Club 1 Raven Arrows 6, Willclare Sports and Social Club 5 Sheldon Dukes 2, Sheldon Marlborough Arrows 4 The Dingle 3 (Sam Hicks 180), The Banbury Club 5 Sheldon Marlborough Flights 2, Shirley Misfits 7 Brian’s Flights 0, Sheldon Marlborough Ridge 2 Iron Horse Rebels 5, Yardley Ex Colts 5 Castle Bromwich WMC 2, Rearranged League Fixture:Division Two:- The College Arms Flights 1 Moseley Rugby Club 8 (Brandon Evans 180).

The South West Birmingham Clubs League played off the quarter-finals of their Percy Hinton Cup which produced a local derby between the Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ and Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’. Despite the difference in league positions, the ‘B’ side are currently third and the ‘A’ team eighth, the result was a close 5-4 win for the ‘B’. League leaders Longbridge United had a comfortable 8-1 win over Moseley All Services who are just two places off the foot of the table. Both of the other two games finished with a 6-3 scoreline as in turn E57 and Bournbrook accounted for Northfield Town and Quarry Club.

Full Results: Percy Hinton Cup: Quarter-Finals:- E57 6 Northfield Town 3, Bournbrook 6 Quarry Club 3, Longbridge United 8 Moseley All Services 1, Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’ 5 Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’ 4.

The Harborne and District League have got their new season underway and the good news is that they have managed to increase their numbers from last season’s ten teams to a starting line-up of twelve for this season. The top of the table position is shared by two teams Smethwick Cricket Club and Copper Fox ‘R’ who had respective 9-0 wins against newcomers Windsor and Lion Bar another new team this season. Reigning champions Northfield Conservative Club are currently third but not far behind the leading duo as they won 8-1 at home against Cock Inn. Copper Fox ‘M’ are fourth two legs of average short of the leading pair after their 7-2 win at The Mill. A 6-3 home win over Avenue Social Club puts Northfield Town fifth in the table and just one leg of average to the good on sixth placed Weoley Castle WMC who won 5-4 at home against Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club.

The season got off to a very high-scoring start with no fewer than ten maximum scores recorded, four of them coming from Northfield Conservative players with D.Hill hitting two and one each for C.Steadman and T.Shipley. Other players to find the three treble twenties were A.Vaughan (Cock Inn), D.Marsh, T.Hamilton (Copper Fox ‘R’), F.Johnson, V.Gould (Smethwick Cricket Club) and R.Needham (Northfield Town).

Full Results: Game 1: Northfield Conservative Club 8 (R.Hosey4x100,140, T.Garfield 2×100,121,140, D.Hill 3×100,2×180,16 darts game, M.Lloyd 100,140, C.Steadman 100,135,180, S.Jones125,135,140, T.Shipley 100,121,180, W.Marshall 2×100) Cock Inn 1 (L.Fox 2×100, Joe Fox 100,121, A.Vaughan 4×100,121,125,180,K.Vaughan 100, John Fox 100), The Mill 2 (A.Beagrie3x100,122,135,140,17 darts game, J.Goulding 100,135, N.Davis 156,J.Perry 100) Copper Fox ‘M’ 7 (K.Jukes 100,140, D.Kent 100,140, A.Harvey 5×100,121, J.Loughran 2×100, J.Downer 121,125, G.Dews100, M.Davies 100), Copper Fox ‘R’ 9 (E.Simpson 6×100,125, D.Marsh 100,125,180, J.Hykin 2×100,125, A.Hykin 100,114, M.Hamilton 2×100, T.Hamilton 100,121,135,180,16 darts game,J.Good 125, N.Porter 125, R.Mann 100) Lion Bar 0 (A.Mills 2×100, C.Millward 100, D.Ingram 100, F.Goldsby 2×140, D.Horden 100), Smethwick Cricket Club 9 (F.Johnson 100,125,180, A.Bomber 100, M.Collins 140, M.Smith 3×100, P.Brookes 2×100,121, V.Gould2x100,125,180) Windsor 0, Northfield Town 6 (L.Fowler2x100,121,140, N.Steventon 102f,123,124,140,17 darts game, A.Faulkner 100, 140, R.Needham 100,135,180, N.Proctor 2×120,J.Evetts 100) Avenue Social Club 3 (A.Girling 125, P.Gilliland116,119, J.Taylor 100, J.Wood 100,124), Weoley Castle WMC 5 (S.Joyce 2×100,121, M.Warr 100,135, T.Heath 116,132,106f, A.Heath2x100, P.Coombes 2×100, M.Bolton 2×100,140, A.Coombes 111,140, S.Tyler 100) Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club 4 (M.Hanley 2×100, A.Reynolds 2×100, N.Reynolds 135,140, R.Foxhall 3×100, A.Fenton100).

The Kings Norton League are up to week two of their new campaign and although Northfield had a 4-3 win away to Bournebrook it was not enough to keep them in pole position as Thurlestone followed up their opening 6-1 home win over Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club with a 5-2 success at Stirchley to put them joint top with Copper Fox who added to their opening 5-2 win at Kings Norton Flights when they won 6-1 at home against Perfection. The top two teams have a slender one leg of average lead on Northfield and are two to the good on fourth and fifth placed Cock Inn and Coppice who are the only other teams with a 100% win record after only two games. In their latest fixture Cock Inn won 4-3 at Bourneville and Coppice won by the same margin at home against Rubery Social Club.

Just the one score of 180 this week and that was provided by M.Hopkins (Northfield) who also had a thirteen dart game.

Full Results: Game 2:- Copper Fox 6 (E.Simpson 100,120b, D.Marsh100,149b, N.Porter 100, G.Dews 124, M.Hamilton 125, J.Hykin107b,114,140,10 darts game, R.Mann 2×100) Perfection 1 (A.McGowan 120b, P.Taylor 100), Bournebrook 3 (C.Smith 120b, T.Cullen 100b, M.Bathurst 100) Northfield 4 (L.Allen 125,140, M.Lloyd 100, R.Hitchmouth 123, S.Busby 100,120, M.Hopkins180,13 darts game), Dingle 4 (M.Poolton 100,120, R.Needham 112b) Kings Norton Flights 3 (R.Fisher 100,114, A.Fenton 100b, A.Reynolds100b, E.Dearn 114,141, N.Reynolds 121, M.Fisher 114), Bourneville 3 (M.Collins 2×100, G.Carver 12 darts game, J.Carver 125, M.Ferriday125, P.Carver 100, M.James 2×140) Cock Inn 4 (P.Hughes 100, L.Fox13 darts game, A.Underwood 100, A.Vaughan 133), Coppice 4 (A.Aindow 116, R.Packer 100, B.Heath 140, A.Chidley 140, M.Mooney 100, J.Garghan 100) Rubery Social Club 3 (J.Higgins 134, J.O’Neill 100,101,120b, A.Faulkner 100, J.Grainger 100), Stirchley 2 (M.Welsh 100,115b, S.Lilley 101b) Thurlestone 5 (T.Garfield 100, N.Harris 2×100, J.Downer 100, N.Watts 140, R.Waldron 100, B.Andrews 108b), Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club 4 (C.Davenport 152b, T.Shaw 100) Longbridge 3 (J.Taylor 2×100, C.Evans 140, M.Malone 140, A.Burbridge 100).

The Netherton Thursday Night League staged the quarter-finals of their Andy Bastable Trophy which saw all four results go in favour of league form and placings. Third in the league Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ won 8-1 against Spring Meadow Social who are sixth, while fourth in the league Old Liberal Club had a 6-3 win over fifth in the table Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club. Townsend Social Club are currently second in the league and won 6-3 against their eighth placed opponents Old Glasshouse and making up the last four for the semi-finals will be seventh placed Plough and Harrow who beat tenth in the league Hare and Hounds 7-2.

Top individual performance came from G.Moreton who chalked up not one but two maximums for his team Old Liberal Club.

Full Results: Andy Bastable Trophy: Quarter-Finals: Old Liberal Club 6 (G.Moreton 2×180) Hill and Cakemore Ex Serviceman’s Club 3, Plough and Harrow 7 Hare and Hounds 2, Townsend Social Club 6Old Glasshouse 3, Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ 8 Spring Meadow Social 1.

There were close 4-3 wins for the top two teams in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League but nevertheless the wins managed to keep intact a 100% win record for both Old Liberal Club and Bird in Hand. Old Liberal Club’s home win over sixth placed Five Ways keeps them top of the table with an average lead of five legs after Bird in Hand won at ninth in the table Seven Stars. The top two have a two points advantage over both third and fourth placed NethertonConservative Club ‘B’ and Gate Hangs Well ‘B’ who in turn won 5-2 at home against Queens Head and 6-1 at Mount Pleasant. Fifth and sixth placed Princess and Five Ways are both a further two points adrift on ten points after Princess handed out a 7-0 whitewash to their visiting team Glasscutters ‘A’.

Full Results: Game 7:- Britannia 2 Raven ‘B’ 5, Gate Hangs Well ‘A’ 1 Netherton Conservative Club ‘A’ 6, Glasscutters ‘B’ 4 Rose and Crown ‘B’ 3, Mount Pleasant 1 Gate Hangs Well ‘B’ 6, NethertonConservative Club ‘B’ 5 Queens Head 2, Old Liberal Club 4 Five Ways 3, Rose and Crown ‘A’ 7 Fox Inn (Lye) 0, Seven Stars 3 Bird in Hand 4, The Princess 7 Glasscutters ‘A’ 0, Raven ‘A’ 3 Crestwood 4.

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It was week five of the John Walters Cup and John Walters Trophy ‘Mini Leagues’ in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League. In the cup the former top two teams Netherton Sports and Social Club and White Horse had a bye this week and as a result the Conservative Club drop to second in the table and White Horse go down to fourth. A 5-4 home win over Baggeridge has taken Gornal Labour Club top of the table with six points from four games, second placed Netherton Sports and Social two points behind them with a game in hand as are both third and fourth placed Old Bulls Head and White Horse, Old Bulls Head winning 6-3 at home against Gornal British Legion.

In the John Walters Trophy, despite having a bye this week Britannia hold on to pole position with a perfect eight points from four games while second placed Cabin had a 6-3 home win over New Inn and although they are only two points behind the leaders they have played one game more than them. Third in the table is Red Cow who lost ground as they went down 7-2 at Jolly Crispin leaving them two points off the top and level on games played.

Full Results: John Walters Cup: Week 5:- Gornal Labour Club 5 Baggeridge 4, Old Bulls Head 6 Gornal British Legion 3, Netherton Sports and Social Club and White Horse had a bye, John Walters Trophy: Week 5:- Seven Stars 4 Meadow Lark 5, Jolly Crispin 7 Red Cow 2, The Cabin 6 New Inn 3, Britannia had a bye.

Week eight of the Amblecote RBL Premier League sees Nick Fullwell hold on to the number one spot as he added 6-1 wins over Tony Bennett and Matt Davies to his account to give him a total of eighty-three points from sixteen games. Second placed Andy Vellenderdespite starting the night with a 4-3 defeat to Ian Townsend held on to the second place as he bounced back with a 6-1 win over Wozza Pritchard to give him a total points of seventy-four from fifteen games, just nine short of Fullwell with a game in hand.

Gavin Smith has moved up from eighth to third in the table after playing catch-up with three games which saw him kick-off the night in style by handing Stephen Cartwright a 7-0 whitewash and then beat both Cayden Smith and Aaron Colley 6-1 to take his points tally from fourteen games to seventy-three. John Green lost his number three position after he lost 5-2 to Neil Murphy and although he won his next game against Jake Shipley 6-1 dropped to fifth place with seventy-one points from fifteen games. With former fourth and fifth placed Dan Nicholls and Chris Williams not playing this week Jamie Barrowman has taken over the number four spot with seventy-one points from fourteen games after adding a 5-2 win over Reece Colley and a 7-0 win against Mitch Pickett.

Full Results: Week 8:- Aaron Colley 6 Sam Page 1, Reece Colley 5 Ryan Green 2, Aaron Colley 5 Tony Bennett 2, Mitch Pickett 5 Craig Lowin 2, Nick Fullwell 6 Tony Bennett 1, Steve Gillam 4 Jon Underhill 3, Reece Colley 6 Wozza Pritchard 1, Cayden Smith 6 Sam Page 1, Rob Pierce 6 Aaron Colley 1, Shane Sheridan 4 Dave Simpson 3, Jake Robinson 4 Howard Pritchard 3, Carl Hipkiss 5 Jayden Harper 2, Aaro Colley 7 Jack Pritchard 0, Jake Shipley 6 Michael Harding 1, Neil Murphy 5 John Green 2, Gavin Smith 7 Stephen Cartwright 0, Jamie Barrowman 5 Reece Colley 2, Ian Townsend 4 Andy Vellender3, Nick Fullwell 6 Matt Davies 1, Martyn Harper 4 Joe Poole 3, Ian Townsend 5 Craig Lowin 2, Jake Robinson 5 Steve Gillam 2, Sam Page 4 Joe Poole 3, Shane Sheridan 4 Ryan Green 3, Matt Halliday 5 Josh Wheeler 2, Jon Underhill 5 Tony Bennett 2, Shane Passey 6 Howard Pritchard 1, Martyn Harper 5 Jayden Harper 2, Jamie Barrowman 7 Mitch Pickett 0, Matt Halliday 6 Stephen Cartwright 1, John Green 6 Jake Shipley 1, Gavin Smith 6 Cayden Smith 1, Rob Pierce 6 Carl Hipkiss 1, Neil Murphy 6 Josh Wheeler 1, Michael Harding 6 Matt Davies 1, Andy Vellender 6 Wozza Pritchard 1, Dave Simpson 5 Jack Pritchard 2, Shane Passey 6 Ryan Green 1, Shane Sheridan 5 Steve Gillam 2, Gavin Smith 6 Aaron Colley 1, CaydenSmith 7 Carl Hipkiss 0, Dave Simpson 4 Neil Murphy 3, Matt Davies 5 Aaron Colley 2.

A 4-1 home win over The Ashwood keeps Pensnett Liberal Club top of the pile in the Black Country Men’s Super League. After completing twenty-eight games Pensnett Liberal Club have ninety-nine points and a slender lead of one over second placed Allen’s Bar ‘C’ who were also 4-1 winners in their home tie with Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’. Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ are third, they are on ninety-six points with a game in hand on the top two teams after adding their latest 5-2 home win over The Vine, Blackheath.

Full Results:Game 32:- Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’ 5 The Vine, Blackheath 0, Allen’s Bar ‘B’ 4 Halesowen Cricket Club 1, Allen’s Bar ‘A’ 4 Quarry Bank Liberal Club 1, Old Bulls Head 4 TTownsend Social 1, PensnettLiberal Club 4 The Ashwood 1, Allen’s Bar ‘C’ 4 Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’ 1, Townsend ‘A’ 3 Whiteheath Tavern 2, White Swan 4 Soccer Zone 1

An 8-0 win over Jason Hough followed by a 5-3 success against Ben Johnson has seen Wayne Jones move up from third to top of the division one table in the Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League. Jones has won all five of his games so far and amassed a total of forty-five points giving him a lead of eight over second and third placed Tony Singh and Dean Simmons-Fullwood. Tony Singh began the night with a 5-3 win over Andy Mullinder and then by the same scorelineaccounted for Jon Blakemore while Simmons-Fullwood had a 7-1 win over Simon Pritchard to leave him with a game in hand on the two players above him.

Alan Melling has a clear four points lead at the top of division two his latest fixture seeing him win 6-2 against Neville Quinton to take him to thirty-eight points. Second placed Artur Lubkowski won 6-2 against Michael Franks to keep him on the heels of Melling with thirty-four points and also put him five ahead of third placed Keith Hollowoodwho lost ground as he went down 5-3 to Jamie Aplin.

The division three top spot goes to Dave Thackeray who on the night won 7-1 against Robert Bradley to give him a single point lead over his nearest rival second placed Gareth Walsh who had a similar 7-1 win in his game with Alex Bryant.

Full Results: Week 5:- Andy Mullinder 3 Tony Singh 5, Jimmy Stackhouse 1 Andrew Jervis 7, Ian Stanton 6 Stewart Pryce 2, Chris Evans 5 Clayton Edge 3, Conor Whitehouse 2 Scott Baker 6, Jason Hough 0 Wayne Jones 8, Paul Price 6 John Simms 2, Dean Simmons-Fullwood 7 Simon Pritchard 1, Darren Williams 2 Ben Johnson 6, Ben Johnson 3 Wayne Jones 5, Tony Singh 5 Jon Blakemore 3, Chris Evans 2 Jamie Webb 6, Richard Brown 7 Martin Angell 1, Neville Quinton 2 Alan Melling 6, Artur Lubkowski 6 Michael Franks 2, Keith Hollowood 3 Jamie Aplin 5, Robert Harris 3 Jack Rollinson 5, Allan Davies 7 Jon Williams 1, Malcolm Pugh 6 Colin Wood 2, Neville Quinton 3 Richard Brown 5, Wayne Armstrong 3 Adam Sullivan 5, Robert Bradley 1 Dave Thackeray 7, Thomas Hollowood 6 Sandra Beardsmore 2, Gareth Walsh 7 Alex Bryant 1, Eddie Gripton 1 Anthony Bradley 7, Dave Akers 6 Andy Poole 2, Jacqui Simmons 0 Sarah Barrett 8, Michele Pritchard 2 Joe Bartolo 6, Lauren Kempson 1 Warren Bower 7, Anthony Bradley 2 Dave Akers 6, Jacqui Simmons 2 Robert Bradley 6.

Gilberts Bar February KO – A date for the diary, on Saturday 24th February the Gilbert’s Bar will be staging both a men’s and ladies knockout. Based on thirty-two entries the men’s event will carry a prize pot of £500 and the ladies based on sixteen entries will pay out £250. Entry fee is £10, doors will open on the day at 11.30am and there will be a deadline of 12.30pm.

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Alan Towe writes with the support of Red Dragon Darts

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