THE 2025 Concierge UK Senior Darts Tour rolled into Weston-super-Mare for the penultimate stop of what’s been a cracking inaugural year.
I’ve no idea how the North Somerset seaside town got its name, but I’m fairly sure it wasn’t named after a horse called Weston who possessed heroic powers. Could be. But I have my doubts.
Anyway, history lessons aside – what does matter is that Simon Stevenson rocketed his way to a brace of triumphs. His surname might be spelt differently to a famous steam-engine, but phonetically, it’s close enough to make “Rocket” a perfectly legitimate pun, so I’m running with it.
The Plymouth thrower made the short pilgrimage up from Devon and was firing from the off, taking the Friday singles title in dominant style. The 53-year-old dropped just six legs en route to the final and rattled in a monstrous 107.71 average along the way – flattening Andrew Denning in one of the weekend’s highest-quality clashes. Denning threw well, but Stevenson was basically incandescent.
In the final, he met Ian Moss for a match that went the full distance. It was tighter than a treble 20 bed on finals night, but a couple of classy legs from Stevenson at the death left Moss feeling a bit green. Don’t worry – he’ll grow back.
Saturday rolled around, and so did the Rocket – again. Stevenson, also known as The Mirror Man (not because of any tabloid allegiance), stormed through to another final, this time conceding only five legs in the process. On the opposite side of the draw, Welshman Michael Huntley was digging deeper than a builder on overtime.
After handing Tony Town a 4-0 bagel, the Bridgend arrow-smith survived two last-leg deciders against Mark Frost and John Mann to reach the semis, where he took on the Muffin Man himself, Steve Hine. Huntley rose to the occasion, nicking a 5-3 win to set up a mouthwatering showdown with Stevenson.
What looked like a coin flip turned into a one-sided affair as Huntley dropped the opening leg – then rattled off five straight to seal the deal. A ruthless finish from the Babyfaced Assassin, who proved he’s got more edge than a set of tungsten tips.
For those who bowed out early on Saturday, there was the consolation event – basically darts’ version of a participation trophy, but with more beer. And let’s face it, given the choice between a freezing walk on the Weston seafront in October or staying indoors chucking darts, it’s a no-brainer. Rod Hawkins made the most of it, defeating Tony Anslow 3-1 to take the title and leave with something worth smiling about.
Sunday brought déjà vu. Everyone back in, same venue, same opponents in the final – and the same result. Stevenson once again toppled Moss, this time with a smoother 5-2 win that didn’t require any late heroics. The Rocket was officially cleared for take-off all weekend.
Next up, the tour heads north to Lancashire for the grand finale, where the Stubshaw Cross Community and Sports Club in Wigan will host the curtain call on what’s been a thoroughly enjoyable and high-quality maiden year. If Weston and all the others was any indication, the final stop should be an absolute belter.
—–ENDS—–
Image: PDC
