Salopian recorded their biggest victory of the season in their sixth UKDA National League (Darts for Windows) Division Three match. At home to Breconshire where they ran out comfortable 24-12 winners played with a backdrop to Covid restrictions which impacted on the overall attendance and atmosphere at the Bagley Club.
The opening quarter of the fixture saw the ladies ‘B’ side share the spoils with a second 3-3 draw in three matches. Cheryl Owen (10.18), Cally Jones (15.34) and Liz Wills (12.54) with the wins that would provide a solid platform that the Salopian men’s ‘B’ side would take full advantage of.
Kacey Jones (21.78), James Mansell (25.91) and Ben Morgan (14.74) gave the men’s ‘B’ the ideal start as they raced into a 3-0 lead although Breconshire hit back to take the fourth game through Joseph Salmon (20.95). Paul Rowley (28.90) hit back for the Salopian’s with what would be a man of the match performance before Paul Ashworth (22.71) increased the overall lead to five games as he would be the first of five Salopian ‘B’ players to triumph in the deciding fifth leg as Breconshire proved to be dogged opposition.
Indeed they doubled their tally in the next game through Mark Salmon (24.64) before Matt Elsey (23.42) celebrated his first Salopian win. Dan James (23.96) secured the men’s ‘B’ victory in the next game before Rob Price (25.05) claimed Breconshire highest winning average securing his team’s third victory of the afternoon. The remaining two games went the way of Salopian through Andy Kynaston (18.56) and Steve O Callaghan (21.47) to crown an impressive men’s ‘B’ performance that saw them run out 9-3 winners whilst holding an overnight lead of 12-6 over Breconshire.
The ladies ‘A’ started with Breconshire taking first blood through Chris Sheen (17.91) who overcame Evonne Taylor (19.73) in a last leg decider. The second match also went the distance with Julie Griffiths (14.76) checking out 96 in two darts (Treble 20 double 18) to draw Salopian level and in an instant shift the momentum back to the Salopian ladies who went on to take three of the remaining four games through Allison Gallagher (16.49), Sarah Roberts (17.08) and Steph Clarke who had the honour of securing the highest average in all of the ladies division three matches that weekend. The 4-2 victory for Salopian ladies ‘A’ ensures they remain unbeaten this season as they continue to lead their division.
The men’s ‘A’ started off knowing that they only needed three more games to secure overall victory and Mark Jones (20.72) opened up with his first victory in the ‘A’team to give Salopian the perfect start. Additional wins for Ash Hilditch (26.29) and Rob Paine (24.32) both of whom have five out of five wins in the A side put Salopian’s into an unassailable 19-7 lead overall.
However, the men’s ‘A’ had yet to win this season having drawn their previous four games. With further wins for Jon Mansell (26.37), Eddie Price (24.10), and John Roberts (26.37) they were on the cusp of victory. Scott Dockerty (28.20) put in a man of the match performance to notch the overall victory that was rounded off with a debut win for Terry Nash (27.70) as the men’s ‘A’ side ran out 8-4 winners whilst the overall victory of 24-12 was Salopian’s biggest victory of the season as they sit in fifth place in the division, three points behind fourth-placed Shropshire with a game in hand.
—–ENDS—–
Words: Che Kerin. Lead Image:
Darts World Magazine (Issue 577) and 2022 bundle offers
Subscribe or purchase your copy
