Alan Towe's the Line
Sussex v West Midlands
Game number seven for the West Midlands County Darts Organisation in division one of the BDO Inter County Championships was an away fixture against Sussex, on paper a certain win for the Midlanders as they were riding high in pole position in the promotional table with 139 points, eleven more than their nearest rivals Cheshire and thirteen to the good on third placed London while their hosts were lying at the foot of the table with 90 points, seven short of the team just above them Hertfordshire.
With six wins from their previous seven games and after the Sussex fixture just two more to play West Midlands looked odds on for a quick return to the premier division, however things very rarely go as planned and despite the weekend getting off to a good start as the ladies ‘B’ chalked up a 4-2 win with regular ‘A’ team player Sarah Roberts taking the match award for her 22.77 average, her overall fourth such award for the season, the overall result would not be the one they desired or even dreamt of.
With only one defeat in the previous six games the men’s ‘B’ have not had a bad season but this was just not going to be their weekend as they went down 8-4 with Jamie Rollinson their top man with a super 28.63 average.
Sunday’s games, as far as results go were a carbon copy of Saturday’s as the ladies ‘A’ recorded a tremendous 5-1 victory with Kat McLean the lady of the match for her 20.59 average but the men’s ‘A’ suffered their biggest defeat since losing away to Yorkshire last season in the premier division as they lost 10-2, of the two winners Shaun Carroll took the match award for his 24.74 average.
The totally unexpected 21-15 defeat has seen West Midlands drop to third place in the table with Cheshire returning to pole position with 155 points, London second on 154 and West Midlands on the same 154. However the final two games of the season will see West Midlands play at home against London and bring the curtain down with an away fixture against divisional leaders Cheshire.
So after a long spell at the top of the table this season the Sussex result could well have put promotion beyond West Midlands reach.
The Camp Hill Marston’s League completed its domestic fixtures and the tile could not have been more closely contested as Nomads wound up their programme with a convincing 6-1 win over Wagon to win the championship with a total of 30 points, however they only beat Emerald Club on average as their 5-2 win over bottom of the table Peaky Blinder put them level on points but losing out by just three legs of average. In addition to the top two having 30 points, third placed Tyseley WMC also finished with the same amount of points after their final 4-3 win against Sedgemere Devil’s Club, they were seven legs short of the champions. With six wins from their final nine games Sheldon Marlborough Flights won the Shadow League with 12 points, six more than runners up Wagon. The league held their men’s and ladies singles knockouts at the Roost and in the semi-finals of the ladies event Laura Caven ((Emerald Club) beat Gloria Lightwood (Sedgemere Devil’s Club) and Jean Forde (Sedgemere Devil’s Club) lost to Katy Slender (Roost). The tile eventually went to Laura Caven with Katy Slender runner up. Making their exits in the last four of the men’s knockout were Nathan Prentice (Tyseley WMC) and Phil Hughes (Emerald Club). The final saw Nomads representative Simon Edwards beat Pete Yardley from new Inn to take the title.
In their final fixture of the season in the Kings Norton League, Avenue C.Fox had a close 4-3 home win over second in the league Bournebrook to become champions with a total of 46 from a possible 48 points and a lead over runners up Bournebrook of eight points. Third in the table Rubery RBL finished the season in style handing out a 7-0 whitewash to their visiting team Grant Arms to give them an average lead over fourth placed Cock Inn whose final 6-1 win at Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club put them on the same 36 points as Rubery.
In the penultimate round of fixtures in the Four Oaks and District Winter League the top two teams in division one squared up to each other in what was in effect a title decider. Leaders Boldmers St Mikes played hosts to second in the table Golden Hind and the home team’s 7-2 success earned them the championship for 2020 while their opponents dropped down to third behind The Boat on average after Boat had a narrow 5-4 win at Pint Pot Flights after Flights had fought back from 4-2 down to level at four each. Walmley CSC Flights lost 5-4 to The Digby, the defeat ending their second division title hopes as leaders and now champions Red Lion opened the gap between the two teams to six points with just one more game to play when they won 5-4 at home to Oscott Sports. In the third division second placed Rosey Mac’s Leopard trail Oscott Social Club by just two points but need a massive result to win the division when they meet each other in the final weeks fixtures.
The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League played off their singles knockout and taking the title was Ten Arches player A.Moreton with a final win over A.Nicholls from the British Oak. In the last four games Moreton took out S.Bills (British Oak) while Nicholls accounted for J.Young (Lion, Stourbridge). Losing quarter finalists were C.Slater (Gate Hangs Well), J.Payne (British Oak), M.Pye (Hop House) and J.Gaskin (Ten Arches).
The South West Birmingham Clubs League staged two of their cup finals and in the Benevolent Cup in the ladies division Stirchley Nomads went 3-0 up against Rubery Flights but after levelling the game at 3-3 J.Storrie won the final game to give Rubery the title. In the Men’s division Longbridge United took Yardley Wood in the final of the Percy Hinton Cup and it was Longbridge who got the final 6-3 verdict.
The Ripley Elite Darts Singles League staged their second annual FA Cup of Darts Competition at the Somercotes Snooker Club, Leabrooks Road, Somercotes, DE55 4HB which attracted a capacity entry of 64 players making their way from around the country to participate for the top prize of £400. From the talented line-up it was Yorkshire’s Daz Johnson and Derbyshire’s Nigel Daniels who made the final which proved to be a class act in which Johnson finally got the 6-4 verdict plus the winners £400. For his efforts Daniels received £200. In the quarter-finals Nigel Daniels was the biggest winner handing out a 6-0 defeat to Rick Gray while Daz Johnson had a closer 6-3 success over Micky Stocks. In the other games Jamie Caven accounted for Pete Burgoyne with a 6-2 scoreline and Dale Gadsby despite being taken to a decider by his fellow Derbyshire county player Lee Arkwright won 6-5. The semi-finals both finished with a 6-3 result as Daz Johnson won against Jamie Caev and Nigel Daniels beat Dale Gadsby. There was £25 for each of the losing quarter-finalists and £100 for players going out in the semis. The £50 for the winner of the First Round Losers Competition went to young Charlie Stocks who produced a surprising 3-1 win over organiser and county player Daz Brown who picked up £20 for his efforts. The last four games saw Stocks win 2-0 against Geroge Stocks and Brown win 2-1 against Ty Ward each of the losers receiving £10. A big vote of thanks goes to Jordan Beresford and Daz Brown organising the competition, Darran Sinfield and Jordan Beresford for helping throughout the day, all of the markers and also the bar staff and more importantly the Somercotes Club for hosting the event. Full Results:Last 64:- Micky Stocks 6 Steve Ratcliffe 4, Dave Allcock 6 Chris Wardle 4, Lee Arkwright 6 Alfie Osborne 1, Daz Sinfield 6 John Hutsby 0, Connor Arberry 6 Tony Devereux 0, Trev Tye 6 Shaun Wood 4, Gavin Ratcliffe 6 Rob Else 0, Gareth McDowell 6 Paul Wood 0, Wes Smith 6 Becky Hoyland 1, Pete Burgoyne 6 Paul Holman 1, Rick Gray 6 Tim Ray 2, Christian Bradshaw 6 Nathan Hadfield 1, Scott McCabe 6 Gaz Jowett 0, Loz Barnes 6 Jordan Beresford 3, Chris Hill 6 Pat Meeson 0, Daz Johnson 6 Damian Donoghue 0, Keith Lodge 6 Charlie Stocks 1, Lee Stanley 6 James Thompson 5, Colin Osborne 6 Curtis Thorpe 3, Tim Rippon 6 George Stocks 0, Daz Hadfield 6 Jack Daykin 5, Paul Redfern 6 Marie Leahy 0, Lee Cropper 6 Ed Bridges 3, Steve Soar 6 Billy Brandham 0, Jamie Caven 6 Chris Smith 0, Wayne Pepper 6 Liam Hadfield 1, Daz Sullivan 6 Stuart Biggs 0, Carl Hatton 6 Shane Robinson 2, Bob Pinder 6 Steve Buck 2, Rich Palmer 6 Daz Brown 4, Nigel Daniels 6 Kyle Arberry 1, Dale Gadsby 6 Ty Ward 2, Last 32:- Daz Johnson 6 Scott McCabe 0, Rich Palmer 6 Loz Barnes 3, Tim Rippon 6 Daz Hadfield 4, Steve Soar 6 Bob Pinder 4, Micky Stocks 6 Dave Allcock 1, Keith Lodge 6 Wayne Pepper 4, Lee Arkwright 6 Daz Sullivan 2, Chris Hill 6 Connor Arberry 0, Colin Osborne 6 Lee Stanley 4, Gavin Ratcliffe 6 Daz Sinfield 0, Jamie Caven 6 Trev Tye 1, Pete Burgoyne 6 Christian Bradshaw 3, Dale Gadsby 6 Wes Smith 1, Rick Gray 6 Gareth McDowell 5, Carl Hatton 6 Lee Cropper 2, Nigel Daniels 6 Paul Redfern 3, Last 16:- Jamie Caven 6 Gavin Ratcliffe 1, Rick Gray 6 Carl Hatton 4, Daz Johnson 6 Tim Rippon 2, Dale Gadsby 6 Rich Palmer 4, Nigel Daniels 6 Keith Lodge 4, Micky Stocks 6 Steve Soar 5, Lee Arkwright 6 Colin Osborne 3, Pete Burgoyne 6 Chris Hill 1, Quarter Finals:- Jamie Caven 6 Pete Burgoyne 2, Dale Gadsby 6 Lee Arkwright 5, Daz Johnson 6 Micky Stocks 3, Nigel Daniels 6 Rick Gray 0, Semi Finals:- Daz Johnson 6 Jamie Caven 3, Nigel Daniels 6 Dale Gadsby 3, Final:- Daz Johnson 6 Nigel Daniels 4, First Round Losers Competition: Semi-Finals:- Charlie Stocks 2 George Stocks 0, Daz Brown 2 Ty Ward 1, Final:- Charlie Stocks 3 Daz Brown 1.
By Alan Towe Website: www.alantowedarts.co.uk
The Camp Hill Marston’s League completed its domestic fixtures and the tile could not have been more closely contested as Nomads wound up their programme with a convincing 6-1 win over Wagon to win the championship with a total of 30 points, however they only beat Emerald Club on average as their 5-2 win over bottom of the table Peaky Blinder put them level on points but losing out by just three legs of average. In addition to the top two having 30 points, third placed Tyseley WMC also finished with the same amount of points after their final 4-3 win against Sedgemere Devil’s Club, they were seven legs short of the champions. With six wins from their final nine games Sheldon Marlborough Flights won the Shadow League with 12 points, six more than runners up Wagon. The league held their men’s and ladies singles knockouts at the Roost and in the semi-finals of the ladies event Laura Caven ((Emerald Club) beat Gloria Lightwood (Sedgemere Devil’s Club) and Jean Forde (Sedgemere Devil’s Club) lost to Katy Slender (Roost). The tile eventually went to Laura Caven with Katy Slender runner up. Making their exits in the last four of the men’s knockout were Nathan Prentice (Tyseley WMC) and Phil Hughes (Emerald Club). The final saw Nomads representative Simon Edwards beat Pete Yardley from new Inn to take the title.
In their final fixture of the season in the Kings Norton League, Avenue C.Fox had a close 4-3 home win over second in the league Bournebrook to become champions with a total of 46 from a possible 48 points and a lead over runners up Bournebrook of eight points. Third in the table Rubery RBL finished the season in style handing out a 7-0 whitewash to their visiting team Grant Arms to give them an average lead over fourth placed Cock Inn whose final 6-1 win at Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club put them on the same 36 points as Rubery.
In the penultimate round of fixtures in the Four Oaks and District Winter League the top two teams in division one squared up to each other in what was in effect a title decider. Leaders Boldmers St Mikes played hosts to second in the table Golden Hind and the home team’s 7-2 success earned them the championship for 2020 while their opponents dropped down to third behind The Boat on average after Boat had a narrow 5-4 win at Pint Pot Flights after Flights had fought back from 4-2 down to level at four each. Walmley CSC Flights lost 5-4 to The Digby, the defeat ending their second division title hopes as leaders and now champions Red Lion opened the gap between the two teams to six points with just one more game to play when they won 5-4 at home to Oscott Sports. In the third division second placed Rosey Mac’s Leopard trail Oscott Social Club by just two points but need a massive result to win the division when they meet each other in the final weeks fixtures.
The Stourbridge and District Monday Night League played off their singles knockout and taking the title was Ten Arches player A.Moreton with a final win over A.Nicholls from the British Oak. In the last four games Moreton took out S.Bills (British Oak) while Nicholls accounted for J.Young (Lion, Stourbridge). Losing quarter finalists were C.Slater (Gate Hangs Well), J.Payne (British Oak), M.Pye (Hop House) and J.Gaskin (Ten Arches).
The South West Birmingham Clubs League staged two of their cup finals and in the Benevolent Cup in the ladies division Stirchley Nomads went 3-0 up against Rubery Flights but after levelling the game at 3-3 J.Storrie won the final game to give Rubery the title. In the Men’s division Longbridge United took Yardley Wood in the final of the Percy Hinton Cup and it was Longbridge who got the final 6-3 verdict.
The Ripley Elite Darts Singles League staged their second annual FA Cup of Darts Competition at the Somercotes Snooker Club, Leabrooks Road, Somercotes, DE55 4HB which attracted a capacity entry of 64 players making their way from around the country to participate for the top prize of £400. From the talented line-up it was Yorkshire’s Daz Johnson and Derbyshire’s Nigel Daniels who made the final which proved to be a class act in which Johnson finally got the 6-4 verdict plus the winners £400. For his efforts Daniels received £200. In the quarter-finals Nigel Daniels was the biggest winner handing out a 6-0 defeat to Rick Gray while Daz Johnson had a closer 6-3 success over Micky Stocks. In the other games Jamie Caven accounted for Pete Burgoyne with a 6-2 scoreline and Dale Gadsby despite being taken to a decider by his fellow Derbyshire county player Lee Arkwright won 6-5. The semi-finals both finished with a 6-3 result as Daz Johnson won against Jamie Caev and Nigel Daniels beat Dale Gadsby. There was £25 for each of the losing quarter-finalists and £100 for players going out in the semis. The £50 for the winner of the First Round Losers Competition went to young Charlie Stocks who produced a surprising 3-1 win over organiser and county player Daz Brown who picked up £20 for his efforts. The last four games saw Stocks win 2-0 against Geroge Stocks and Brown win 2-1 against Ty Ward each of the losers receiving £10. A big vote of thanks goes to Jordan Beresford and Daz Brown organising the competition, Darran Sinfield and Jordan Beresford for helping throughout the day, all of the markers and also the bar staff and more importantly the Somercotes Club for hosting the event. Full Results:Last 64:- Micky Stocks 6 Steve Ratcliffe 4, Dave Allcock 6 Chris Wardle 4, Lee Arkwright 6 Alfie Osborne 1, Daz Sinfield 6 John Hutsby 0, Connor Arberry 6 Tony Devereux 0, Trev Tye 6 Shaun Wood 4, Gavin Ratcliffe 6 Rob Else 0, Gareth McDowell 6 Paul Wood 0, Wes Smith 6 Becky Hoyland 1, Pete Burgoyne 6 Paul Holman 1, Rick Gray 6 Tim Ray 2, Christian Bradshaw 6 Nathan Hadfield 1, Scott McCabe 6 Gaz Jowett 0, Loz Barnes 6 Jordan Beresford 3, Chris Hill 6 Pat Meeson 0, Daz Johnson 6 Damian Donoghue 0, Keith Lodge 6 Charlie Stocks 1, Lee Stanley 6 James Thompson 5, Colin Osborne 6 Curtis Thorpe 3, Tim Rippon 6 George Stocks 0, Daz Hadfield 6 Jack Daykin 5, Paul Redfern 6 Marie Leahy 0, Lee Cropper 6 Ed Bridges 3, Steve Soar 6 Billy Brandham 0, Jamie Caven 6 Chris Smith 0, Wayne Pepper 6 Liam Hadfield 1, Daz Sullivan 6 Stuart Biggs 0, Carl Hatton 6 Shane Robinson 2, Bob Pinder 6 Steve Buck 2, Rich Palmer 6 Daz Brown 4, Nigel Daniels 6 Kyle Arberry 1, Dale Gadsby 6 Ty Ward 2, Last 32:- Daz Johnson 6 Scott McCabe 0, Rich Palmer 6 Loz Barnes 3, Tim Rippon 6 Daz Hadfield 4, Steve Soar 6 Bob Pinder 4, Micky Stocks 6 Dave Allcock 1, Keith Lodge 6 Wayne Pepper 4, Lee Arkwright 6 Daz Sullivan 2, Chris Hill 6 Connor Arberry 0, Colin Osborne 6 Lee Stanley 4, Gavin Ratcliffe 6 Daz Sinfield 0, Jamie Caven 6 Trev Tye 1, Pete Burgoyne 6 Christian Bradshaw 3, Dale Gadsby 6 Wes Smith 1, Rick Gray 6 Gareth McDowell 5, Carl Hatton 6 Lee Cropper 2, Nigel Daniels 6 Paul Redfern 3, Last 16:- Jamie Caven 6 Gavin Ratcliffe 1, Rick Gray 6 Carl Hatton 4, Daz Johnson 6 Tim Rippon 2, Dale Gadsby 6 Rich Palmer 4, Nigel Daniels 6 Keith Lodge 4, Micky Stocks 6 Steve Soar 5, Lee Arkwright 6 Colin Osborne 3, Pete Burgoyne 6 Chris Hill 1, Quarter Finals:- Jamie Caven 6 Pete Burgoyne 2, Dale Gadsby 6 Lee Arkwright 5, Daz Johnson 6 Micky Stocks 3, Nigel Daniels 6 Rick Gray 0, Semi Finals:- Daz Johnson 6 Jamie Caven 3, Nigel Daniels 6 Dale Gadsby 3, Final:- Daz Johnson 6 Nigel Daniels 4, First Round Losers Competition: Semi-Finals:- Charlie Stocks 2 George Stocks 0, Daz Brown 2 Ty Ward 1, Final:- Charlie Stocks 3 Daz Brown 1.
By Alan Towe Website: www.alantowedarts.co.uk