Darts News – Alan Towe’s The Line On Darts – Shropshire v Northamptonshire
Shropshire not only completed their final game of the season in division three of the BDO Inter County Championships, but also, for the time being their last game in division three as they have finished next to bottom of the table and will play next season in division four. Playing at home against Cumbria there were mixed fortunes for the ladies as the ‘B’ side, playing on Saturday were handed a 6-0 whitewash. Lydia Kerr, Julie Fisher, Christine Stockdale, Roxanne Litherland, Hilary Kirkbride and Stacey Thame all winning for the visitors. Sue Lane, Caroline Powell and Caroline La-Ffin were the only players to win a leg for Shropshire.
The men’s ‘B’ team did a little better getting off to a fine start as they opened up a 4-2 lead. Andy Powell was first on and accounted for Stephen Bonnett with a straight 3-0 win. Thomas Richardson levelled for the visitors with a close 3-2 result against Nigel Sandbrook. Another 3-2 win in game three with the advantage this time going to Shropshire’s Roger Taylor with Clive Foster on the receiving end.
The home side then opened up a 3-1 lead when Neville Quinton beat Neil Linford 3-0 and his 25.05 average giving him the man of the match award.
Anthony Lapping reduced the arrears for Cumbria with a 3-2 success against Richard Parker, only to see Scott Pitchford restore the two games advantage with his team’s third 3-0 win, this time at the expense of John Cooper.
Christopher Irvine and Kenneth Park in turn accounted for Dan Humphries and Nathan Storar, both of them winning 3-2 and taking the running scoreline to 4-4.
For a third time Shropshire took the lead, Mark Jones with the game’s sixth 3-2 result defeated Gary Heaney, but the lead was short lived as Cumbria’s award winner David Carr recorded a 3-0 win over John Breeze.
With two to play and the score at 5-5 Antony Stoneman guaranteed at the worst a draw for the home team but at the same time gave hope of a possible win when he won 3-1 against Antony Day. Alas it was not to be as Paul Woods, with a 3-0 score beat Shane Knight to put the result at 6-6.
Sunday was a much better day for the ladies Pam Jones got them off on the right foot when in the opening game she won 3-1 against Kerry Wilkinson. Although Michelle McGimpsey levelled the game with a 3-0 success over Pam Evans, the hosts roared into a 3-1 lead when, with 3-1 scores Lorna Wheatley and Mandy Morgan accounted for Sandra Bode and Mary Paine.
Despite Michele Pritchard (Shropshire) having her team’s second highest average of 19.17, she went down 3-0 to Cumbria’s in form lady and lady of the match Janice Wilson (21.78). Nevertheless, on the day Shropshire kept their best till last and Caroline La-Ffin, with a 3-0 score and a 19.52 average beat Val Hargrave to give a final score of 4-2 to the home side.
It was not such a successful story for the men’s ‘A’ team, they quickly found themselves trailing 2-0 when Colin Hargrave and Andy Goodfellow beat respective opponents Dan Astbury and Kevin Harris.
Shropshire’s Eddie Harris won the third, a 4-3 verdict over Richard Winder, before Cumbria took another two in a row. This time it was wins from Trevor Watters and Mike Sowerby that took their lead to 4-1. However, the home side got back into the game when Andy Roberts and Clive Luckin both recorded 4-2 wins over their counterparts Andrew Foster and David Turnbull to put them within one game, now trailing by 4-3.
Three more wins put Cumbria in an unassailable position, Paul McGimpsey and Tex Haughton, with 4-2 margins beat Darryl Sheldon and Steve Ritchie, plus a 4-3 win from Alan Armstrong over Danny James to give them a lead of 7-3.
The penultimate encounter was a 4-2 win for Matt Williams (Shropshire) over Gerald Stockdale and the final game, like the ladies ‘A’ produced the hosts award winner, this time in the form of Andi Chatter. Andi won 4- 1against David Carr, averaged 28.11 and made the final a score that much more respectable at 7-5 to Cumbria.
The overall result was 21-15 to Cumbria to keep them away from the drop zone finishing seventh on 172 points. Buckinghamshire were eighth with 158, Shropshire ninth with 141 and finishing bottom of the table was Bedfordshire with a total of 126 points.
Full Results:Men’s ‘A’:- Dan Astbury 1 Colin Hargrave 4, Kevin Harris 3 Andy Goodfellow 4, Eddie Austin 4 Richard Winder 3, Simon Pritchard 2 Trevor Watters 4, Brian Hickman 0 Mike Sowerby 4, Andy Roberts 4 Andrew Foster 2, Clive Lucking 4 David Turnbull 2, Darryl Sheldon 2 Paul McGimpsey 4, Steve Ritchie 2 Tex Haughton 4, Danny James 3 Alan Armstrong 4, Matt Williams 4 Gerald Stockdale 2, Andi Chatter 4 David Carr 1, Men’s ‘B’:- Andy Powell 3 Stephen Bonnett 0, Nigel Sandbrook 2 Thomas Richardson 3, Roger Taylor 3 Clive Foster 2, Neville Quinton 3 Neil Linford 0, Richard Parker 2 Anthony Lapping 3, Scott Pitchford 3 John Cooper 0, Dan Humphries 2 Christopher Irvine 3, Nathan Storar 2 Kenneth Park 3, Mark Jones 3 Gary Heaney 2, John Breeze 0 David Carr 3, Antony SToneman 3 Antony Day 1, Shane Knight 0 Paul Woods 3, Women’s ‘A’:- Pam Jones 3 Kerry Wilkinson 1, Pam Evans 0 Michelle McGimpsey 3, Lorna Wheatley 3 Sandra Bode 1, Mandy Morgan 3 Mary Paine 1, Michele Pritchard 0 Janice Wilson 3, Caroline La-Ffin 3 Val Hargrave 0, Women’s ‘B’:- Sue Lane 1 Lydia Kerr 3, Katherine McLean 0 Julie Fisher 3, Caroline Powell 1 Christine Stockdale 3, Deana Worrall 0 Roxanne Litherland 3, Caroline La-Ffin 1 Hilary Kirkbride 3, Tina James 0 Stacey Thame 3.
The men’s ‘B’ team did a little better getting off to a fine start as they opened up a 4-2 lead. Andy Powell was first on and accounted for Stephen Bonnett with a straight 3-0 win. Thomas Richardson levelled for the visitors with a close 3-2 result against Nigel Sandbrook. Another 3-2 win in game three with the advantage this time going to Shropshire’s Roger Taylor with Clive Foster on the receiving end.
The home side then opened up a 3-1 lead when Neville Quinton beat Neil Linford 3-0 and his 25.05 average giving him the man of the match award.
Anthony Lapping reduced the arrears for Cumbria with a 3-2 success against Richard Parker, only to see Scott Pitchford restore the two games advantage with his team’s third 3-0 win, this time at the expense of John Cooper.
Christopher Irvine and Kenneth Park in turn accounted for Dan Humphries and Nathan Storar, both of them winning 3-2 and taking the running scoreline to 4-4.
For a third time Shropshire took the lead, Mark Jones with the game’s sixth 3-2 result defeated Gary Heaney, but the lead was short lived as Cumbria’s award winner David Carr recorded a 3-0 win over John Breeze.
With two to play and the score at 5-5 Antony Stoneman guaranteed at the worst a draw for the home team but at the same time gave hope of a possible win when he won 3-1 against Antony Day. Alas it was not to be as Paul Woods, with a 3-0 score beat Shane Knight to put the result at 6-6.
Sunday was a much better day for the ladies Pam Jones got them off on the right foot when in the opening game she won 3-1 against Kerry Wilkinson. Although Michelle McGimpsey levelled the game with a 3-0 success over Pam Evans, the hosts roared into a 3-1 lead when, with 3-1 scores Lorna Wheatley and Mandy Morgan accounted for Sandra Bode and Mary Paine.
Despite Michele Pritchard (Shropshire) having her team’s second highest average of 19.17, she went down 3-0 to Cumbria’s in form lady and lady of the match Janice Wilson (21.78). Nevertheless, on the day Shropshire kept their best till last and Caroline La-Ffin, with a 3-0 score and a 19.52 average beat Val Hargrave to give a final score of 4-2 to the home side.
It was not such a successful story for the men’s ‘A’ team, they quickly found themselves trailing 2-0 when Colin Hargrave and Andy Goodfellow beat respective opponents Dan Astbury and Kevin Harris.
Shropshire’s Eddie Harris won the third, a 4-3 verdict over Richard Winder, before Cumbria took another two in a row. This time it was wins from Trevor Watters and Mike Sowerby that took their lead to 4-1. However, the home side got back into the game when Andy Roberts and Clive Luckin both recorded 4-2 wins over their counterparts Andrew Foster and David Turnbull to put them within one game, now trailing by 4-3.
Three more wins put Cumbria in an unassailable position, Paul McGimpsey and Tex Haughton, with 4-2 margins beat Darryl Sheldon and Steve Ritchie, plus a 4-3 win from Alan Armstrong over Danny James to give them a lead of 7-3.
The penultimate encounter was a 4-2 win for Matt Williams (Shropshire) over Gerald Stockdale and the final game, like the ladies ‘A’ produced the hosts award winner, this time in the form of Andi Chatter. Andi won 4- 1against David Carr, averaged 28.11 and made the final a score that much more respectable at 7-5 to Cumbria.
The overall result was 21-15 to Cumbria to keep them away from the drop zone finishing seventh on 172 points. Buckinghamshire were eighth with 158, Shropshire ninth with 141 and finishing bottom of the table was Bedfordshire with a total of 126 points.
Full Results:Men’s ‘A’:- Dan Astbury 1 Colin Hargrave 4, Kevin Harris 3 Andy Goodfellow 4, Eddie Austin 4 Richard Winder 3, Simon Pritchard 2 Trevor Watters 4, Brian Hickman 0 Mike Sowerby 4, Andy Roberts 4 Andrew Foster 2, Clive Lucking 4 David Turnbull 2, Darryl Sheldon 2 Paul McGimpsey 4, Steve Ritchie 2 Tex Haughton 4, Danny James 3 Alan Armstrong 4, Matt Williams 4 Gerald Stockdale 2, Andi Chatter 4 David Carr 1, Men’s ‘B’:- Andy Powell 3 Stephen Bonnett 0, Nigel Sandbrook 2 Thomas Richardson 3, Roger Taylor 3 Clive Foster 2, Neville Quinton 3 Neil Linford 0, Richard Parker 2 Anthony Lapping 3, Scott Pitchford 3 John Cooper 0, Dan Humphries 2 Christopher Irvine 3, Nathan Storar 2 Kenneth Park 3, Mark Jones 3 Gary Heaney 2, John Breeze 0 David Carr 3, Antony SToneman 3 Antony Day 1, Shane Knight 0 Paul Woods 3, Women’s ‘A’:- Pam Jones 3 Kerry Wilkinson 1, Pam Evans 0 Michelle McGimpsey 3, Lorna Wheatley 3 Sandra Bode 1, Mandy Morgan 3 Mary Paine 1, Michele Pritchard 0 Janice Wilson 3, Caroline La-Ffin 3 Val Hargrave 0, Women’s ‘B’:- Sue Lane 1 Lydia Kerr 3, Katherine McLean 0 Julie Fisher 3, Caroline Powell 1 Christine Stockdale 3, Deana Worrall 0 Roxanne Litherland 3, Caroline La-Ffin 1 Hilary Kirkbride 3, Tina James 0 Stacey Thame 3.