Pub Darts; Krispy Form Poor, But Stilton Win First Game!
Another Monday night, another night of DARTS for Krispy, playing in my 4th game for Stilton Country Club. It was going to top off 3 days of darts, as I’d been at the PDC Player Championship floor tournament in Crawley on Saturday and Sunday, watching the best of the best… so the Peterborough Clubs league may have been a bit of an anti-climax, but it’s just as much fun when you’re playing.
After a losing start to the season, confidence isn’t exactly high in the team, but there’s actually a great team spirit, as we all seem to know we’re out of our league, and are just using the experience in Division 1 as a way to try and improve, playing against a better standard of player. I’m told I’ll enjoy next season more, when we have more chances to win – and that I may eventually win a game.
Anyway – after chucking lots of darts myself over the weekend in our hotel room, and hitting a 180 in the process, I was feeling fairly good about my game. The club we were playing, PSL (Peterborough Sports and Leisure), was just around the corner from my house, so instead of joining the team at the Stilton club, I got a few brewdog Punk IPA’s in my fridge, and warmed up for an hour and a half at home. I tried out a couple of sets of darts – trying to see if I could tune my throw any more, but went with the standard ones in the end. Things felt good – I’d been practising my doubles (D11 area), as it was a cup match and a double in format, best of 3 legs of 501. AJ chucking to win in the 2nd pairs match
I played in the first match, a pairs game with team-mate Clive. Now give Clive his credit, he did his best to keep us in the game, hitting some good scores. I on the other hand, apart from getting us off in leg 2 with a d11, seemed to be completely out of sorts – all the warm-up form deserting me. In previously games I’ve been able to hit some steady 60′s, and even the odd ton, but there was nothing there at all. I couldn’t seem to hit anywhere near where I was aiming, big numbers and doubles also avoiding me. It’s the worst I’ve felt in a game so far – like I’d let down the team. Captain Lee says I’m dropped next week – well I’m actually at the Grand Slam of Darts so it’s more a symbolic dropping. I did deserve it though! Maybe I missed the warm up with the players in the team, possibly it’s not a good idea to practice and prepare on your own, when you’re going to be playing in a pub and team situation?
I have to mention the board – which was a Winmau Blade 4. But unfortunately, its best days are behind it. Unlike the Stilton Club, which thanks to my friends at Red Dragon darts, has brand new match boards to use for the season, the PSL board must have seen a LOT of darts chucked at it. To be fair it was still in shape, but it had compacted down, and some players, Steve for us especially, found they had darts dropping out more than teenagers from hard work. We’re not even talking bounce outs.. ‘good’ 60′s decided to fall out 3-5 seconds after they had hit the board, which is even more gutting. Oh well, it’s one of the things pub players have to get used to and overcome, less than 100% conditions. After all, if you want that, you need to be good enough for the PDC ProTour! Steve didn’t let those dropped darts stop him though – and he still managed to get enough to stay in to win his singles game, which shows great character – some players would be shaking their heads and saying the luck was against them, but not Steve.
I did my marking duty during the 6th singles game – with us 4-3 up, and needing one win to take the game – which would be a historic first win of the season. So the pressure was on our captain Lee – as he knew our last player was up against a strong PSL thrower. I managed to get through my marking without any mistakes (that I know of), and Lee hit his d8 to take the game 2-0. The only downer was the rest of the team had attacked the match sarnies like a pack of rampaging gannets, and there wasn’t a crumb left for the victor or myself!
We Are The Champions!
Lee ‘Danger’ Griffin celebrates his win in.. some kind of style
Well, maybe not champions, but we did win our first match of the season, thanks to;
Connor and AJ playing a cracking game of doubles. James, Rik, Steve, and of course Lee ‘Danger’ Griffin, our super captain, who played a blinder in his match to win 2-0 in the penultimate game, meaning we had a lead that couldn’t be caught! He told me he was shaking like a leaf on his last double, knowing that it could be the game changer.
Not only is Lee a good mate, who comes with me to many of the darts events (I don’t drive, so he gets that duty – sorry Lee) – but he’s also a bit of an inspiration – as he suffered for about a year with Dartitus – which nearly ended his love for the game.
A session with darts MC and hynotist Sean Casey-Poole which ‘cured’ him – and he’s now slowly getting back to the darts level he was before it fell apart for him. The main thing is he can release the darts and is enjoying playing again.
I’m not sure that’s our season turned around, but hopefully the lads can win again without me (holding em back) next week – as they play at home to Mitchells in the league.
I’ll miss the 3rd Dec away match against the Post Office Club team as well – due the the fact I’ll be coming back from Minehead and the Player Championships finals that day (after 3 days of darts n beers!), but I hope I can take a place back on the team on the 26th November.. a couple of days after my birthday.