Salopian Super League - Week 1
The first week of the inaugural UKDA Salopian Super League was completed as competitive darts returned for many in Shropshire for the first time in sixteen months.
Setting the standard were Telford outfit “Dawley Social Club” who produced a combined winning average of 22.35 per dart in their 5-1 victory away at Shrewsbury’s Hop and Friar. Dan Astbury (28.63) needed just 70 darts to register a 4 -0 victory that included a maximum, a 15 darts leg and a 125 checkout. Team mates Danny Jones & Andy Gilbert also fired respective 150 and 139 checkouts while formed Welsh captain John Roberts (21.45) was the hosts solitary success.
Market Drayton’s Salopian Star were made to work hard for a 4-2 victory at home to IOTG Wentnor that saw the visitors twice open up early leads through Den Morgan (23.50 and Ed Price (23.47). The Star’s hit back with wins for Derek Coulson (28.23) which included a 16 dart leg, Rob Henderson and Joe Higgins before captain Tim Eley (20.32) secured a fine home win.
The North Shrewsbury derby saw the Bagley Club open up a two nil lead at home to the Compasses Inn thanks to Andy Kynaston (21.68) and Paul Harris who edged out Scott Towers in a 7 leg thriller despite Scott pitching a maximum and a 104 outshot. It took another Scott, Scott Dockerty (27.45) to change the course of the game reeling off a 4-0 win that was followed by further victories for team mates Tony Middleton (18.75) and Jon Mansell (21.00) before Ian Evans (19.46) capped a fine win for the away side that included a 116 checkout.
It was honours even at Craven Arms as the Plough and Griffin Inn (Oswestry) shared the spoils in a match that saw the lead change hands three times before Plough’s Dave Bishop (21.95) held his nerve in the last leg of the final match to level things up overall. Earlier, Griffin’s Steve Tomley (21.12) Kacey Jones (22.77, including a 100 finish) and Eric Ryan (21.19) had impressed with wins for the visitors whilst Plough’s Dave Spittle (20.72) had finishes of 120 and 90 finishing on the bull.
It was a case of what might have been for Whitchurch Bulls Head after Keith Jones (18.09) had led James Mansell (19.20) 3-0 in the first match only for James, (on the back of a fine showing in the weekends Cheshire open), to roar back to win the remaining four legs to put the visitors IOTG A (Shrewsbury) one up. Rowan Price (18.00) levelled the score but that was as good as it got for the Whitchurch side as Andy Williams (20.09) won the decisive match 4-2 in an entertaining game against Nigel Neale (20.00).
The south side Shrewsbury battle saw the hosts Charles Darwin in control throughout against the Grove with fine 4-0 wins for Matt Elsey (20.88) and Ash Hilditch (26.14) whilst the final game of the night, another all Shrewsbury affair saw the Inn On the Green B open up a 3-0 lead, conceding just one single leg. Monkmoor hit back to claim the remaining three matches and parity overall.
Wem side Dickin Arms had a bye on the league’s opening night of the season, but for the remainder it was an unqualified success providing a solid platform for round two matches in a fortnights time.
Team Of The Week made up of the various teams man of the match players were Andy Williams, Daniel Astbury, Scott Dockerty, Ash Hilditch, Dave Bishop, Derek Coulson, Steve Felton
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