Division 2
Two games in Division 2 survived the cup final, and went ahead as planned, and one was a corker as it pitted the early season leaders Fusion Aces against second placed Broadheath Central who sat only 3 points behind going into the first meeting between the sides this season. It was the Aces who came out on top with a solid 5-2 home win which stretched their lead to 8 points, while the Melville edged out the Bulls Head 4-3 to move above their opponents into fourth place.
Fusion Aces 5 vs 2 Broadheath Central
Fusion Aces came out on top in this top of the table Division 2 clash with a 5–2 win over BH Central, also taking the honours in the gallon by a 2–0 scoreline.
Andy Brownhill got the Aces off to a strong start in game 1, seeing off Lee Darcey 3–0 with an 18-dart leg, 88 finish and a 60.12 average. Leyton Jackson struck back in game 2, sweeping aside Dennis Hand 3–0 and notching a 22-dart leg in a tidy display that included three ton-plus scores and a 60.93 average.
Andy McCormack restored Fusion’s lead with a 3–1 win over Brandon Lawley in game 3, firing in seven 100+ scores along with a 17-dart leg and a sharp 71.01 average, with Brandon getting 6 ton plusses of his own in a high scoring encounter. In game 4, Chris Cordingley edged out Dan Cross 3–2 to make it 3–1 overall, while Darren Wood and Tom Beresford produced a quality scrap in game 5. Beresford came out on top 3–2 for BH Central, both players recording 21-dart legs and five and four tons respectively.
Dave Wood’s 3–2 victory in game 6 over Jordan Woodbridge clinched the match for the Aces, despite the BH man landing ten 100+ scores in defeat — more than anyone else on the night. Nigel Beeton added some extra gloss with a 3–0 win over Sam McCallister in game 7, wrapping up a strong evening for the hosts.
Bulls Head 3 vs 4 Melville
Melville edged out Bulls Head in a tightly contested Division 2 encounter, taking the match 4–3 and claiming the gallon by a 2–0 margin.
Game 1 saw Jamie Harris grind out a 3–2 win over Paul Sambrook in a quality opener. Harris landed four 100+ scores and a 17-dart leg, but Sambrook played his part with five tons and the only 180 of the night. Gary Brisco levelled things with a 3–0 win in game 2 over Adrian Stock, before Iain Fish reclaimed the lead for the Bulls, dispatching Tom Powell 3–0 while checking out on a superb 113 – the highest finish of the night.
Jon Powell hit back for Melville in game 4 with a clean 3–0 victory over Rob Barber, featuring five ton-plus scores, a 22-dart leg, and a 66.42 average — the highest of the match. Bo Bowman then restored Bulls Head’s lead with a dominant 3–0 display against Joe McCracken, producing four 100+ scores and a 21-dart leg.
But with the match poised at 3–2 to the Bulls who needed just one more game for victory, The Melville’s rear guard came good. Jake Powell took game 6 with a 3–0 win over Steve Hazlehurst, and Cam McFarlane sealed the comeback by brushing aside Allan Simper 3–0 in the decider, throwing in six tons and a 22-darter for good measure.
Division 4
Metros took advantage of everyone else having a week off to extend their lead at the top of Division 4 from four points to eleven after a tidy 5-2 win against the Garricks Head.
Metros Sports 5 vs 2 Garricks Head
Metros Sports recorded a confident 5–2 home win over Garricks Head in this Division 4 encounter, with the gallon also going their way by a 2–0 scoreline.
The visitors struck first in game 1, as James Heslop swept aside Andrew Lewis 2–0 with a 25-dart leg and a 50 checkout. But Metros quickly found their stride, with Craig Wych levelling the match in game 2 after a 2–1 win over Lucas Entwistle, while Gareth Cooke nudged Metros ahead with a composed 2–1 win over Lex Davies in game 3, landing three 100+ scores and a 25-darter in the process. Wayne Billing kept the momentum rolling in game 4, seeing off Daryl Patrick 2–1 with a tidy 19-dart leg — the quickest of the night, before Jack Yates clinched the match for the hosts in game 5 with a solid 2–0 win over Vicki Rice.
Harry Wilson hit a 20 darter and fired in the highest finish of the evening, checking out on 87 in a dominant 2–0 win over Connor Trueman in game 6 to make it 5-1 overall, and although Mike Bray lost out 2–1 to Lee Capper in the final game, the league leaders had fully taken the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the table.
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