Melville vs Volunteer

Match Information

Melville 4–3 Volunteer

Division 2’s Melville edged past Division 1 side Volunteer in a bizarre cup tie shaped by circumstance — and very nearly by upset. With only four players available and the fixture unable to be rearranged, Volunteer were forced to concede the final three games before a dart had been thrown. It meant they needed to win all four played games just to stay alive — and for a while, it looked like they might do just that.

Tony Grinnell set the tone with a 2–0 win over Owen Powell, posting four tons, a 93 checkout and a 20-dart leg, all wrapped in a sharp 68.32 average. James Roberts followed up with a 2–0 win against Tom Powell, before Volunteer skipper Gary Williams kept the unlikely charge alive by beating Bradley Hodgson 2–0 with a 180, a 21-dart leg and a 112 finish — the highest of the match.

It all came down to the fourth game, where Toni Williams battled hard against Jon Powell but fell short 2–0. Powell’s win sealed the tie for Melville, despite having lost every other game played on the night.

A narrow escape for the Division 2 outfit — and a mighty effort from the four-strong Volunteer side, who were one result away from pulling off an unlikely win.