Volunteer vs John Alker

Match Information

Volunteer 1–6 John Alker

John Alker made it three straight league wins over Volunteer with a 6–1 victory away in Sale, despite losing the gallon 2–0. The home side were hoping to turn the tide after a run of defeats in this fixture, but the visitors hit their stride early and never looked back.

Game 1 saw Ian Moore edge past Karl Bannister 3–1 to put Alker 1–0 up. Despite seven tons from Bannister, Moore got the doubles when it mattered and opened the scoring for the visitors. That lead was doubled in Game 2 as John Hawken delivered a commanding display — five tons, a 180, a 76 checkout, and the least darts of the night with a 17-darter. His 73.92 average was also the highest of the night, giving Alker a 2–0 cushion.

The lead was stretched to 3–0 in Game 3, when John Greaves swept aside Christopher Grinnell 3–0. Grinnell had hit a 180 and four tons, but Greaves was clinical, adding three tons of his own and finishing a leg in 19 darts, ending with a solid 63.51 average.

Gaz O’Donnell made it four on the bounce in Game 4 with a 3–1 win, hitting seven tons to match the highest tally of the night as Alker sealed the overall match at 4–0. The Volunteer finally found a reply in Game 5, when Gary Williams picked up their only point with a 3–2 win over Gary Thompson, Williams hitting seven tons, while Thompson responded with four tons in a tight contest that narrowed the score to 4–1.

Alker answered immediately in Game 6, with Chris Wormald beating James Roberts 3–0, hitting three tons and wrapping up one leg in 23 darts to make it 5–1, and Kevin Acton rounded off the night for the Alker with another 3–0 win in Game 7 as he overcame Toni Williams to complete the 6–1 result.