Division 1
The Ammies finally got their season underway with a thumping 6-1 win over the Volunteer, while the Levenshulme stage a late fight back to beat Wythenshawe CSC. The John Alker run riot at the Vic, St Johns vs Broadheath Central is rescheduled, and Timperley make it two wins from two games played to open up a slender 3 point lead at the top of the very early Division 1 table, a game which also featured an early contender for highest finish with a 151 from Chris Stone.
Ammies 6 vs 1 The Volunteer
Paul Devine’s Ammies side kicked off their season as they no doubt mean to go on – with a comprehensive 6-1 win against the newly promoted Volunteer. Paul put his side one up with a 3-1 win in the opening game of the night, and that lead was just about doubled after Mike Morrison survived a fright to edge a final leg decider against Toni Williams. Scott Livingstone’s 3-0 win in game 3 put the champions one away from victory, and that victory was secured with Adam Watson hitting an 18 darter and 107 finish during a 3-0 win against his 2023-24 Blind Pairs title winning partner Geoff Sanders. Pete Watson’s 3-0 win with a 180 made it five nil, Danny O’Donnell finally got the Volunteer on the board with a 3-1 win over Chris McKenzie in game six, before Ray Dore closed out the match with a 3-0 victory to make it 6-1 overall.
Wythenshawe CSC 3 vs 4 The Levenshulme
The Levenshulme are another side who were making their 2024-25 season league bow following the rearrangement of the Ammies game in week 2 and they left it late to clinch victory over hosts Wythenshawe, with wins in the final two games of the night.
Shane Lowe put the hosts into an early lead with a 3-0 win, but 8 ton-plus scores from Levenshulme’s Dylan Wimbury helped him to a 3-2 win over Martin Power which brought the sides level after two games. Andrew Day hit a 17 darter and a 180 to put Levenshulme ahead, but Wythenshawe newcomer Paul Taylor smashed in a 15 darter during his 3-1 debut win in game 4 to once again bring the sides level. Big John Brown put the hosts 3-2 ahead with a 3-0 win that included his first 180 of the season, but with it all on the line, the last two Levenshulme players pulled it out of the bag to win the remaining games and the match – game six saw Steve Moane hit a 180 during his 3-1 win, while Pete Evans hit a 17 darter en route to beating Wythenshawe captain Dave Peploe in the final game of the night.
The Victoria 1 vs 6 The John Alker
The Vic fell to a second successive home defeat, this time a heavy 6-1 at the hands of the John Alker.
The Alker set their stall out early, with consecutive 3-0 wins in the opening two games for Baz Rowland and Gaz Brickhill, followed by a 3-2 deciding leg win for Gaz O’Donnell over Dave Stanley. The 3-0 match scoreline became 4-0 after John Hawken sealed the bonus points for the Alker with a 3-1 win in game 4, and bad went to worse for the Vic as Gary Thompson took a 3-0 win over Matt Jepson in game 5. Terry Jepson stopped the rot with his second 180 in as many league games helping him to a 3-1 win against Chris Wormald (who opened his own 180 account for the season), but that was only a brief respite for the Withington team as Ewan Donegan secured a 3-1 victory in the final game of the night against 117 finish hitting Sean Edwards, to secure a big win for the Alker.
Timperley CC 5 vs 2 The Cringlewood
Timperley retained their place atop the the early league table with another 5-2 win, but didnt have everything their own way in the first half of the match as the Cringlewood kept them all square going into the final three games.
Andy Brownhill got proceedings underway with a 3-0 defeat of Alex Martin, before Callum Loose repeated that scoreline, hitting a 15 darter and an 81.98 average to put the Timperley side 2-0 up. The Cringlewood responded immediately however, with a 3-2 win for Phil Lauder in game three followed by a 3-1 win for his son Rob, bringing them level after four games played. In the fifth game, Timperley’s Chris Stone controversially utilised the latest technology in darting performance and balance aids to help him to a 3-0 win over Ladies Individuals Champion Lianne Lauder; and with a leagues best finish of 151 also achieved, the league committee may need an urgent review of policy regarding the legality of certain equipment to be permitted in matches. Timperley, inspired by the performance-enhanced Stone, went from strength to strength in the remaining games with consecutive 3-0 wins for Gary Sullivan and Andy Pearson, both players hitting 70 plus averages and doing a better job than Rio Ferdinand at avoiding a urine test at the end of the night. Rumours that Timperley have also employed an olympic coach from the disgraced Russian Federation, are also unfounded. Joking aside Chris – hope all is well and you recover soon – you rock that Zimmerframe mate.
St John’s PP vs PP Broadheath Central
Game postponed – will be played on the 25th September.
Match Stats
Division 2
We have three unbeaten teams left in Division 2 after two games played, with Ashton setting a scorching pace at the top with their second big win in as many games, The Melville get revenge for last season with a win over their Division 3 rivals The Malt Shovels, while Trafford Social continue their renaissance with a close fought 4-3 win over the Royal Oak.
Trafford SC 4 vs 3 Royal Oak A
Its still early days, but Trafford have started the season really well, as evidenced with this 4-3 win over last seasons third placed finishing Royal Oak. In a classic game of two halves, Trafford secured the win and bonus points after only four games played, before losing the final three as the Oak showed the fortitude to respond and rescue 3 points from the game.
Liam Galvin’s 3-0 win got the home side underway, before Kyle Wands doubled the lead with 7 ton plusses and a 17 darter en-route to a 3-2 win over Stephen Lee. Another 3-2 in game 3 for Andrew Wood made it 3-0, and the win was in the bag for Trafford after Alex Buckley hammered in 8 ton plusses including a 108 finish during a 3-1 win over Tony Kirby. At 4-0 down and with the game lost, Steve Lawless began the response from the Oak, defying a Jake Neersoo 180 to triumph 3-1 in game 5, while Pete Perry had a similar story in the sixth, his 3-1 win coming in spite of a McKenzie Evans 180 and 16 dart leg. In the battle of the Jordans in game 7, the Oak’s Perry took the plaudits with a 3-1 win over Fry that gave a much closer looking scoreline of Trafford 4 Royal Oak 3.
The Roebuck 1 vs 6 Ashton-on-Mersey CC
Both sides have graced the top Division in the last two seasons or so, and both will have high hopes of returning to the top flight at the end of this season. It’s Ashton though who can be said to be setting the early pace in Division 2 after this heavy win over the recently relegated Roebuck.
George Hardman got the Cricket Club on the board when he edged out Rick Kiel 3-2, but Ste Reddy responded immediately with a 3-1 win to level it up. From there on in it was all Ashton, Chris Chapmans 3-0 win put them back in the lead, before Mark Robinson and Will Radcliffe ensured that the vistors would take the spoils. League Chairman James Compton made it 5-1 with a fine 3-0 win in game 6, and Harry Guthrie rounded off proceedings with a 3-1 win over Hayden Reddy in the final game of the night.
St Anthony’s 5 vs 2 LMRCA
With both sides looking to get their first win of the season, it was St Anthony’s who got the better of LMRCA, who slip to their second 5-2 defeat in as many games.
The Saints were out of the blocks quickly, with 3-1 and 3-2 wins for Mark Corrigan and Ian Paton respectively giving them an early 2-0 lead. Alan Gleave pulled one back for LMRCA with a 3-1 win over Mark Paton in game 3, but Shaun Gill reinstated the 2 game lead with a 3-1 win in game 4, which included his first maximum of the season. In the fifth, Carl Paton put the match to bed as a contest with a comfortable 3-0 win over Joe Davis, Carl also hitting a nice 110 finish in that one. Game 6 saw the LMRCA claw another one back with a 3-0 win for Tony Spilsbury, but it was to be the Saints night as Dom Batty grabbed another point for his side with a 3-2 win in game 7.
The Carters 1 vs 6 Urmston SC
After both sides suffered a close 4-3 defeat in their first league matches, it was Urmston who got themselves back to winning ways with a comprehensive 6-1 defeat of Carter Arms.
The ever improving Harry Fitton put Urmston into an early lead, with 8 ton plus scores and a joint best in the division 111 finish during a 3-2 win over Ryan Pollit. Gaz Lane and Steve Lye followed this up for Urmston when recording 3-0 wins in the next two games, Steve with a 16 darter in game 3. James Heslop tied it up for the visitors with a 3-1 win in the fourth game, and after a 3-0 win for Dave Tong in the fifth Urmston were in a commanding position with only two to play. Harry Mitchell stopped the rot for The Carters with a 3-0 win over Urmston captain and Ladies individuals runner-up Michelle Fitton, but Luke Lonergan made it 6-1 on the night with a 3-1 win against Mike Grimshaw.
Malt Shovels 3 vs 4 The Melville
In a battle of the two sides promoted from Division 3 at the end of last season, it was the side that finished in second place, The Melville, that managed to avenge their two league defeats at the hands of eventual Division 3 winners the Malt Shovels.
The Melville’s Powells were out in force for this one with four of them featuring in the first four games of the night, and after Jake took a 3-0 win in game one and Jon and Owen won 3-1 in games two and three it was starting to look ominous for the Malt Shovels. The Malts fought back strongly though, with a 3-1 win for Phil Wright against Tom Powell, and a 3-0 win for James Roberts over Cam McFarlane pulling them right back into it at 3-2 down after five played. The revival couldnt be kept going however as Paul Sambrook’s 3-0 win secured the points for The Melville, but a consolation win in the seventh via Dean Power ensured the Malts ended the game with 3 points, although they are still looking for their first win of the season.
Division 3
Two of the new teams in the division are amongst three which remain unbeaten after this weeks fixtures, but performance of the week has to go to Stretfordians who recorded their first league win of the season, and not just that, their first in several seasons after ending the two previous campaigns without a victory.
Broadheath Central Aces 5 vs 2 The Bulls Head
The Aces are living up to their name in Division 3 and made it two big wins in succession to sit atop the early division 3 table.
The Bulls Head were first to score though, as Bo Bowman secured a 2-1 win to give his side the lead. The Ace’s Dave Wood restored parity with a 2-1 win in game 2, and while he couldnt repeat the big average of the previous week, a 117 checkout means he is now top of both the Least Darts (15) and Highest Finish merit tables. Dave’s son Darren also won 2-1 to put the Aces 2-1 up overall, and after 2-0 wins for Joe Hughes and Geoff Talbot (Geoff with a 75.15 average and his second maximum of the season) they had the match sealed and were chasing a second 6-1 win on the bounce. The Bull’s Rob Barber put paid to that plan with a 2-0 win in game six, but the homeside would ultimately settle for 5-2 after a 2-0 Bob Hilton win in the final game.
Old Market Tavern 3 vs 4 Stretfordians
As the old lady on Titanic said, “It’s been… 84 years”…… and while it may not really have been that long, it must feel like it sometimes as Stretfordians have endured back to back campaigns without a league victory. That long wait was finally put to bed after a fine 4-3 win in this match against the Old Market Tavern.
Toni Entwistle put the visitors into an early lead, but this lead was wiped out as Mandy Haycocks got the better of Chrissy Thompson in game 2. Georgio Corbett’s 2-0 win put Stretfordians back into the lead, and after a similar win for newcomer Sacha Kavanagh put them 3-1 up on the night, Stretfordians could almost taste that first win. Lindsay Rice stepped up next to try and secure that elusive win, but she wasnt able to get the better of Richard Haycocks who’s 2-0 victory got the OMT back into it. That was only a minor setback though, as in the sixth game the holy grail was landed, with Adam Jackson writing himself into Stretfordian darts folklore (or at least as part of the match stats on a peice of A4 paper in a folder somewhere). The final game went the way of the home side with a 2-1 win for Ian Fensome.
The Buck Inn-eers 3 vs 4 Excelsior WMC
This Excel win keeps them unbeaten and just behind Broadheath Central Aces (I really need an abbreviation for that) in the Division 3 table, while despite losing both of their games 4-3 so far, the Buck Inn-eers can consider this a decent start to the season as they get accustomed to league darts.
Joe Blacker got the Buck into an early lead with a 2-0 win in the opening game, but The Excel replied in kind with 2-0 wins for Danny Chua and Connor McCorkell to edge into the lead. Nigel Foster levelled it up with a deciding leg win against Warren McCoubrey in game 4, but consecutive 2-0 wins from Andy Cheetham (who hit a 180) and Jimmy Nolan ensured the points went back with the Excel. Rick Hindle pulled back another game and point for the Buck with a 2-0 win in the final game of the night.
The Levenshulme B 4 vs 3 The Bent Brook
The Bent Brook were only able to field six players in this match, a state of affairs which ultimately counted against them as despite effectively drawing the six played games 3-3, it was the 2-0 default loss in the seventh that cost them. As it is, the win ensures Levenshulme B continue their fine start, remaining unbeaten in the league and sitting in third place.
This game was bit of a tennis match with the Levenshulme taking the lead only to be pegged back on three occasions, Rob Moss’s win was cancelled out by Alex Morton, David Duffys by Alya Preston-Macallan, and Tom Beresford’s by Ken Turnock.
The Nelson (Didsbury) 5 vs 2 The Jolly Butcher
The Nelson seem to have finally sorted out their player numbers, so all thats left to sort is getting one of them to actually record their own game stats, fastening the board and scoreboard to the wall properly, and getting a raised oche. Should be quick wins.
In what was looking like a close game, the opening four games of the match were shared – Mike Swindells put the Jolly Butcher into an early lead, but Jamie Mills replied with a 2-0 win in game 2. Gareth Sullivan put the Butcher back ahead at 2-1 with a 2-0 win of his own, but the Nelson won all the remaining games to seal a 5-2 win.
Royal Oak B 1 vs 6 The Vine Inn
In the final match review of the week, two of the new sides in the league, both looking for a first win, went head to head, and it was The Vine who came out on top with a thumping 6-1 victory.
Kyran Eyes put the Vine ahead with a 2-0 win in game 1, but Rob Whiteside drew the home side level with a 2-0 win of his own. That was as good as it got for the Oak, as Dave Goulden, Adi McCarroll and Billy Sanders secured a 4-1 scoreline and the win for the Vine, before Charlie Sanders and Wayne Hough added some gloss to the victory with 2-0 wins in the final two games.
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