Division 1
After the excitement of last weeks first Ammies loss, week 10 brought the eagerly awaited clash of the top two – and it was a cracker, although with an outcome that makes the current champions odds-on to retain their title. The John Alker have flown up the league to now join their defeated opponents The Nelson in third place, The Roebuck suffer a narrow loss to the Cringlewood, but move off the foot of the table due to Broadheath having their bye week and Victoria vs Wythenshawe is rearranged.
Timperley CC 2 vs 5 Ammies Darts
An expectant Conservative Club got the gin and tonics in early in eager anticipation of this battle between the top two – as second placed Timperley finally got the chance to avenge their solitary loss so far which came against the Ammies in the reverse fixture at the very start of the season. And though the result went the way of the current title holders, it was a high quality affair with loads of maximums, big finishes, big averages and no leg lasting more than 26 darts.
Gary Sullivan got the home side underway with a 3-2 win against Ray Dore aided by a maximum and a 16 darter, but the Ammies were soon level as Don Cooper gained a 3-1 win over Kev Kelly, both players hitting a 180. Andy Tucker put the visitors ahead with a 3-0 win against Andy Brownhill, hitting the nights fourth 180, his second of the season so far.
Game four was a battle between Ammies skipper Paul Devine and Andy Pearson, with the Ammies captain getting a 15 darter along with his third 180 of the season so far during a 3-1 win which put his team 3-1 ahead on the night. Adam Watson ended the match as a contest with a 3-0 win in game five against Chris Stone, and with memories of the first game of the season still fresh, Timperley were two games away from suffering another heavy defeat at the hands of their rivals. Callum Loose was next up to try and arrest the slide, and he managed this in great style with a 3-1 win over Scott Livingstone in which he hit an 83 average, 15 darter, a 119 finish and his fifth 180 of the season (and the sixth of the match).
With Timperley hoping to pull it back to 4-3, those hopes were dashed by an imperious performance from Pete Watson, the Ammies man crushing Andy Broadhurst 3-0. While Andy managed an impressive 82.80 average in defeat, the Ammies veteran got his third maximum of the season, a 14 dart leg and a whopping 95.94 average to ensure his side took seven points back to Wythenshawe and emphatically reestablish dominance in the title race.
The Nelson 3 vs 4 John Alker
The Alker followed up last weeks seismic win over the Ammies with another win against top three opposition, a win which thrust them into third place in the division, level on points and game difference with their visitors, with both sides having four wins and five losses from nine matches played.
The Nelson were underway quickly, with wins for Steve Moane and Dylan Wimbury putting them 2-0 up – Dylan with his second 180 in as many games. Gaz Brickhill and Ewan Donegan pulled the visitors level after four games played, before a 3-0 win for Pete Evans edged the Didsbury based side back in front again. Andy Day threw the kitchen sink at Chris Wormald in game six, in an attempt to give his side the win, with 10 ton plus scores and two maximums, but it was not to be as the Alker captain grabbed his fourth 180 of the campaign alongside a 15 darter to draw his side level following a 3-2 win.
It all came down to a final game shootout between Alkers John Greaves, and Mick Young, and despite Micks second 180 of the season, the Alker man came out on top in a deciding leg to secure the bonus points and see his side move up to third in the table.
The Roebuck 3 vs 4 Cringlewood
The Cringlewood made it four wins from six when visiting The Roebuck, while the hosts were unable to capitalise on a massive win against Wythenshawe in their previous fixture. Points wise, the three gained for the Bucks mean they move off the bottom of the table, while the Cringlewood are level on points with fifth placed Wythenshawe, remarkably still having the second worst game difference – but the third most games won in the league.
Game 1 saw the Cringlewoods Mike Morrison record a 3-1 win over Steve Preston before Ray Levesconte doubled the lead with a 3-0 win against Diane Kindred. Rick Kiel of the Roebuck pulled one back with a 3-0 win against Alex Martin, but the Cringlewood won the next two, and the match with wins for Rob Lauder and Luke Mulhern, Rob hitting two maximums during his 3-0 win which now take him up to four for the season.
With the overall score at 4-1 to the Cringlewood, it was worrying times for the Bucks, however to their credit, victories in the final two games made the scoreline in defeat a much more palatable 4-3. Mark Garnett was a 3-0 winner against Hayley Mulhern in game six while Chris Haycock secured a 3-1 win against Lianne Lauder, with these last two wins securing the two points that saw the Roebuck move off the foot of the table.
The Victoria PP vs PP Wythenshawe CC
With the Vic coming off the back of consecutive 6-1 defeats to the top two, and Wythenshawe without a league win since November following three consecutive 4-3 defeats, both teams were likely grateful for the timeout after a heavily depleted Wythenshawe didnt have enough players available on this occasion to fulfil the fixture.
Next up for Wythenshawe on 31st January is a daunting trip to the Ammies, yet if they can get a full side out we know Wythenshawe are a match for any team in the league on their day.
The Victoria will visit the Cringlewood Club, hoping to emulate the 6-1 win earlier in the season which has frankly kept them out of the relegation picture so far, however with five wins from nine games played, only the top two have won more games than the Cringlewood. With the hosts in sixth and the guests in seventh, it’ll be all to play for to ensure a move away from the wrong end of the table.
Division 2
Silver Birch get a big win over Trafford SC, and in doing so take Division Two firmly by the balls, now nine points clear of second. The Royal Oak sneak into that second place after a close win against visitors The Carters Arms, The Volunteer take third place following a big win over former league leaders LMRCA, while St Antony’s continue their resurgence with a second league win in a row, this time against Urmston although the points gained in that loss move Urmston out of the bottom two on game difference.
The Volunteer 6 vs 1 LMRCA
Former league leaders LMRCA fell to a second big defeat in as many weeks, dropping from second to fourth as The Volunteer get a second consecutive 6-1 win that moves them above their opponents in to third place.
Prior to the LMRCA’s loss to The Silver Birch last week, the Volunteer were the last team to beat them in the league back in week 1 of the season, and lightning was to strike twice, with an even heavier defeat this time around.
The Volunteer thundered out of the blocks and had the match over within four games. Wins for Ian Winter, Callum Nolan and Gary Williams (who handed Ron Cooke only his second league loss so far) left the Vol on the brink, before a 3-1 win and 17 darter for Geoff Sanders gave him the victory over Ryan Woods that sealed the game for the home team. Two games later and it was six, with consecutive 3-0 wins for Billy Sanders and Eddie Clare, but the whitewash was averted by LMRCA’s Tony Spilsbury, who managed a 3-0 win of his own to ensure his side at least got a point from the fixture. The eight points gained for the Vol were more than enough to move them above their guests in the league table, now sitting three points clear. While both sides have six wins and three losses from the nine games played, the Volunteer players have now won three more games than their beaten opponents, across all fixtures played.
St Antony’s 4 vs 3 Urmston SC
St Antonys made it three league wins on the bounce to continue their recent resurgence in Division 2 while Urmston suffered a fourth consecutive 4-3 league defeat although the 3 points gained, coupled with a heavy defeat for Trafford helped them move up to seventh and out of the relegation spots.
The visitors got off to a good start wth a 3-2 win for Dave Tong over Alan Farrar in which he also hit a 100 checkout, but St Antonys were soon in the driving seat after 3-0 wins for Shaun Gill and Carl Paton, and a 3-2 win for Dom Batty over Jim Higginson put them 3-1 up and on the verge of another win.
Harry Fitton and Steve Lye had other ideas, Harry with a 3-1 win over Mark Paton and Steve hitting a 19 darter and 69 average during a 3-1 win against Ian Patton which brought the overall scoreline level again at 3-3.
Gary Molloy of the Saints faced off against Dylan Bell in the deciding game, and in a nail biter, they went to a deciding leg – which Gary won to secure the points and another win for his team.
The Silver Birch 6 vs 1 Trafford SC
League leaders the Birch made it five wins in as many games with another big win which leaves them nine points clear of second and odds on for promotion at the end of the season. The defeat was Traffords fifth in as many games, and leaves them in the danger zone.
The division 2 leaders were in no mood for slipping up in their promotion charge, and Trafford bore the brunt of this as the the Birch had the game done and dusted as a contest before Trafford had won a leg. 3-0 wins in each of the first four games for Lee Hicks, Kraig Loose, Lee Davies and Andrew Skinner gave them the bonus points in quick time, before a pair of 3-1 wins for Chris Farr and Martin Tyson made it six nil.
Staring a whitewash in the face, Kyle Wands of Trafford showed his mettle when stepping up to the plate and getting his side on the board, beating Alan Dawson 3-0 in the final game of the night. The damage had already been done however, and the eight points gained moves the Birch another step closer to promotion to Division 1, and looking more and more like acheiving that as Division 2 champions.
The Royal Oak 4 vs 3 Carters Arms
The Royal Oak repeated their week 1 result against The Carters with a 4-3 win that moves them second outright in division two, while inflicting yet another loss on their opponents which leaves The Carters bottom of the table and still looking for that elusive first win.
The Carters were put in an early lead through a 3-0 win for James Flynn, but the Oak came straight back at them with three straight wins for Tony Kirby and the father son combo of Pete and Jordan Perry. Mike Grimshaw pulled one back with a 3-0 win over Pete DeCordova to make it 3-2, but Lee Medd delivered yet again for the Chorlton side, winning a last leg decider against Gavin Halton to seal the bonus points for the Oak. A consolation 3-1 win for Ryan Pollit over newcomer Jack Holt in the final game, gave the Carters a third game on the night and thereby ensured they took three points out of the fixture, points that could yet prove vital if they are to escape relegation.
Division 3
Similar to Division 1, the third division also had a battle of the top two and it was the Malt Shovels who got the tight win over the Melville that moved them above their hosts into top place by three points, whilst ensuring they remain unbeaten in the league with a perfect eight wins from eight games played. The Excelsior WMC get their first league win since the end of October with a win over the Bent Brook, Wythenshawe FC edge out the Bulls Head, while the Old Market Tavern fly out of the bottom two and up to fifth following a 7-0 shut out of bottom placed Stretfordians.
The Melville 3 vs 4 The Malt Shovels
These sides have been leading the way in Division 3 for a while now, with the Melville’s superior game difference being the factor that kept them top for the last few weeks, despite the Malt Shovels remaining unbeaten. The sides met in the first match of the season with the end result being a 4-3 home win for the Malts, and although this return fixture took place at the Melville, the scoreline was the same and moved the Altrincham side back to the top of the table.
This was the definition of a game of two halves, as the Melville, determined to justify their top spot in the division at the start of the night, swept into a 3-0 lead. A 2-0 win for Owen Powell in the opener was followed by a barnstormer between Melvilles Jon Powell and Dave Hindmarsh. Dave defied four first leg tons from Jon to win that leg against the darts, but Jon broke back to force a deciding leg. In that decider, with Dave looking poised to win, Jon pulled a 112 finish out of the bag to grab the win that put his side 2-0 up. When Paul Sambrook put the home side further ahead after beating Tay Benjamin 2-0, the Malts were left staring a first defeat of the season in the face.
However, they arent unbeaten in the league by chance, and turned the game on its head with four consecutive wins that snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Nigel ‘The Ninja’ Beeton started the fight back with a 2-0 win against Cam McFarlane in game 4, before James Roberts edged a deciding leg against Tom Powell to reduce the deficit to a single game to leave the match poised at 3-2.
A 2-0 win for the Malts Geoff Talbot over Jake Powell later, and it was 3-3, before the comeback was complete when Rob Clark beat Brad Hodgson 2-1 in the final game of the night.
The Bent Brook 2 vs 5 Excelsior WMC
Its been a challenging campaign so far for the Bent Brook, but as a new team to the league, their progression has been steady, with a couple of good wins scored and they now appear to have solved an early season issue with player numbers. The Excelsior have had an equally challenging time following the summer season relegation from Division 2, but this match gave them a third win, and second against the same opponents this season.
The first two games each went to a deciding leg, and it was one win a peice for each side as The Brook took game one when Rob Moore beat Jack Singer, before Danny Chua’s victory over Ken Turnock levelled it for the Excel. A 2-0 win for Anthony Coleman in game 3 put the Brook back in the lead, before once again the sides were level when Steve Mulrooney beat Alan Parry (not that one) in another last leg decider.
From there on in, it was the Excel who moved through the gears, with Peter Sage, Warren McCoubrey and Andy Cheetham winning each of the remaining games by two legs to nil.
Wythenshawe FC 4 vs 3 The Bulls Head
This win cemented third place in the division for Wythenshawe, nine points behind the promotion spots, but now six clear of their beaten opponents. Both sides have similar records now with five wins from eight matches played, the six extra games won by Wythenshawe players over the course of those games being the difference.
Rob Barber and Chris Cordingley put the Hale Barns side into a 2-0 lead after both winning 2-0 against Brian Sproston and Liz Sweeney, while Gareth Sullivan got Wythenshawe going after a deciding leg win against Jamie Harris. 2-0 wins for Michael Wesemeyer and Chris O’Keefe then moved the hosts into a 3-2 lead, before Ian Fish netted a last leg win against Mike Swindells to level the game and setup a last leg decider. With the tie in the balance, Chris McGrory tipped the scales in favour of Wythenshawe with a comfortable 2-0 win over Harry Simper which secured the win.
Stretfordians 0 vs 7 Old Market Tavern
At the start of this game it was a battle between the two sides at the foot the division, but following this massive win for the OMT the visitors moved out of the bottom two for the first time this season, and into the relative nosebleed territory of fifth.
Well, theres not a great deal to report on – the visitors won every game, with Steven Foster getting them underway before a triumvirate of Haycocks’s (Emily, Howard and Angela) sealed the win early on. Les Potts made it five, before the Tavern called on the remainder of the Haycock’s family as Richard and Amanda sealed the whitewash, and the nine points on the night that put them in their best position of the season so far.
Another week of big wins and big moves in the table, Ammies march on towards another title, Silver Birch look to make it back to back promotions and The Malt Shovels remain the only unbeaten team in league fixtures this season.
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