Division 1
A big win for second placed Timperley over the Nelson leaves them now nine points behind the Ammies but nineteen clear of third, while The Victoria move up into sixth following a good 5-2 win away to the Cringlewood. Oh, and the Ammies lost again, with Wythenshawe CSC delivering their second 4-3 defeat in three games.
Cringlewood 2 vs 5 The Victoria
Alex Martin got the hosts underway, hitting seven ton plus scores during a 3-1 win over Jack Jarvis in game one. Game two was an intriguing match up between Terry Jepson of the Vic, and Cringlewoods Mike Morrison and it didnt fail to impress, with six ton plusses, a 20 darter and 74.95 average for Mike, while Terry got two 180s to join the top of the Merit list, a fifteen darter and an impressive 79.8 average – but more importantly, a 3-1 win to pull his side level.
Games 3 and 4 also went the way of the Withington side, with 3-0 wins for Dave Stanley and Sean Edwards – Sean with a 14 dart leg and his third 180 of the season. Ray Levesconte pulled one back for the Cringlewood with a fine performance in game 5, hitting an 18 dart leg and 7 ton plusses while beating the Vic’s Connor Wigley 3-1. With the match poised at 3-2 to the Vic, Games 6 and 7 could have gone either way, but both games were decided in final legs in favour of the Victoria. In game six Matt Jepson ensured the win and scored 10 ton plusses, a 120 finish and an 18 darter, but, to the delight of his old man no maximums (the Jepsons have a family ‘most 180s’ contest each season, one which Jepson senior is currently running away with). In the final game, Vic licensee Paul Mitchell defied seven tons and a 180 from Rob Lauder to claim his win and seal a final score of 5-2 to the Vic.
Timperley 6 vs 1 The Nelson
Some cracking performances in this one, not just limited to the home team, despite the comprehensive scoreline. Timperley were coming off the back of last weeks loss to the league leaders, however this big win got them back on track and reduced the deficit at the top to nine points.
Andy Brownhill hit a 73 average and an 18 darter while putting the Tories into the lead with a 3-1 win over Nelson veteran Pete Evans, while Gary Sullivan repeated that scoreline in game 2 hitting a 74.8 average, 17 darter and two 180s against Mick Cooney. Andy Pearson made it 3-0 with a 3-0 win of his own, 67 average and a 180 against Joe Kelly, but Steve Moane prevented the early defeat and got his side on the board by winning game four with a 66 average and 3-0 win over Ian McCulloch.
There was to be no comeback however, as, in a mouthwatering clash with Dylan Wimbury, Callum Loose maintained his unbeaten record with a 3-1 win that secured the bonus points. Cal with a 16 darter and 71.96 avg to Dylans 67.63. With two games to go and the score at 4-1, The Nelson looked to Ant Hargreaves and Andrew Day to pull it back further, but it was not to be, as Andy Broadhurst pipped Ant 3-2 before Chris Stone finished the match off with a 3-1 win which included a Division One seasons-best 160 checkout.
Ammies Darts 3 vs 4 Wythenshawe CSC
Well, well, well. After last weeks fine win against their closest rivals this season so far Timperley, the Ammies were unable to turn the knife further and this defeat actually saw the gap reduced at the top, which means we “might” have a title race on our hands again. Pep’s Wythenshawe are a very strong squad when everyone is available, and some of the big guns were back here to take it to the Ammies and inflict only their second loss of the season. Indeed, prior to that loss a couple of weeks ago you have to go back nearly two full seasons to their last defeat, which coincidenally was also at the hands of Wythenshawe.
In game one Man City supporting Wythenshawe skipper Dave Peploe shot down Arsenal loving opponent – ‘the Gunner’ Andy Tucker by 3 legs to 1, putting his side ahead in the process.
The next two games were to go the way of the current champions, as the father-son combination of Adam and Pete Watson secured consecutive wins that put the Ammies 2-1 up. First in game 2, Adam beat Martin Power 3-1 helped by a 180 a 16 darter and a classy 81.48 average, before In game 3 it was Pete’s turn, registering a 3-0 win against Kian Sherlock while smashing in two 180s and a 16 darter of his own. I did initially try to think of some elementary Sherlock / Watson puns there, but its been a tough week.
After four games it was all square again, as Adam White got the better of Paul Devine 3-1 – with a 180, 17 darter and 69 average helping to hand Dev his first defeat of the season in all competitions. Game five saw big John Brown back in action for Wythenshawe, and it was a winning return as he registered a 3-1 win over Don Cooper to put his team 3-2 up on the night.
Game six looks to have been a cracker between two high quality players in the Ammies Karl Cooper and Cheshire County player/manager Colin Smith. It was to be Karl who came out on top in this one, with a 14 darter, 8 ton plusses and a 78 average giving him a 3-1 win that drew the sides level and left the match delicately poised at 3-3 with one game to play.
The final game of the night, and the decider, was between Ammies’ Scott Livingstone, and another Cheshire man Paul McCreevey. The stats suggest neither were at their very best, however a 65 average and 4 ton plus scores were enough to give Maccas the 3-0 win that brought it home for Wythenshawe and plunged the Ammies into a mid-season crisis. Kind of.
The John Alker PP vs PP Broadheath Central
Match postponed until 27/3/2024
Division 2
Silver Birch extend their lead over second place to 14 points with a 5-2 win at the Volunteer who drop to fourth, Ashton register a big win at bottom placed Carters, LMRCA get back to winning ways and snatch second place from their opponents on the night with a 5-2 home win over The Royal Oak, and St Antonys make it three wins on the trot to now remarkably sit just 12 points off promotion after not winning a league match till the week before Christmas.
The Silver Birch 5 vs 2 The Volunteer
With this win the Birch are not only another step closer to a second successive promotion, but also that bit nearer to a second successive divisional title.
Any team in the top flight would have been more than happy to replicate the Birch’s performance in the first three games of this match, as successive 3-0 wins for Kraig Loose against Dan O’Donnell, Alan ‘Ginge’ Dawson over Billy Sanders and Mike Shaw against Eddie Clare gave the leaders a 3-0 advantage in the match. Each of these players had a stormer – Loose with a 19 darter, 69 average and his fourth 180 of the season has now won all 12 games he has played, winning 34 legs and losing just 3 in that time. Ginge hit an 18 darter, an impressive 76.42 average and a classy 133 finish, while Mike Shaw hit 9 ton plusses, a 17 darter and finished with a 75.15 average. Cant argue with that.
Game 4 saw Callum Nolan get the Volunteer underway with a 3-1 win over Andy Skinner, and in game 5 it took a deciding leg to seperate Geoff Sanders and Martin Tyson, but ultimately it was the Birch man who took that leg and secured the bonus points.
Game six was another that went the way of the Wythenshawe side, Lee Davies taking a 3-0 win over Gary Hudson to make it 5-1, but the last game of the night was to rescue another point for the Vol, as Gary Williams beat Chris Farr 3-0 to leave his team in fourth place, but only two points behind second, with the same game difference.
The Carters Arms 1 vs 6 Ashton-on-Mersey CC
Ashton started their second half of the season after a bye in gameweek 10, and got a big 6-1 win that keeps them right in the promotion picture. Whilst sitting in fifth, seven points away from second, they have a similar game difference to the teams directly above them, all of whom will have a bye week before the end of the season. The Carters on the other hand have it all to do in their remaining six fixtures, however as I’ve said before, they’ve had lots of 4-3 losses which have gained decent points which means they are only eight points from the safety of 7th. With the next two games being against the two teams directly above them, it’s going to be a crucial couple of weeks for the Sale side.
However, this one wasn’t one of those close 4-3 scorelines, it was a heavy 6-1 defeat that was over as a contest after the first four games. James Compton and Mark Robinson of Ashton both secured 3-1 wins in the first two games, before Chris Chapman, aided by a 16 darter and a 135 checkout, made it 3-0 when edging out Bob Mitchell 3-2. Worse for the Carters, game four ensured that 2 points for the match win were in the bag for Ashton after Andy Mathias made it 4-0.
There was a brief respite in game five, as Gavin Halton took a 3-1 win against Harry Guthrie, but Ashton extended their lead, and winning margin to 6-1 with wins in the final two games for Stephen Orton and Adam Heap.
LMRCA 5 vs 2 The Royal Oak
After a couple of defeats in succession, LMRCA had dropped a few places in the table to be replaced in second by their opponents The Royal Oak. But after a comfortable 5-2 win in this fixture, LMRCA regained second and now have an identical record to their beaten opponents, sitting above them courtesy of the head-to-head record between the sides.
Game 1 was a 3-1 win for the home team’s Dave Brooks against Tony Kirby, a lead that was extended further after a 3-0 win for Alan Gleave in game 2, and a fine 3-2 win for Ryan Woods over Lee Medd in game 3.
Jordan Perry picked up a 3-1 win over Tony Feesey to pull a game back for the Oak, but after a 3-0 win for LMRCA’s Joe Davis over Sharon Kirby which included a 110 finish, followed by a 3-1 Ron Cooke win over Jack Holt the score was soon 5-1 to LMRCA.
With just one more game to go the Oak’s Stephen Lee stepped up to grab the notable scalp of Tony Spilsbury with a 3-1 win that ensured his team finished the match with an identical record to LMRCA. So far this season both have 10 matches played, 7 won, 3 lost, 39 games for and 31 against, with 53 points, with LMRCA taking second position owing to what is now two 5-2 league wins over the Oak.
Trafford SC 3 vs 4 St Antonys
After a challenging start to the season, St Antony’s are now in a situation that if the season had started at the beginning of December, they would be sitting pretty at the top end of the table, following four consecutive league victories. Trafford on the other hand have now suffered five defeats in succession to sit seventh, just above the relegation zone and only three points ahead of Urmston SC who have a game in hand.
This was another one of those games of two halves, with the Saints taking the first three games of the match.Carl Patton was a 3-0 winner over Andrew Davies, Shaun Gill made short work of Alex Buckley winning 3-0, before Alan Farrar took the deciding leg in a 3-2 win against Gaz Collins.
Trafford to their credit came back strongly, returning the favour with wins in each of the next three games. Jake Neersoo took a 3-0 win over Gary Molloy, Andrew Wood beat Mark Corrigan 3-1 and Kyle Wands overcame Ian Paton 3-1 to set up a winner takes all final game between Trafford’s Rory Sullivan and St Antony’s Arthur McCauley. This decider went the way of the Saints man with a comfortable 3-0 win that leaves them 12 points clear of the relegation zone, but also 12 points behind the promotion places.
Division 3
A full set of big home wins in Division 3 this week, as The Malt Shovels whitewash the Bent Brook to stretch their lead at the top to five points, and second placed Melville got back on track with a 5-2 win to sit 14 points ahead of their beaten opponents, third placed Wythenshawe FC. Sale Excel delivered a heavy 6-1 defeat to bottom placed Stretfordians, while the Bulls Head enjoyed a similar outcome at home to The Old Market Tavern.
The Malt Shovels 7 vs 0 The Bent Brook
Malt Shovels made it nine from nine in the league and sit five points clear at the top following this weeks fixtures.
The Malts raced into an early 3-0 lead with quick 2-0 wins for Rob Clarke, Geoff Talbot and James Golds, Geoff with a 19 darter and his third maximum of the season. The bonus points were sealed with a 2-1 win for Dave Hindmarch, a 3-1 winner over Craig McManus while further wins for Simon McBride, James Roberts and Phil Wright ensured the full nine points for a whitewash – the first suffered by the Bent Brook this season. The Brook will be happy to have opponents from the other end of the table next week as they face Stretfordians, while the Malts travel to Wythenshawe Amateurs.
The Melville 5 vs 2 Wythenshawe FC
A good win for second placed Melville over third placed Wythenshawe leaves both sides in the same positions, but it leaves The Melville 5 points behind top placed Malt Shovels due to the big win for the leaders. Melville are however now 14 points clear of their beaten opponents, and appear to be writing their names on that second promotion position.
Looks relatively one way from the score, however it could easily have been a different story as each of the first five games went to a last leg. The Melvilles Brad Hodgson, Paul Sambrook and Tom Powell, each took the deciding leg against Chris O’Keefe, Mike Swindells and Gareth Sullivan to give their side the lead, while Wythenshawe replied in kind with 2-1 wins for Liz Sweeney and James Odell over Sam Macintosh and Cam McFarlane bringing the score back to 3-2.
That was to be it for Wythenshawe, as the Melville took game six through a 2-0 Owen Powell win over Brian Sproston to seal the 2 bonus points for the win, and extended the margin further with a final game 2-0 win for Jon Powell against Michael Wesemeyer.
Excelsior WMC 6 vs 1 Stretfordians
The Excel moved up to fifth after registering back to back league wins for only the second time this season, both times against the same opponents and this 6-1 for the excel win mirrored the same result from the match in late October.
The first two games were shared, with a 2-0 win for Excel’s Danny Chua followed by a 2-0 win for Stretfordian Morgan Nickson. These were to be the last Stretfordian legs won on the night as from there on in it was all in favour of the home team, as Andy Cheetham, Peter Sage, Warren McCoubrey and Georgio Corbett all registered 2-0 wins to ensure a comfortable victory.
The Bulls Head 6 vs 1 Old Market Tavern
The final game of this weeks report for Division 3 was another big home win as the Bulls Head improved on their 5-2 win in week 2 against the same opponents to win 6-1 when welcoming them to Hale Barns.
Chris Cordingley got the home side underway with a 2-0 win, before three consecutive 2-1 from Chris Barber, Rob Barber and Harry Simper wins sealed the match for The Bulls, making it 4-0 after four games played. Steven Foster got a point for the OMT with a 2-0 win againt Steve Hazelhurst in game five, but the final two games went the way of the hosts. Ian Fish took a 2-1 win over Howard Haycocks, before Jamie Harris beat Emily Hayocks 2-0 to earn their side eight points on the night and bring them level on points with third placed Wythenshawe. Both the Bulls and Wythenshawe have a lot to do if they still harbour hope for promotion, with each sitting 14 points behind the Melville in second.
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