Division 1
Broadheath move off the bottom of the table and a few points closer to Cringlewood while still holding a couple of games in hand on them, The Nelson take third with a big 6-1 win at The Roebuck (though other teams around them have games in hand), The Vic give the Ammies a scare but come up just short as the Champions stumble towards another title with a 4-3 win, and The John Alker get a big win at Wythenshawe to consolidate a comfortable midtable position of fifth.
Cringlewood 3 vs 4 Broadheath Central
Broadheath only had six players on the night but still managed to pick up a vital six points to move off the foot of the table into 8th positon, while at the same time giving themselves a fighting chance of catching their beaten opponents who currently occupy 7th – the last safe spot in the division. It’s still a 10 point gap between the sides, but Broadheath have five games to go, while The Cringlewood have only three so its still all to play for for both sides.
Mike Morrison got the home team off to a bright start with a 3-0 win over Darren Wood, but a 3-1 win for Lee Marsh against Luke Mulhern soon brought the sides level. Lee has been out of action for some time struggling with eyesight issues so certainly seems to be heading in the right direction with this win.
Rob Lauder then put the home side back in the lead with an 18 darter, 7 ton plus scores and a 106 finish during a 3-1 comeback win over Dave Wood who had taken the first leg with a neat 96 finish, and it was all square once again after game four as a fine performance from Martin Johnson saw him claim six ton plus scores and a creditable 67 average during a 3-0 win over Phil Lauder.
Leyton Jackson put the visitors into the lead for the first time, but had to come from behind to earn a 3-1 win against Ray Levesconte, and with no player for game 7 it needed a captains performance from JonJo Devon in game six which was to be the last game of the night, winner take all. Despite losing the first leg to Alex Martin and seeing Alex hit a maximum in the second, JonJo was able to come back strongly and secure the bonus points for his side with a 3-1 win, featuring a 180 of his own and an 18 darter.
It’s the Cup and Shield semi-finals next week so Broadheath are next in action on 6th March when they host bottom placed Roebuck, with both sides needing a big win to try and escape the drop zone. On the same date The Cringlewood will face The John Alker, needing points of their own to try and stretch the gap to Broadheath before they run out of games.
The Roebuck 1 vs 6 The Nelson
This big win for the Nelson sees them move into third place, whilst a fourth succesive defeat sees The Bucks drop to the bottom of the table with only four games to play.
It was a strong all round performance from the Nelson, who secured the points after only four games played, and but for a deciding leg win by Roebuck’s Mark Garnett in game six they could well have sealed a whitewash.
Andrew Day got the Nelson going with a 3-1 win over Chris Reddy in the opening game, and Dylan Wimbury made it two nil, hitting his third maximum of the season during a 3-0 win against Chris Hayock. It was soon 3-0 to the Nelson after Mick Young claimed a 3-1 win against Ste Reddy, and after Steven Moane completed a 3-0 win over Rick Kiel the win was secured.
In game 5, an 18 darter and 103 finish from Pete Evans extended the lead to five, but as mentioned earlier the whitewash was averted when Mark Garnett edged a deciding leg win against Ant Hargreaves Jr to get the Bucks on the board at 5-1. The final game was another Nelson win as Mick Cooney gained a 3-0 win over Chris Merriman to seal a 6-1 win and eight point haul.
Next up for the Bucks is a bye week followed by a must win battle against Broadheath Central on 6th March, while The Nelson have a Dave Yates Shield semi-final against second division LMRCA on 28th February before they are back to league action on the 6th when hosting The Victoria.
The Victoria 3 vs 4 Ammies Darts
For the second week in succession, the Ammies edge a 4-3 win to maintain their drive towards retaining the Division 1 title, while the Vic can perhaps count themselves unlucky that the scoreline wasnt the other way around, with a couple of close 3-2 losses at key points in the match.
In a barnstorming opener, Terry Jepson put the Vic into an early lead with a close-fought 3-2 win over Paul Devine which was only Paul’s second defeat of the season. Both players had 16 dart legs in the early exchanges, but a couple of 18 darters from Terry proved the difference in a high quality encounter between two class players who both averaged around 75. Ray Dore pulled the Ammies level with a 3-0 win against Connor Wigley in game two, while Karl Cooper put them into a 2-1 lead after he beat Dave Stanley 3-1 in game three.
The Ammies went further ahead after a quality game between Sean Edwards and Scott Livingstone in game four. Sean hit a 16 darter and two maximums, but passed up an attempt at bull in the deciding fifth leg, choosing to play the percentage. This turned out to be a grave mistake as Scott sealed an 18 dart leg with a classy 156 finish that put the Ammies 3-1 up overall.
Game five was between myself and Pete Watson, and fortunately I had my best game of the season so far with a 180 and 3-0 win that reduced the defecit to 3-2. Game six was a close affair between Jack Jarvis and Andy Tucker of the Ammies, with Jack hitting 7 ton plus scores and an 18 darter, but ultimately coming up short in a deciding leg which Andy took to seal the win and the bonus points for the reigning champions. The final game was between Matt Jepson and Don Cooper, and a fine performance from Matt which included a 14 dart leg helped him to a 3-1 win which grabbed a third point on the night for the Vic and gave us a final scoreline of 4-3 to the Ammies.
The Vic now sit in 6th position with five matches left to play, fourteen points above the relegation zone but only nine behind third placed Nelson who have played two games more, and they will have the chance to reduce that gap with a trip to The Nelson on 6th March. The Ammies have a couple of weeks away from league action – on 28th Feb they have an enticing SMD Cup Semi final against Division 2 leaders and promotion hopefuls The Silver Birch, before a bye week on the 6th, a date on which Timperley will hope to reduce the 12 point gap at the top of the table when they play Wythenshawe CSC.
Wythenshawe CSC 1 vs 6 The John Alker
Wythenshawe’s run of 4-3 wins came to a halt with a big loss at the hands of The John Alker, who move up into fifth, just below Wythenshawe and now only four points behind them with two games in hand.
An under-strength Wythenshawe were only able to field six players in the game, and were under the cosh straight away following a 3-0 loss for Liam Grundy at the hands of Ewan Donegan. England DDA star Col Smith hit back immediately for Wythenshawe with a 3-0 win against Mike Westlake in game two, but that was to be their only point of the night.
In game three Mike Nolan hit a 107 finish during a 3-1 win against Ash Bowers, and in the fourth, Gaz Brickhill continued his unbeaten league season with a maximum and a 103 finish during a 3-0 win over David Peploe. Gary Thompson sealed the win for the Alker when beating Kian Sherlock 3-0 in game five, and the victory was complete when Baz Rowland beat Martin Power by three legs to nil in game six, with the final game a walkover for the Alker due to Wythenshawe being a player short.
Wythenshawe will hope to have a full team out in their next fixtures, as they face a double header with second placed Timperley Conservative Club, first on the 28th February in the KO Cup Semi final, before a league visit to Timperley on 6th March. The John Alker will have a free week on the 28th, but will return to action on the 6th when they host the Cringlewood.
Division 2
Silver Birch maintain their march towards the title and inevitable promotion with a good win at in-form St Antonys, Ashton make the move into one of the automatic promotion spots while replacing their beaten opponents the Volunteer in the process, Urmston get a priceless win while hosting LMRCA to now sit only a point from safety with a game in hand, Trafford get a huge 7-0 win to boost their own fight for survival, securing enough points to just keep them in the safety zone, and its starting to look like curtains for the Carters.
Ashton-on-Mersey CC 4 vs 3 The Volunteer
Both these sides dropped into Divsion 2 at the end of the summer season, and as we approach the business end of the Winter season, both are right in the mix for promotion straight back to the top flight, though with the Silver Birch currently looking favourites for first place, these teams may need to fight it out for the second promotion position. Going into this game The Volunteer occupied that second spot with Ashton a single point behind in third – but after this win, the sides swapped places, with Ashton now two points ahead and with a game in hand.
Ashton swept into an early 3-0 lead following wins for Mark Robinson, Chris Chapman and James Compton. Mark was a 3-2 winner over Eddie Clare who managed a 17 darter in defeat, Chris had a comfortable 3-0 win over Geoff Sanders, and Compo hit five tons during an impressive 3-1 win over Gary Williams – only Garys second league defeat of the season.
In game 4, the Vol’s Charlie Sanders edged a deciding leg against Andy Mathias to keep his side in the game at 3-1 down, but Harry Guthrie sealed the match for Ashton when he too edged a final leg decider against Toni Williams.
At 4-1 down, and looking at the possibility of a heavy defeat that might derail any hopes for promotion, the Vol to their credit responded strongly, winning the last two games of the match by three legs to nil via Dan O’Donnell and the still unbeaten Callum Nolan.
Next up for Ashton is a weeks break due to the Cup and Shield Semi Finals, but they are back in action on the 6th March with another big game against The Silver Birch, a game which will not only have ramifications in the promotion mix-up but may also represent the last chance for another team to try and stop the Birch securing the Division 2 title.
Urmston SC 4 vs 3 LMRCA
Urmston made it two wins on the trot to increase their hopes of staying in division 2, while also denting LMRCA ambitions of promotion to Division 1. This was a third successive defeat for LMRCA who have only three games left to play in the league – though with two of those against the other teams in the bottom three, they could end up doing Urmston a favour! Urmston are a point from safety and have games in hand although most of their remaining games are against sides in the top 4, so its starting to look like the rearranged game with Trafford on the 27th March could end up being a relegation face off.
Stephen Lye and James Higgy got Urmston underway, Steve winning 3-0 against Tony Spilsbury, while James took a deciding leg 3-2 victory against Joe Davis to put the hosts two up. Alan Gleave of LMRCA won a deciding leg of his own in game three as he beat Dave Tong to get his team on the board, but back to back 3-0 wins for Jim Higginson and Harry Fitton ensured the bonus points went to the home team.
At 4-1 up the momentum was only going one way, but LMRCA managed to win the two remaining games to scrape 3 points, as Derek Ostick and Dave Brooks both edged 3-2 close wins over Mike King and the returning Michelle Fitton.
Next up for Urmston is a double header with the Volunteer. First the sides will face off in the Dave Yates Shield semi final on 28th Feb, before they meet again a week later in the league at the Volunteer. LMRCA on the other hand are on the other side of the Dave Yates Shield draw and will play Division 1’s Nelson, while their next league fixture will be on the 6th March when they host the Carters Arms.
St Antony’s 2 vs 5 The Silver Birch
After a good run of recent form, St Antonys fell to a second 5-2 defeat in as many games – though losing a second division game to the Birch this season isnt really any reason to feel hard done by. With games in hand on all but one of the top five, the Birch are looking as good as promoted, yet mathematically still need some more points before that can be confirmed.
Game 1 saw Martin Tyson of the Birch take on Dom Batty and it was who Martin got the first points on the board with a 3-1 win, but the lead was short lived as Carl Paton brought the sides level with a 3-1 win of his own in the second game against Lee Davies.
This only seemed to spur the divisional leaders into action and they won the next three games to seal the match. In game three Kraig Loose continued his fine form this season with an 18 darter and 75 average in a 3-0 win over Shaun Gill where both players hit a maximum. Next, in game four Alan Dawson took a 3-1 win against Mark Paton, and after game five the points were sealed when Kaine Goldie claimed a 3-0 win against Gary Molloy to make it 4-1. In game six the Saints earned a second point as Alan Farrar took the deciding leg against Diane Davies, but in the final game Andy Skinner made sure of a 5-2 final score when beating Ian Paton by three legs to one.
The Saints have only three games left now, and may have a say in the promotion battle as they face both Ashton-on-Mersey and the Royal Oak in that run, before a final day meeting with the Carters Arms.
The Birch on the other hand still have five league games left to go, but before that, their next match will be a collosal KO Cup battle with Division 1 leaders and Champions The Ammies. Next in the league on the 6th March will be Ashton-on-Mersey, the only team to beat the Birch in the league so far, and one of only a few left who could take advantange of a Birch slip up in the title race.
The Carters Arms 0 vs 7 Trafford SC
Trafford earned a nine point haul in the fight to avoid relegation with this massive win at The Carters Arms, which all but condemned the hosts to Division 3 darts next season. Carters do still have four games remaining, but sit 17 points behind seventh and would need to win all their remaining games whilst hoping for other results to go their way. Trafford are the side currently occupying that seventh spot, and this win went a long way to helping them survive, keeping them a point ahead of Urmston, and closing the game difference gap, which favours Urmston, to five.
Game 1 saw Trafford’s Andrew Davies grab a fifth leg decider against James Flynn to put his side into a lead they would never relinquish. His teammate Andrew Wood doubled the lead shortly afterward with a 3-0 defeat of Filip Gryckiewicz, and when Rory Sulllivan got a 3-2 win against Jim Morris to put Trafford 3-0 up, the writing was on the wall. It was over as a contest after game four following a 3-0 win over Terry Caine for Jake Neersoo which included a 106 finish, and it was five nil after five games with another 3-0 Trafford win, this time for Mark Leather against John Thierens.
Bad went to worse for The Carters as Trafford finished up the remaining games to seal the whitewash. Gavin Halton came within a deciding leg of getting a point for the Carters in game six, but ultimately it was Alex Buckley who came out on top to make it six nil, and the rout was completed when Kyle Wands took a 3-1 win against Ryan Pollit.
Trafford now face a couple of weeks off due to the cup this week and a bye week on 6th March, and wont be in action again until hosting LMRCA on the 13th March. Carters also have this week off due to the cup, but will return to league action when they make the short trip to LMRCA on the 6th March.
Division 3
The Malt Shovels, with two games to spare, become the first team to be promoted this season after a 5-2 win that ensures that their opponents, the third placed Bulls Head, can not now get enough points in their remaining two games to catch them. The Melville, who are still just about in the title picture and have a game in hand, made up a couple more points with a thumping 7-0 win at Stretfordians, and in a couple of close 4-3 games, the Excel beat Old Market Tavern and Bent Brook get the win at Wythenshawe FC.
The Bulls Head 2 vs 5 Malt Shovels
The Bulls went into this game in third and needed a big win to try and reignite a late push for promotion, but that was always going to be a tall order against a side who have dominated this division so far and were looking at securing the win which would ensure they achieved their primary objective this season – a promotion of their own. With this comfortable 5-2 win that box was emphatically ticked, and they can now set their sights on securing enough points in the remaining two games to seal the divisional title.
The Malts got off to the best possible start with a 2-0 win for Geoff Talbot against Steve Hazelhurst, in what was Geoff’s tenth win of the season in as many games. In game 2, Iain Fish got the home team level with a 2-0 win of his own, before a 2-1 win for Rob Barber against Tay Benjamin put the home home side 2-1 up. The prospect of an upset seemed to spur the Malts on from here on in, and they were to win the remaining games without losing another leg. In game 4 Nigel Beeton brought them level aided by a 19 dart leg against Jamie Harris, before further 2-0 wins for Dave Hindmarch, James Roberts and James Golds sealed the win and another 7 points to seal promotion and put them on the cusp of a title win.
Next up for the champions elect is the Excelsior WMC on 6th March, while The Bulls Head host the Melville who mathematically they can still catch, although realistically that would take an almightly loss of form for the Melville who still have a game in hand. That said, a win for the Bulls would effectively hand the title to The Malt Shovels.
Excelsior WMC 4 vs 3 The Old Market Tavern
The Excel edged another win, their third in four games, to remain mid-table in fifth with five wins and six losses from their eleven games played. The best they can realistically hope for is a move up to fourth spot which is currently occupied by Wythenshawe who are 3 points ahead, and who they face in week 16, however their other two remaining games are against the top two teams in the division so it’ll be a tough ask. The Old Market Tavern sit second bottom in seventh with no fear of falling any further due to a 28 point gap between themselves and Stretfordians, however they do have a game in hand on their next opponents The Bent Brook who are eight points ahead of them in sixth.
Ian Fensome got the visiting Old Market Tavern underway with a deciding third leg win against Warren McCoubrey, but the Excel were soon level with a 2-0 win for Hannah Tague against Amanda Haycocks. Peter Sage repeated that scoreline against Steven Foster to make it 2-1 to the Excel, but a pair of 2-0 wins for Howard and Richard Haycocks soon had the OMT back in the lead and one away from victory. However it was a victory that wasnt to be, as the Excel took the final two games of the night with 2-0 wins for Danny Chua and Brendan O’Shea over Sally Corfield and Angela Haycocks.
Next up for the Old Market Tavern is the Bent Brook on 6th March, while The Excel face a trip to Malt Shovels.
Stretfordians 0 vs 7 The Melville
When the only team above you has beaten you twice, and remain unbeaten with only two games to play it has to be applauded that a slim chance of pipping them to the divisional title still remains. That’s the position that The Melville find themselves in with three games of their own to go, but it’ll take a monumental effort to bridge the gap. Even if the Melville were to get a seven nil win in their game in hand, they would still need to better the points total earned by the Malt Shovels by five points over the remaining two games, as four points would see the head to head record in the Malts favour, while anything less wouldnt be enough. But with a 15 point gap to third placed Bulls Head, any kind of win or even a 4-3 defeat for The Melville in the game between the two sides on 6th March would see them promoted.
With this visit to the bottom placed side in the league, The Melville kept themselves in the hunt by matching the nine point haul that the Malt Shovels took from Stretfordians in their previous league fixture. It was one way traffic throughout – with the game done and dusted after four consecutive 2-0 wins for Paul Sambrook, Cam McFarlane, Jake Powell and Tom Powell.
Lindsey Rice came closest to gaining a point for Stretfordians in game five, but lost out in a deciding leg to Sam Macintosh. The final two games went the same way as the first four, with 2-0 wins for the other two Powells – Jon and Owen.
Both sides are back in action on the 6th March, when the Melville will attempt to secure promotion and keep the title dream alive at the Bulls Head, while Stretfordians face Wythenshawe FC.
Wythenshawe FC 3 vs 4 The Bent Brook
Both sides finished this game in the same league positions they started in, Wythenshawe in fourth and the Bent Brook in sixth, with Sale Excel sandwiched between them. This win for the Bent Brook means they remain sixth, but are now only five points behind that fourth place occupied by their beaten opponents (although the Brook have played a game more).
The game itself looks a bit odd on paper, and was another of those games of two halves people talk about, as first Wythenshawe stormed into an early 3-0 lead without losing a leg, before they promptly collapsed as The Bent Brook won the remaining four games without losing a leg.
Mike Swindells put the home side one up with a 2-0 win against Alan Parry, and Alan will be glad he wasnt commentating on his own game as Mike achieved the win with a 29 average and best leg of 50 darts. Gareth Sullivan doubled the Wythenshawe lead when beating Mark Ulyatt 2-0, and it was soon 3-0 after a 21 darter and Division 3 best equalling 130 finish from Chris McGrory in a 2-0 win over Connor O’Toole.
It all went a bit pear shaped for Wythenshawe from there on in, as The Bent Brook won every remaining leg of the match to snatch a 4-3 win after being 3-0 down without a leg to their name. Craig McManus got them going in game four with a 2-0 win that handed Michael Wesemeyer only his second defeat as a Wythenshawe player, before Rob Moore, Alex Morton and Ken Turnock all repeated that scoreline with 2-0 wins against Liz Sweeney, Steve Foster and Chris O’Keefe.
These sides face the bottom two on the 6th March, when Wythenshawe will hope to tighten their grip on fourth when they host 8th placed Stretfordians, while the Bent Brook will travel to Altrincham to face seventh placed Old Market Tavern.
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