Division 1
League Champions the Ammies remain unbeaten this season and extend their lead at the top to eleven points after just three games, while only eight points separate second place from bottom, with three of those teams having a game in hand.
The Old Roebuck 4 vs 3 The Victoria
The Roebuck got their first win of the season in front of a packed out venue (as both teams had 7 players) against the visiting Victoria Withington.
Rick Kiel played very well in winning game 1 by three legs to two against Tony Fogarty, putting the Bucks one up in a game vociferously enjoyed by supporters and match commentators sat under the scoreboard. Matt Jepson made it one each with a 17 darter and 65.24 average in a tight game against Steve Reddy who managed 7 tons in defeat, but Andy Kindred put the Roebuck back in front with a 3-1 win over Connor Wigley.
Chris Haycock made it 3-1, with a surprising comfortable 3-0 win over Terry Jepson before Chris Reddy wrapped up a quick win for the Roebuck, winning 3-2 despite a 14 dart leg from Dave Stanley.
The Vic seemed stirred into action by this state of affairs winning the last two games 3-0 with wins for Lewis Holley and Sean Edwards making the final score a more respectable 4-3.
Timperley CC 5 vs 2 Broadheath Central
Broadheath Central made the short trip to Timperley Conservative Club for their second game of the season, playing at the venue which in 1979 saw Maggie Thatcher unable to defend her Conservative Ladies darts title due to the upcoming election. Anyway, I’ve had wine and I’m digressing…. onto Wednesdays game.
Broadheath got off to a great start, with Lee Marsh winning the first match by 3 legs to nil against Connor McCorkell, but Timperley, following a quick party conference, reeled off the next four games in quick succession to secure the win. In Game two, Andy Pearson, who looks to be settling in well, hit a 17 darter as well as a 77.74 average in his 3-0 win over Darren Wood.
Game three looks the pick of the bunch on paper, with Callum Loose taking on Andy McCormack. Both players hit a 180 and Andy got a 14 dart leg and 78 average, but it was former UK Open qualifier Callum who ran out the 3-1 victor with a 16 darter and 80.87 average. 80’s ‘Echo and the Bunnymen’ vocalist Ian McCulloch won game four by 3 legs to 1 over (iirc) Timperley old boy Dan Cross, before Chris Stone had a convincing 3-0 win to seal the points for his team against Dave Wood.
Special mention for Leyton Jackson in game six, who is not just new to Broadheath this season, but to any kind of league darts, and hit a tidy 118 finish in his 3-1 win over Andy Brownhill to remain unbeaten in the league so far.
The last game saw Kevin Kelly win 3-1 against Lee Darcey to give Timperley a convincing 5-2 victory overall.
Ammies Darts 6 vs 1 Cringlewood A
The perennial league champions have a slightly revised tactic this season – while other teams beat each other randomly, they just savage everyone they play.
This week it was the Cringlewood A, (and this is intended as no disrespect to a good team) who were the latest lambs presented for slaughter on the Ammies Altar.
In game one Scott Livingstone channelled the spirit of his beloved Newcastle United, spurred on by the Toon Army’s 3-0 win over Man United on the night. Scott couldn’t quite match the result, but still won his game 3-1 against Luke Mulhern with a 71.25 average.
Andy Tucker made it 2-0 for the Ammies with another 3-1 win to maintain his 100% record for the team, before Ray Dore continued his fine form this season with a 3-0 win against Lianne Lauder featuring a classy 125 checkout. Karl Cooper left his heavy ton scoring at home this week with a miserly 3, but still proved too strong on this occasion for Ray Levesconte, running out 3-1 victor in game four. Games five and six piled it on a little more, as unbeaten Ammies skipper Paul Devine won 3-0 against Alex Martin, whilst Adam Watson did the same beating Rob Lauder with a 77.74 average.
We were now down to the final game, with the towering form of Cringlewood’s Mike Morrison standing between Pete Watson and a 7-0 win for the Ammies, and it was a mountain too high for Pete on this occasion, as Mike pulled off a 3-1 win to send his team home with a consolation point, whilst the Ammies have already amassed an 11 point lead at the top of the Division 1 table after only three games.
Wythenshawe CSC 4 vs 3 The Nelson
Wythenshawe came out 4-3 victors in a heavyweight battle against the Nelson, a game featuring last seasons second and third placed teams.
Game One featured a good battle between George McCormick and Pete Evans, with George hitting an impressive ten 100+ scores to Pete’s 6, and George coming out on top by 3 legs to 2. Martin Power hit his first 180 of the season in a comfortable 3-0 win over the Nelson’s Mick Young, before Adam White also had a 180 in a 3-1 defeat of Mick Cooney to leave Wythenshawe 3-0 up after as many games. Steve Moane got the Nelson on the board in impressive style in game four, hitting a maximum and going to the top of the least darts merit table for division one after a 13 darter.
Col Smith then secured the bonus points for Wythenshawe, putting his side into an unassailable 4-1 lead after beating Joe Kelly 3-0. All of the Nelsons games so far this season have ended 4-3 whether in their favour or not, and this was to be no exception with Andy Day and Dylan Wimbury grabbing two more points for their team with a 3-2 win over John Brown for Andy, and a 3-1 win for Dylan against Mandy Smith giving a final score of Wythenshawe CSC 4, Nelson 3.
Division 2
The Silver Birch remain top of Division 2 despite having a weeks rest this time, but only on game difference, and they have now been joined at the top by LMRCA and The Royal Oak.
Carters Arms 2 vs 5 Urmston SC
Urmston continued their good start to Division 2 life with a tight win over Carters Arms, leaving Urmston unbeaten with a game in hand, and the Carters still looking for a first league win of the season.
If the first two games are anything to go by, the result could have gone either way – these games giving two close 3-2 wins for Urmston, through Dylan Bell over Dave Sills, and Mike King beating Ryan Pollit.
Game three saw the Carters pull one back as a 180 helped Gavin Halton on the way to a 3-1 win over Urmston Captain Michelle Fitton. Lee Capper put Urmston further in the lead at 3-1 after winning his game 3-0, and Jim Higginson sealed the bonus points making it 4-1 with a 3-1 win of his own.
The other Division 2 players will probably all want to avoid Steve Lye who beat Terry Caine 3-2 in game 6 to make it 5-1, with Steve hitting a 180, 7 tons and a 64.53 average. The final game between Carters’ Bob Mitchell and Dave Tong, went in favour of Bob via a 3-0 win giving us the final score of 5-2 to the visitors.
Cringlewood B 2 vs 5 Royal Oak A
Cringlewood B hosted the Royal Oak, and it was the visitors who came away with seven points after a 5-2 win.
Tony Kirby put the Oak ahead in game 1 winning 3-0, before Sharon Kirby made it 2-0 to the Chorlton side with a 3-1 win against Charlie Sanders. Gary Williams pulled one back for the Cringlewood hitting five tons and a respectable 70.95 average during a 3-0 win over Jordan Kirby, but Pete DeCordova made it 3-1 to the Oak by winning 3-1 against Pete Williams.
Geoff Sanders reduced the deficit to 3-2 after beating Niall Kirby 3 legs to 1, but over 50s individual runner-up Pete Perry put the game to bed with a 3-0 win against Dan O’Donnell. Lee Medd made sure the Oak went home with 7 points, the Stretford based postman delivering a 3-1 win in the final game to leave his side joint second in the Division.
Trafford SC 3 vs 4 Ashton-on-Mersey CC
There is always a lot of information on the Trafford score sheets to be fair, its just not always in the format requested. Better than the AOM submission however, ‘stats to follow’ does not constitute a submission for that week – I’m only glad I decided not to hold my breath in anticipation of it’s arrival.
Gaz Collins won game one for Trafford, before Ashton made it 2-1 with successive wins for Mark Robinson and Chris Chapman. From 2-1 down, Trafford staged a rally of their own to lead 3-2 following wins for Liam Galvin and Andrew Wood, but it was the team from Ashton who took out the final two games to win the match 4-3 with wins for Mike Buckley and Harry Guthrie.
LMRCA 4 vs 3 St Antony’s
This weeks LMRCA stats sheet resembled a treasure map that had been in a house fire before being dug up from a swamp 50 years later.
What i did discover from the result, was that St Antonys found that it wasnt fun to stay at the LMRCA that evening.
The first four games were shared, between both sides leaving it delicately poised at 2-2. (credit to Tony Spilsbury for another five tons in what’s turning out to be a high scoring season for him, although it was Shaun Gill who edged that one 3-2 with five of his own).
Mark Paton won game 5 to put St Antonys within reach of a first win of the season, but the young men of the LMRCA had no need to feel down after winning the final two games through Dave Brooks and Ron Cooke.
Division 3
Where to start with Division Three submissions. (noted exceptions being Melville, Bulls Head and Excel). Actually I wont start, onto the games.
Malt Shovels 4 vs 3 Wythenshawe FC
Malt Shovels had 6 players, submitted 8 games, and supplied actual scores for 5 of them. More than can be said for Wythenshawe however.
Malt Shovels edged this one 4-3 which leaves them joint top of the Division 3 table, with Geoff Talbot hitting a 180 in his first appearance of the season.
The Bent Brook 6 vs 1 Stretfordians
Newcomers to the league, The Bent Brook gave the Stretfordian’s another heavy defeat, to win their first game in the South Manchester League, although I’m sure Stretfordians wont have minded as they likely left well fed too. Both teams could probably benefit from using the published stats sheet which will help with submissions.
Bent brook won the first three through Craig McManus, Gaz O’Donnell, and Alex Morton. Colton Burke pulled one back for Stretfordians before the Bent boys won the last three games for an eight point haul.
The Melville 6 vs 1 The Old Market Tavern
Another new team to the league The Melville, continued a strong start to life in the South Manchester Darts League with a heavy 6-1 win over the Haycocks Tavern, sorry – Old Market Tavern.
And there must have been something good on telly, as the Melville didn’t mess about in streaking to a 4-0 lead through wins for Paul Sambrook, Brad Hodgson, Tom Powell and Cam McFarlane. Rick Haycocks got one under the OMTs belt with a 2-0 win and 22 darter, but that was the end of the road for the OMT as Owen Powell and Jon Powell wrapped it up for the Melville in straight 2-0 wins each.
TBF the amount of Powells at the Melville went under the radar. I’ll keep that in mind. Team wise – It makes me wish I’d had a shit ton of kids 20 years ago :D.
Excelsior WMC 3 vs 4 Bulls Head
The last Division 3 review, with comfortably the best result submissions from both teams, saw a close win for Hale Barns finest (well it wont be my ex CEO getting that title if anyone saw the MEN today), putting them joint top of the early Division 3 table.
The Excel stormed into a 2-0 early lead with back-to-back 2-0 wins for Peter Sage and Andy Cheetham. Adrian Stock and Rob Barber pulled it back to 2-2, each winning 2-1 and leaving the game in the balance.
Danny Chua beat Alex Rydstrom in game five, restoring the Excel lead at 3-2, but The Bulls Head were not to be denied, first Ian Fish reeled in Peter Ellison, before Chris Cordingley won the deciding game against Hannah Tague. Sounds like he was accordingly up for it, with a 180 with his first three darts.
Hopefully no one gets offended with any of my musings, I’m certainly not intending to pick on any person or team, but if I get any kind of ammo, its getting used :D. I’ve been really tame so far, and If you don’t like it, I apologise to absolutely nobody at all. My viewpoint going forward is, I’ll put effort into reviews where teams have made some kind of effort of their own with submissions. If you don’t care – that’s cool, less work for me. I’m also definitely not after excuses why a photo of the sheet cant be posted to a Facebook group within 3-4 days, when it can be done by any one of the players in a 7 person darts team.
If anyone has any corrections, wants to clarify anything, or if you just want to open up a discussion about any game or player performance – why not register with the site and add a comment below!
3 Responses
Excellent work Tony. Keep it up, great to read about all the games. Cheers.
Much appreciated Chris! Impressed you found it as I forgot to post to Facebook earlier!
I don’t really do Facebook much so I’m sad enough to check the site regularly. Love that someone, you, is putting your own time into it. Adds to the enjoyment of the season.