Division 1
Some shock results and big wins in Division One, as Ammies lose for the first time in God knows how long with a 4-3 loss to The John Alker, Timperley take full advantage by humping the Victoria Withington 6-1, bottom placed Roebuck get a win over Wythenshawe CSC, and the Nelson got a 4-3 win against Broadheath.
The John Alker 4 vs 3 Ammies Darts
Well it had to happen sometime. The runaway leaders of Division 1, the Ammies, will have to come to terms with a league defeat for the first time in 581 days. Not since Wythenshawe CSC gained a 4-3 win on 15th June 2022 have the reigning champions tasted defeat, but a breathtaking performance from The John Alker resulted in a 4-3 win, and means that long undefeated league record is now consigned to history.
In Game 1, Baz Rowland of the Alker defied a 180 and 19 darter from Chris McKenzie to record a 3-1 win putting the hosts into a lead they would never relinquish, and this lead was doubled after Ewan Donegan beat Pete Watson by the same scoreline.
Two nil became three nil after game 3, when ‘Daddy Cool’ John Greaves got the better of Krzysztof Ratajski Ray Dore by 3 legs to 2 to leave the Ammies reeling in a way they wont have experienced for some time. With a big fightback needed, Adam Watson hit a 17 dart leg and 76 average to get the Ammies on the scoreboard with a 3-0 win over Chris Wormald in game four.
In game five it was the turn of Andy Tucker to try to contribute to the great escape, but Gaz Brickhill had different ideas and ensured there were to be no more get out of jail free cards available for the Ammies as he hit a 15 darter, a 94 finish and ended up with a 76 average in winning a quality game by three legs to one.
At 4-1 down, with the bonus points already sealed by the Alker, it was damage limitation time for the shell-shocked champions. It fell to captain Paul Devine to steady the ship in game six, which he did with 7 ton plus scores, a 77.74 average and a 16 darter during a resounding 3-0 win against veteran Gary Thompson (who himself hit a 68.95 to show theres life in the old dog yet).
The damage limitation exercise was complete after Scott Livingstone reduced the defecit further to 4-3 when beating Mike Nolan 3-0 in the final game of the evening. While it may have been limited in the end, the big damage was done early doors however, and for once the Ammies will be licking their wounds before heading to Tory HQ next week, in what has now become a massive game with second placed Timperley Conservative Club.
Timperley CC 6 vs 1 The Victoria
With the Ammies falling to defeat, Timperley had almost the perfect response in soundly beating the Victoria Withington 6-1 to consolidate second spot in the table (13 pts clear of third placed The Nelson) and reduce the once chasm-like gap between second and top spot, to just nine points. Timperleys only loss this season was a 6-1 defeat to the Ammies in the opening match of the season, and they will be hoping to get revenge next week and make this a real title challenge.
Andy Brownhill was first up for the home side, playing on the ‘Maggie Thatcher’ board against Vic newcomer Jack Jarvis. In an engrossing game, Browny finally came out on top in a deciding leg, after hitting 7 tons and a 69.47 average, although Jack can count himself unlucky having hit 8 tons of his own and having lead at one stage by two legs to nil. There is much more to come from this lad.
Second up was another great game featuring the Vic’s Terry Jepson and Gary Sullivan, and this one ended the same way as game one, with a final leg decider won by Timperley. Sully was on good form yet again, form which resulted in 9 tons, a 19 darter and a 77.03 average while Terry landed 6 tons, a 20 darter and a 69.8 average in defeat.
In game 3 it was the turn of Andy Pearson for the home side, taking on Vic Captain Connor “The Worm” Wigley, and a quick fire 3-0 win for Andy also brought the overall scoreline to 3-0 in favour of Timperley. The writing was already on the wall and it was soon set in stone, as six tons and a 17 darter later Chris Stone took a 3-1 win over Pete Leslie (who is no relation to John, the disgraced [but cleared] former Blue Peter presenter) to secure the win and bonus points for the home side.
The Vic finally got off the mark in game five as Sean Edwards landed 6 ton plus scores and a 19 dart leg during a 3-2 win over Kev Kelly, but it was to be a brief resurgence from the Vic as game six saw Callum Loose on good form with a 180, 17 darter, and 120 finish (taken out with three double tops). The maximum from Callum was his fourth of the season, and meant he has now pulled clear of the pack of players on 3 at the top of the 180 merit table. Last up, Andy Broadhurst hit a 16 darter and 5 tons during a 3-1 win over myself, though I guess winning a leg this week shows theres light at the end of the black tunnel that is my season so far!
Next up for Timperley is the long awaited return fixture and chance for revenge against the Ammies who will be smarting after this weeks defeat, so will be well up for the trip to Timperley, though the Torys will know that a win in that game opens up the real possibility of becoming the second runner in what has appeared so far to be a one horse race.
Broadheath Central 3 vs 4 The Nelson
This was the very definition of a game of two halves, with The Nelson securing the win in double quick time by winning the first four games with the loss of only a single leg, while once the game was lost, Broadheath won all the remaining games to make the scoreline much more respectable.
Tony Green got the Nelson going with a 3-0 win over Shane Crellin, before Steve Moane hit a 72 average in a 3-0 win of his own against Martin Johnson.
In game 3, The Nelson’s Dylan Wimbury finally got off the mark in the 180s merit table with his first of the season (this feat matched by his opponent, Broadheath captain JonJo Devon, who also got his first), but it was Dylan who went on to win the game 3-1 putting the Nelson 3-0 to the good. The game was over as a contest when Pete Evans beat Dave Wood 3-0 while becoming the third player on the night to hit his first maximum of the campaign.
There have been murmurings about the scoring format in the league, however the current format is designed to ensure that every players game has the chance to earn a point for the team on the night, while also ensuring that no team ends the season on zero points.
Whilst thats not an issue for Broadheath, they will be glad of the three league points gained in the remaining games. Leyton Jackson got a 3-0 win in game five, despite 7 ton plus scores from Andrew Day, Andy McCormack also won 3-0 against Mick Cooney, while Darren Wood got his second maximum of the season, winning a deciding fifth leg against Mick Young (who had hit a 13 darter earlier in the game), to bring the scoreline to a much more respectable 4-3.
At this halfway stage, Broadheath sit in the danger zone in eighth position in the league table, but lie only three points behind the Cringlewood and have a marginally better game difference. As an indictation of how tight this division is outside of the top two, Broadheath are also only 11 points behind the Nelson in third place! With a bye in the next round of fixtures, Broadheaths next opponents are second placed Timperley on 7th February, while the Nelson will be hosting Ammies-slaying The John Alker Club.
Wythenshawe CSC 3 vs 4 The Roebuck
Bottom of the league Roebuck hadnt won in the league since November 1st, and have had to endure some heavy defeat along the way, however that didnt stop them putting in a fantastic performance against high flying Wythenshawe CSC, and registering their second win of the season.
The Bucks turned the formbook on its head and raced into an early 3-0 lead, kicking off with a 3-1 win for Mark Garnett against Ray Pattinson, before Andy Kindred and Rick Kiel both registered 3-0 wins against Mandy Smith and Adam White respectively.
A 3-2 win for Ash Bowers over Chris Haycock pulled one back for Wythenshawe in game 4, but Ste Reddy secured the match for the Bucks after only five games with a 3-0 win against Liam Grundy.
The final two games went all the way to fifth leg deciders, both won by the hosts. Captain Dave Peploe edged out Chris Reddy 3-2, with a 21 darter and yet another big finish – 121 this time, while Kian Sherlock hit aa 180 during a 3-2 win of his own against Chris Merriman. These wins for Wythenshawe meant that they at least took 3 points out of the game to sit fourth in the league just two ahead of the Alker.
Next up for Wythenshawe is a trip to Victoria Withington, whille the Roebuck will take on Cringlewood – both games on 24th January.
Division 2
Things are starting to heat up in Division 2 and the final games of the first half of the season, provided some interesting results which have had a clear impact on a number of teams’ placings in the table. The Silver Birch and LMRCA faced off in a battle of the top two, with the Birch getting the better of their title rivals on this occasion to lead the division by 7 points, while The Royal Oak gatecrash the title battle as they moved into third following a win against Trafford Social which leaves them level on points with LMRCA. Ashton-on-Merseys win over Urmston leaves them in fifth, but only 7 points behind second, whilst Urmston drop into the bottom two after a huge 6-1 win for St Antonys against bottom placed Carters Arms saw them move out of the relegation zone and up to the heady heights of sixth place. The Volunteer, who had a bye week sit in fourth only four points off second, and very much in the mix.
The Silver Birch 5 vs 2 LMRCA
The Birch and LMRCA have set the pace for the majority of the season so far, and both teams went into this game with only a single defeat each in the league. The sides had already met once, in the very first match of the season in the KO Cup, a match which resulted in a 5-2 home win for the Birch. This game was to prove to be a carbon copy, at least in terms of the result.
Game One went the way of the LMRCA as Ryan Woods got the better of Lee Hicks by 3 legs to nil, but The Birch were soon level through Mike Shaw, who hit a maximum during his 3-0 victory over Alan Gleave. Ron Cooke put LMRCA back in front in game 3 after a 3-0 win over Lee Davies, but the Birch pulled level for a second time as Alan Dawson hit a 109 finish during a 3-1 win against Derek Ostick.
In game five Andy Skinner secured a win against Joe Davis to put the Birch 3-2 up, with Andy hitting an 18 darter and a 109 finish in that game, before Martin Tyson delivered the bonus points for the home team after beating Tony Spillsbury 3-0 in game six. The lead was extended further in the final game when the still unbeaten Kraig Loose capped off a fine team display with a 180 and a 19 darter in a routine 3-0 win over Dave Brooks.
The win puts The Silver Birch in control of Division Two as we go into the second half of the season and with a seven point lead and +20 game difference they look odds on for a promotion which would be their second in as many seasons.
Its Trafford SC up next for the Wythenshawe side, while LMRCA face a tricky fixture with the Volunteer, who are only four points behind them and won the reverse fixture in week one by 5 games to 2.
Ashton-on-Mersey CC 4 vs 3 Urmston SC
Urmston have been on a run of defeats in the league since winning their first two games, but the last two have been final via final game deciders which just didnt go their way. A break from league action last week saw a thumping 6-1 win in the KO Shield which put them in the Semi finals, however this week it was back to league action, and unfortunately back to last game heartbreak, as Ashton staged a late fightback to secure their sixth 4-3 win in all competitions this season.
Andy Mathias put the home side into an early lead with a 3-0 win against Harry Fitton, but three consecutive wins for Urmston gave them a 3-1 lead and hope of putting an end to their recent run. Dave Tong got a 3-1 win against Chris Chapman in game two, Mike King won a deciding leg against newcomer Stephen Orton in game three and in game four, Dylan Bell won a deciding leg of his own against current divisional high finish leader, Mark Robinson.
Mike Buckley hit 6 tons in a 3-1 win against Lee Capper to reduce the Ashton defecit to just one game, and it was all square soon after as John Reyes was unable to seal it for Urmston, losing 3-0 to George Hardman. So it was down to the deciding game, a situation which had cost Urmston in recent weeks, and one which Ashton have proved unusually adept at clinching. And thats how it was to be as league Chairman James Compton got the 3-1 win over Jim Higginson which meant his side got the two bonus points which keeps them in the promotion mix. While Urmston have now slipped into the bottom two, they sit only three points behind St Antony’s in sixth, and face the Saints in their next league fixture.
St Antony’s 6 vs 1 Carters Arms
In a match between what was the bottom two at the start of the evening, St Antony’s built on their first win over Ashton-on-Mersey in the previous league fixture to deliver The Carters Arms heaviest defeat of the season so far. It was a win that not only had a positive impact on their game difference, but also moved them out of the bottom two positions for the first time this season. Carters remain bottom, but this game aside have mainly had 4-3 losses so they are only six points behind Urmston, and eight behind the relatively safety of 7th place.
The Saints will have been praying for a good start, and they marched to an early 3-0 lead helped by a 3-2 win for Alan Farrar against Terry Caine in game one, a 180 and 3-1 win for Shaun Gill against Bob Mitchell in game 2, and a 3-0 win for Mark Paton against Dave Sills in game 3.
The Carters answered with a win of their own in game four to prevent the early defeat as Gavin Halton beat Josh Doherty 3-0, but that was as good as it was going to be, as once again St Antony’s took another three consecutive games to secure a 6-1 win. Carl Paton hit an 18 dart leg as he won game five 3-0 against Andrew Nicholson, before Dom Batty and Ian Paton both had last leg 3-2 wins against Ryan Pollit and John Thierens respectively.
The Royal Oak 5 vs 2 Trafford SC
This win moves the Oak level on points and game difference with second placed LMRCA, although the head to head record gives LMRCA the higher position due to their win in the game between the two sides earlier in the season. Trafford on the other hand are on a run of defeats since a win against The Carters on 22nd November, and now sit in 7th, two points above Urmston, with one more league win the difference between the two sides who otherwise have the same amount of player games won and lost. As stated elsewhere – its tight at the bottom, so they will hope to have a reversal in fortune soon.
The Oak won each of the first three games by three legs to one, Pete Perry getting the first of these against Andrew Wood, Pete DeCordova doing the same against Andrew Davies, and Sharon Kirby getting the better of Rory Sullivan.
In game four, Trafford avoided early defeat as a cracking game between Tony Kirby and Kyle Wands saw Kyle defy six ton plusses and a 180 from Tony to win a last leg decider to keep his side in the game. Both players averaging just over 74 in that one.
Trafford had hopes of a comeback after another win in game five as Liam Galvin beat Andy Mossop 3-1, but it wasnt to be as The Oak won the remaining games to first claim the win through new signing Jack Bushhill who beat Gaz Collins 3-2, while Jordan Perry added another point in beating Alan Wands by the same scoreline.
Division 3
There were no league games in Division 3 this week as that division has one team fewer than the other an has a couple more free weeks as a result. A Division 3 team knockout competition has been put together, but this isnt an official league competition and the results and stats wont be recorded on the website.
Some good games and results this week, and its the only time before the end of the season when all teams in each of the top two divisions will have played the same amount of games.
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