Darts Leagues Ignite with Thrilling Knockouts and Close Title Races!
This week’s darts action saw champions emerge, leaders face tough challenges, and plenty of maximum 180s light up the oche. In the Sutton and District Darts League, Highcroft Hotdogs dominated, while Bishop Vesey and Rise Club also secured semi-final wins. The Sheldon Winter League crowned Bobby Nixon as Singles champion and Jordan & Dean Grainger as Doubles champions. Heartlands Sugardarts saw Matthew Cain maintain his lead, despite strong competition. Rose and Crown (Wordsley) pulled level at the top of the Netherton Thursday Night 501 League, a week that also featured seven perfect 180s! Quarry Bank Liberal Club celebrated an undisputed championship win in the Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League, and Allen’s Bar ‘A’ continued their strong run in the Black Country Men’s Super League. Jacqueline Maiden claimed the top spot in the West Midlands Ladies Super League, while Ben Forrest triumphed in the Gilbert’s Bar Bank Holiday Knockout. Finally, eight teams qualified for the finals night of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League’s 3-A-Side Knockout.
Sutton and District Darts League: Keaton Lacey Memorial Cup Semi-Finals
The semi-finals of the Keaton Lacey Memorial Cup delivered intense competition:
- Division One:
- League leaders Highcroft Hotdogs delivered a crushing 9-0 whitewash against Charley’s Flights, showcasing their dominance.
- In the other semi-final, Bishop Vesey secured a 6-3 victory over Nomads @ Hollyfields. Both M.Wild (Bishop Vesey) and H.Riddell (Nomads) hit impressive 180 maximums.
- Division Two:
- Leaders Rise Club defeated their closest rivals, Plough and Arrows, with a solid 6-3 win.
- The second semi-final was a nail-biter, with Beggars Bush narrowly beating St Thomas Arrows 5-4.
Sheldon and District Winter League: Singles and Doubles Knockout Finals
The Sheldon league wrapped up its individual knockout competitions:
- Singles Knockout:
- After a strong run, Bobby Nixon was crowned champion, defeating Jordan Grainger 2-1 in a hard-fought final.
- Jordan Grainger put up an excellent fight, even hitting a 180 maximum in his 2-1 semi-final win against Chris Darby.
- Doubles Knockout:
- The formidable pairing of Jordan Grainger and Dean Grainger lifted the trophy, securing a decisive 2-0 victory over Chris Darby and Shay Darby in the final.
- Chris Darby and Shay Darby took the runner-up spot after an impressive performance throughout the competition.
Heartlands Sugardarts M&E Co Double Top League: Cain Maintains Lead
The leaderboard remains tight as players battle for supremacy:
- Matthew Cain continues to lead the pack with 82 points from 32 games, extending his advantage with two 3-0 wins this week.
- Second-placed Martin Cooper started strong but lost ground, now three points behind Cain with 79 points from the same number of games.
- Steve Cain holds third with 75 points (32 games), while John Burdett is also on 75 points but from 35 games.
- A notable achievement this week was Alex Downes, who hit the only 180 maximum of the night in his 3-0 victory.
Netherton Thursday Night 501 League: Leaders Level on Points, 7 Maximums Hit!
The title race is heating up in the Netherton league:
- Rose and Crown (Wordsley) seized the opportunity to draw level with leaders Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’, securing a 7-2 away win against Townsend Social Club. Both teams now stand at 39 points.
- Old Liberal Club and Bulls Head are close behind, both on 33 points.
- This week saw an incredible seven maximum 180s recorded by players across the league: G.Peters, Brian Neale, B.Ratcliffe, Mitch Jeffrey, Chris Moreton, and a fantastic two 180s from Gavin Smith, alongside Nick Fullwell.
Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League: Quarry Bank Liberal Club Crowned Champions!
A dominant performance secured the title:
- Quarry Bank Liberal Club officially clinched the championship in style, delivering a resounding 9-0 whitewash to visitors Parkes Hall. They finish with an impressive 70 points.
- Red Cow ‘1’ secured second place with 64 points after a 7-2 win.
- Gornal British Legion sits in third with 58 points.
Black Country Men’s Super League: Allen’s Bar ‘A’ Maintains Top Spot
The top of the Black Country league remains consistent:
- Leaders Allen’s Bar ‘A’ extended their lead with a 5-0 home win, taking their tally to 129 points.
- Quarry Bank Liberal Club holds second place with 122 points.
- In other news, Allen’s Bar ‘B’ moved up to seventh place after a 4-1 victory over High Acres, who dropped to eighth.
West Midlands Ladies Super League: Maiden Takes the Lead
A shift at the top of the ladies’ league:
- Jacqueline Maiden is the new league leader, moving into pole position with 124 points after a 3-1 win.
- Former leader Evonne Taylor drops to second, just two points behind.
- Gemma Barrett is in third place, four points off the top.
Gilbert’s Bar Bank Holiday Knockout: Forrest Claims Top Prize
The Bank Holiday Knockout saw a new champion emerge:
- Ben Forrest was the victor, triumphing 5-3 over Simon Pritchard in the final to claim the £50 top prize.
- Simon Pritchard secured the runner-up spot, taking home £30.
- Semi-finalists John Simms and Michael Smith each received £10.
Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League: 3-A-Side Knockout Qualifiers
The intense 3-A-Side Knockout has narrowed down to the final eight teams, who will compete on finals night:
- Chris Hill, Sara Jones, J.J.Rowley (Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’)
- Tony Singh, Chris Manoila, Wayne Speed (Gilbert’s Bar ‘B’)
- Glen McGrandle, Paul Bromley, Ryan Bourne (Junction ‘B’)
- Greg Parkes, Paul Simmons, Alex Simmons (Junction ‘B’)
- Len Slade, Connor Norton, Richard Ashley (Junction ‘A’)
- Jack Aldridge, Callum Parkes, Rob Pitt (Junction ‘B’)
- John Simms, Paul Price, Adam Teasdale (Junction ‘B’)
- Reece Cook-Lucas, Andy Jervis, Ben Johnson (Gilbert’s Bar ‘A’)
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
