The Midlands darts scene has wrapped up another thrilling season, with champions emerging across numerous leagues and cups. From the Harborne and District League where Copper Fox ‘R’ dominated to the dramatic Netherton Thursday Night Doubles Knockout won by J. Rollinson and J. Robinson, excitement was high. We saw incredible individual performances, including multiple perfect 180 scores and remarkable high finishes, highlighting the skill and competitive spirit throughout the region. Dive in for a full breakdown of all the action!
Harborne and District League: Copper Fox ‘R’ Reigns Supreme
The Harborne and District League concluded its season with some nail-biting rearranged fixtures. Emerging as the undisputed champions were Copper Fox ‘R’, who finished their campaign with an impressive 58 points out of a possible 60. Their final push included a hard-fought 5-4 victory over Northfield Darts Club, followed by dominant 8-1 wins at home against Thimble Mill and away against Stag and Three Horseshoes.
- Champions: Copper Fox ‘R’ (58 points)
- Runners-Up: Northfield Darts Club (54 points), who secured their second-place finish by beating Bourneville 6-3 and Copper Fox ‘M’ by the same margin, despite an earlier loss to the champions.
- Third Place: Northfield Conservative Club (52 points), closing their season with a 7-2 home win.
- Wooden Spoon: Windsor Complex, who managed only three wins from thirty games.
Individual brilliance shone through with several players hitting the maximum 180 score (three treble twenties):
- M. Lloyd (Northfield Darts Club) – an astounding two 180s
- E. Simpson (Copper Fox ‘R’)
- A. Hykin (Copper Fox ‘R’)
- R. Crawford (Crown)
- K. Foxhall (Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club)
- J. Goulding (Thimble Mill)
Sheldon and District Winter League: Cup Battles Heat Up
The preliminary rounds of the divisional league cups brought intense competition:
Premier League Highlights:
- Langley Arrows edged out Raven Arrows 5-4, despite a 180 from Will Naylor for Raven.
- Dog Inn Nomads secured the biggest win with a 6-3 victory over RAFA Arrows.
- Family Tree had a narrow 5-4 home win against RAFA, featuring exceptional ten-dart winning games from Simon Moran and Jamie Masefield.
- Mackadown Sports and Social Club also won 5-4 against Kingshurst Labour Club, where Stephen Shepherd hit a 180.
Division One and Two Action:
- In Division One, both games ended 7-2: Hollywood Social Club defeated CBMC-A (with Elliott Astley recording 11 and 12-dart games), and Moseley Rugby Club triumphed over Raven.
- Division Two saw Arran Way Arrows and Shirley Misfits both achieve 7-2 wins against Digby and Trident Flights respectively. Jon Bown hit a 140 finish for Shirley Misfits.
- Hunters Moon claimed a tight 5-4 victory at Mackadown Sports and Social Club ‘B’.
Four Oaks and District League: Brian Goodman Cup Kicks Off
The Brian Goodman Cup preliminary round delivered some commanding performances:
- The largest victory went to Heartlands, who secured an impressive 8-1 win against Rosey Mac’s.
- Bishop Vesey and Old Oscott Arrows both achieved strong 7-2 wins against their opponents.
- Other notable results included Rosey Mac’s Bar, St Thomas Lions, Charley’s Flights, and Minworth Bulls all winning their matches 6-3.
- Tight contests saw Great Barr Social, Erdington Arrows, Sutton Sports, and Walmley CSC Flights clinch 5-4 victories.
South West Birmingham Clubs League: Double Champions Crowned
The main issues in the South West Birmingham Clubs League are settled, with some teams achieving double success.
Division One:
- Champions: Stirchley United, who sealed the title with a 6-1 away win, finishing with 22 points.
- Runners-Up: Northfield Darts Club (20 points), ending their season with a 5-2 home win and a 180 from L. Fowler.
- Notable Scores: A. Faulkner (Northfield Conservative Club ‘B’) and S. Smith (West Heath CEM) both recorded impressive 160 breaks (a high score achieved in a single turn).
Division Two:
- Champions: E57 (22 points), securing the title on average supremacy despite a 5-2 loss in their final game.
- Runners-Up: Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’ (22 points).
- Third Place: Kings Norton Arrows (22 points).
Pre-Match Doubles League:
- Division One Doubles Champions: Northfield Darts Club (162 points).
- Division Two Doubles Champions: E57 (142 points), completing a superb double title win for the team.
Kings Norton League: Northfield Darts Club Leads the Pack
After nine games, Northfield Darts Club stands alone with a perfect 100% win record. Their latest 5-2 victory at E57 keeps them two points clear at the top.
- Leaders: Northfield Darts Club
- Second Place: Bournbrook, who secured a 4-3 win.
- A tight mid-table battle sees Bournville, Stirchley, Perfection, Cock Inn, and Dingle all tied on twelve points.
Four players hit the maximum 180 score this week:
- L. O’Neill (Cock Inn)
- K. Webb (Bournbrook)
- L. Fowler (Northfield Darts Club)
- S. Hercules (Stirchley)
Stourbridge and District Monday Night League: Old Liberal Club Takes Charge
Old Liberal Club handed Glasscutters Arms ‘A’ a dominant 7-0 whitewash, maintaining their position at the top of the table with 50 points.
- Leaders: Old Liberal Club
- Second Place: Gornal British Legion, two points behind with a game in hand after a 6-1 home win.
- Third Place: Cross, who managed a close 4-3 win.
- Five Ways and Bird in Hand also secured strong wins, 6-1 and 5-2 respectively.
Sedgley and Gornal Tuesday Night League: Tight Races in Both Divisions
The new season sees close competition in both divisions after five games.
Division One:
- Leaders: Old Liberal Club, topping the table with 10 points after an 8-1 win.
- Second Place: Chapel House ‘A’, also on 10 points, separated only by four legs of average.
- Lamp Tavern, Wheatsheaf, and Stump are all close behind on eight points.
Division Two:
- Leaders: Jolly Crispin, whose 7-2 home win gives them an average lead from their four games.
- Second Place: Swan, currently on six points after a 5-4 loss.
- Fountain Inn, Rising Sun, White Lion, and Gospel Oak are also on six points, indicating a fiercely contested division.
Netherton Thursday Night 501 League: All-Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club Final
The Doubles Knockout culminated in an exciting final between two teams from Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’.
- The quarter-finals saw all four matches go the full three-leg distance.
- In the semi-finals, M. Rollinson and P. Tonks defeated R. Carr and T. Rollinson 2-0. J. Rollinson and J. Robinson had a 2-1 win over N. Murphy and N. Cooper.
- The final, extended to a best-of-five legs, was a thrilling affair. Jamie and Jake Rollinson took an early 2-0 lead, but Mark Rollinson and Phil Tonks fought back to level it at 2-2. The deciding leg went down to the wire, with Jamie and Jake Rollinson emerging as 3-2 champions.
Rowley Monday Night League: Bell’s Unbeaten Streak Continues
Bell continues its remarkable run in Division One, extending their winning streak to twenty-one consecutive victories with a 6-3 win at Tividale FC.
Division One:
- Leaders: Bell, now four points clear of second place with a game in hand.
- Second Place: Gate Hangs Well, who won 6-3 against bottom-placed Rowley Labour Club, where R. Lenton and W. Cairnes both scored 180s.
- Third Place: Wheatsheaf, six points behind Gate Hangs Well despite a game in hand.
Division Two:
- Leaders: Bostin Darts ‘B’, maintaining their dominance with a 5-4 win, giving them a six-point lead.
- Runners-Up: Double Tops Micro Bar, who lost ground after a 5-4 home defeat.
Silver End Sunday Morning League: High Acres ‘A’ Takes Top Spot
A convincing 7-1 win at Roebuck has secured High Acres ‘A’ the top spot in the Silver End Sunday Morning League.
- Leaders: High Acres ‘A’, three points ahead of their nearest rivals.
- Second Place: Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘B’, who secured a dominant 8-0 win in a local derby against their ‘A’ side and have a game in hand.
- Third Place: Old Star ‘A’, three points further back with 37 points, after a 7-1 win.
Stourbridge Wednesday Night League: A Three-Way Tie at the Top
The Stourbridge Wednesday Night League table sees a thrilling three-way tie for the lead, with all three teams on 22 points and separated only by average.
- Leaders (on average): Raven, despite having a bye this week.
- Second Place: Chop House, who secured a 5-2 win.
- Third Place: Old Liberal Club ‘A’, also with a 5-2 victory.
Black Country Men’s Super League: 8 Balls and Arrows Holds Firm
8 Balls and Arrows maintained their lead at the top of the Black Country Men’s Super League with a 4-1 win, giving them 42 points.
- Leaders: 8 Balls and Arrows, four points ahead.
- Second Place: Hot Shots, with a game in hand.
- Third Place: Allens Bar, who had a strong 5-0 home win and also have a game in hand.
West Midlands Ladies Super League: Evonne Taylor Climbs to Second
While Gemma Barrett remains in pole position, there’s significant movement behind her in the West Midlands Ladies Super League.
- Leader: Gemma Barrett, despite a mixed bag of results (lost 3-1, won 3-2, won 3-1, lost 3-0).
- Second Place: Evonne Taylor, who had an excellent week, beating Barrett 3-1, Eloise Milburn 3-2, and both Sarah Baker and Julie Emery 3-0. She now has 32 points, just one less than Barrett, but with two crucial games in hand.
West Midlands Men’s Super League: Top Five Extend Their Leads
The top five teams in the West Midlands Men’s Super League all secured wins, solidifying their positions.
- Leaders: Staffordshire Knot, with 175 points after a 3-0 win, holding a thirteen-point lead.
- Second Place: Kings Head.
- Third Place: Dog and Partridge.
- Fourth Place: Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club.
- Fifth Place: Junction ‘A’.
Amblecote RBL Premier League: Lowe Leads, Townsend and Wells Chase
The Amblecote RBL Premier League saw top players extend their leads and climb the ranks.
- Leader: Jason Lowe, who added two dominant 7-0 wins to reach 352 points.
- Second Place: Ian Townsend, with 300 points after a 5-2 win and a 7-0 whitewash, with just one game in hand on Lowe.
- Third Place: Paul Wells, moving up a spot with 296 points and a game in hand on Townsend, thanks to wins of 5-2, 4-3, and 6-1.
Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League: Close Contests in Both Divisions
The singles league continues to be a tight affair in both divisions.
Division One:
- Leader: Simon Pritchard, currently on 208 points with four games left to play.
- Second Place: Reigning champion Scott Baker, just three points behind Pritchard but with ten more games remaining, setting up a thrilling end to the season.
Division Two:
- Leader: Neville Quinton, with 253 points and only two fixtures left.
- Second Place: Wayne Barratt, seven points behind Quinton with six games still to play, keeping the title race alive.
Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League: Junction ‘B’ Undefeated in Both Formats
Junction ‘B’ is having an exceptional season, remaining undefeated in both the singles and doubles leagues.
Singles League:
- Leaders: Junction ‘B’, with 12 points and a five-leg average lead.
- Dog and Partridge and New Gate Inn are also undefeated, making up the top three.
Doubles League:
- Leaders: Junction ‘B’, once again topping the table on average.
- Dog and Partridge is the only other team to have won all six of their games, just two legs of average behind the leaders.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
