This week in West Midlands darts, cup competitions delivered major upsets as top-ranked teams fell to unexpected challengers, highlighting the unpredictable nature of knockout play. Meanwhile, league leaders like Steve Cain (Heartlands), Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club (South West Birmingham), Bell (Rowley), and Jason Lowe (Amblecote) continued their dominance, though some, like Bostin Darts ‘B’ (Rowley), saw their unbeaten streaks broken. Exciting singles and 4-a-side knockouts also progressed, setting the stage for thrilling finals.
Sheldon and District Summer League: Cup Chaos Reigns
The first round of the League Cup in the Sheldon and District Summer League proved to be a hotbed of surprises, as several higher-ranked teams were knocked out by their less-fancied opponents. This week saw league fixtures temporarily replaced by the thrilling uncertainty of cup action.
- Division One leaders Langley Arrows, despite a maximum from Richard Mills, suffered a 4-3 defeat to second-placed Raven Arrows, who also saw Zac Prince hit a 180.
- Kingshurst Labour Club, leading Division Two, similarly lost 4-3 to Station Inn, a team ranked second in group four.
- Another significant upset saw Sheldon Marlborough Ridge (Group Two) beaten by CBMC-A (Group Four).
- In a clash between top teams from different divisions, Division Three leaders Lyndon Old Boys were overcome 4-3 by Maggies, the top side in Division Four, with Lee Hatfield hitting a maximum for Maggies.
Not all results were close, however. Langley Flights, second in Group Three, delivered the round’s most dominant performance, securing a resounding 7-0 victory over Yardley District Amateur Darts Team, who are second in Group Five.
Other teams advancing to the quarter-finals included Highwood, who edged out Dog Inn Nomads 4-3, and RAFA (Group Two) with a 5-2 win against Raven Flights (Group Four). Notable maximums were hit by Dean Grainger for Raven and Preston Cupkovic for Trident Spears, with Trident Spears taking their match 5-2.
Heartlands Sugardarts M&E Co Double Top League: Cain Brothers Lead the Charge
Week twenty-four brought no major changes to the top six, but the race for the title remains intense. Steve Cain holds firmly onto the top spot with 127 points from 55 games, adding a 3-0 win and two 2-1 victories to his tally.
Second-placed Matthew Cain is just 13 points behind with a significant advantage of 11 games in hand. He maintained his strong position with two 3-0 wins. Martin Cooper remains third, while Ryan Cain sits fourth.
Further down the top six, John Frost and Stuart Bloomer are tied on 88 points, with Bloomer having played one game less. **John Burdett is a player to watch; currently seventh, he also has 88 points but from a remarkable 41 games, giving him multiple games in hand on all players above him.** Burdett showcased his potential with three consecutive 3-0 victories this week.
South West Birmingham Clubs League: Kings Norton Edges Ahead
Division One
A crucial top-of-the-table clash saw leaders Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club secure a narrow 4-3 away victory against second-placed Northfield Darts Club. This win extends Kings Norton’s unbeaten run and gives them a two-point lead over Stirchley United, who climbed to second after a 5-2 win at Perfection. Northfield Darts Club now sits third.
In the pre-match doubles league, Northfield Darts Club leads with 69 points, six points clear of Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club.
Division Two
The top two teams, E57 and Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’, both hold strong. E57 tops the table with 10 points after a 5-2 win, while Northfield Conservative Club ‘A’ matches them on points, trailing only by four legs on average after their 4-3 win at Stirchley Arrows.
Bartley Green FC moved into third place with a dominant 6-1 victory. E57 also leads the Division Two pre-match doubles table, two points ahead of Bartley Green FC.
Stourbridge and District Monday Night League: Singles Knockout Progresses
The singles knockout competition reached the last sixteen players. The players successfully making their way to the next round were:
- B. Fitzgerald
- J. Jackson
- S. Bloomer (Cross)
- S. Gough
- B. Watts
- I. Hartland (Five Ways)
- K. Safe
- A. Marson (Gornal British Legion)
- J. Simpson
- J. Thompson (Mount Pleasant ‘B’)
- G. Churchill (Bird in Hand)
- A. Purchase (Netherton Conservative Club ‘A’)
- A. Ginifer (Mount Pleasant ‘A’)
- M. Williams (Raven)
- B. Rowley (Glasscutters Arms)
- J. Stevens (Seven Stars)
Rowley Monday Night League: Bell’s Unstoppable Run, Upsets Abound
Division One
Leaders Bell continued their flawless season, securing their fourteenth consecutive win with a 7-2 victory at Rowley Labour Club. This keeps them four points ahead of second-placed Gate Hangs Well, who won 6-3.
In a surprising turn, Tividale FC lost their third-place position after a 6-3 defeat to Snooks, a team previously near the bottom of the table. Wheatsheaf capitalized, moving into third with a 7-2 win. A highlight of the week was T. Johnson of Hawthorns hitting a superb 170 maximum break, despite his team losing 5-4 to Bostin Darts ‘A’.
Division Two
Bostin Darts ‘B’, the Division Two leaders, suffered their first defeat in fourteen games, losing 5-4 to Shelter. This allowed Shelter to climb to third. Double Tops Micro Bar remains second, with a game in hand after their fixture was postponed.
Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League: Raven and Hollybush Undefeated
After four games, only two of the twenty-one teams maintain a perfect win record: leaders Raven and ninth-placed Hollybush (who have played one game less). Raven secured a 5-1 home win, keeping them two points clear of a pack of eight teams.
Chop House and Swan are close behind, both winning their respective matches. Plough also had a strong 5-2 win. The competition at the top remains incredibly tight, with many teams vying for position.
Netherton Thursday Night 501 League: Singles Knockout Quarter-Finalists
The singles knockout competition played down to its last eight players across four venues. The quarter-finalists who will compete on finals night (October 1st) are:
- Reece Hodgetts (Plough and Harrow)
- Dan Homer (Haden Cross)
- Jamie Rollinson (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’)
- Jason Southall (Plough and Harrow)
- Nick Fullwell (Old Liberal Club)
- Mark Archer (Hawthorns)
- Joe Poole (Rose and Crown, Wordsley)
- Carl Hadlington (Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’)
West Midlands Men’s Super League: Top Three Dominate
The leading trio in the West Midlands Men’s Super League all delivered powerful performances this week, each securing a decisive 5-0 victory.
- Leaders Staffordshire Knot hosted Landywood.
- Second-placed Kings Head played at home against Carrington Club.
- Third-placed Dog and Partridge also enjoyed a home win against Gate Inn.
Staffordshire Knot maintains its lead with 123 points (24 games), followed by Kings Head with 111 points (24 games), and Dog and Partridge on 102 points (23 games). Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club sits fourth, 32 points behind the leaders with a game in hand.
Amblecote RBL Premier League: Jason Lowe’s Commanding Lead
Jason Lowe continues his formidable run at the top, extending his lead to a massive 43 points with 284 points from 41 games, thanks to two dominant 7-0 wins. Second-placed Ian Townsend, despite a 7-0 win himself, suffered a 4-3 loss, preventing him from closing the gap.
Nick Fullwell is third with 237 points and has two games in hand on the top two, showing strong form with a 5-2 and a 7-0 win. Ryan Hardman and Paul Wells hold fourth and fifth, with Wells having a significant seven games in hand to potentially climb the ranks.
Gilbert’s Bar Monday Night Singles League: Tight Races in Both Divisions
Division One
Simon Pritchard holds onto the top spot with 153 points from 23 games, despite a mixed week of a 5-3 win and a 5-3 loss. Second-placed Brian Dolman is close behind with 147 points from 20 games, including an impressive 8-0 victory. Reigning champion Scott Baker is making a strong push, sitting third with 145 points from only 17 games, indicating he is well on track to challenge for the title again.
Division Two
Wayne Barratt leads Division Two with 163 points, four points ahead of Matt Ford, both having played 22 games. Ford was held to a 4-4 draw before a decisive 7-1 win. Dean Showell is a strong contender in third, just two points behind Ford with a game in hand. Former leader Neville Quinton and Charlie Baker are tied for fourth/fifth, both with games in hand.
Wolverhampton Tuesday Night Darts League: Junction ‘B’ Crowned 4 A-side Champions
The 4 A-side knockout competition concluded with Junction ‘B’ emerging as the champions. The winning team comprised Ryan O’Connor, Rob Pitt, Dean Simmons-Fullwood, and Callum Parkes. They defeated the New Gate Inn quartet of Mike Beasley, Paul Tonks, Chris Hipkins, and Andy Aston in the final.
Silver End Sunday Morning League: A Full Round of Fixtures
The Silver End Sunday Morning League completed its eighth game week with a series of competitive matches. Notable results included Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club ‘A’ suffering an 8-0 defeat to Old Star ‘A’, while High Acres ‘A’ secured a 5-3 win over Glasscutters Arms. The league continues to see varied results across its divisions, keeping the competition lively.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
