Cumbria heroes are promoted after thrashing Northampton
Last updated 09:13, Saturday, 03 May 2008
CUMBRIA concluded a memorable season in Division Three of The Inter County Darts Championship with a rampaging win over Northamptonshire.
They came out on top by 29 points (including the bonus points) to 12 and secured promotion to Division Two next term, despite promotion contenders Suffolk thrashing Pembroke by 25-14.
Cumbria were very good value for their win with three wins and a draw from the four matches over the weekend at Carlisle’s Ukranian Club.
The Ladies’ B match started well for the visitors as they took the first two sets but Chris Shortland, Ann Scholey and lady of the match Ann Watson, with a very respectable 16+ average, made sure that the B girls would at least draw.
With 32 points for the season, the B team were a more than respectable third in their section.
Our Men’s B team have had a mixed season but they have put in some sterling performances in the latter part of the campaign and this was the character of a very fine 8-4 win over the Midlands County visitors.
Winning the first set was Alan McNaughton who was also celebrating becoming a certain age on Saturday. Alan Carrick added set two and was followed into the winner’s enclosure by Davey Dougal with the third set win.
Northants took set four but Graham Metcalf and then John Robb added further wins with Graham coming back from 1-2 down and John making it harder for himself by losing the first two legs of his set. A 5-1 half way score was just what was needed.
Northants took set seven but then Gary Heaney and Mike Sowerby won the next two sets both coming back from behind, showing great determination, a character which has developed through the season.
Tony Stone won set 11 to give a score of 8-4 to the home team but you had to feel sorry for John Blaney whose opponent not only shot the visitors’ best game, it was the best by any player in Division Three over the whole weekend.
Into the A matches on Sunday and Janice Wilson set Cumbria on the title track with a 3-0 win and a 20.59 average. Michelle Jackson let the first two legs slip away to her opponent but she came back so well to win the next three legs and put Cumbria 2-0 up.
Northants took set three but Sas Bode won a tough five-leg game and set four to put Cumbria within touching distance of the title but that had to wait until set six.
Heather Draper lost the first two legs comprehensively but stormed back to take the next three closing the match, and the title with a superb 13-dart leg in which she scored 100, 180, 100, 97 and hit 24 with the first dart of her fifth set, so game set and championship to the lasses from Cumbria.
We have always had good lady players and this group are certainly maintaining that tradition.
The men’s A started with a superb win from John Telford who, having been 2-1 behind and considerably outscored in the fifth leg, pulled out a really great 138 finish to win the first set.
Dave Hirst was playing his final game for Cumbria – it’s sad to see Dave put his darts away because he has been such a good player and he will be missed.
David says he is giving the game up all together at the end of the present season and it would have been most fitting to see him go out on a winning note but, despite nine tons and better and a near 29 average it was not to be.
We can only thank him for the excellent service he has given Cumbria since joining us several years ago.
Mark Sloan got Cumbria back on the winning trail and he was followed by wins from Alan Armstrong and Paul McGimpsey. Paul gave a Gimp like performance which included a pair of 13- dart legs.
Cumbria lost the next two sets though it was a bit hard on Peter Taylor who played very well but he was up against new England cap Ricky Evans who scraped the last leg in 15 darts with Peter needing just 20 after his 12.
Cumbria reeled of the next five sets through Andy Goodfellow, Trevor Watters – whom I have never seen play better – Des Halbert Pecker Woods and finally, with a man-of-the-match 28.9 average, Mick Connerton.
Very well done to the Men’s A who were only beaten to the title in the A section by a single point by Bedfordshire. So we prepare for life in Division Two starting in September from where, rather sadly, Northumberland and Merseyside have been relegated.
Cumbria are in fact the only Northern County in the Division Two mix. Our opposition will consist: Somerset. London, Norfolk, Sussex, Nottingham, Berkshire, Bedford, Lincoln and Buckingham – let us hope we manage to have five matches at home.
The other results: Cleveland 22-17 Humberside (both these counties are relegated); Mont and Radnor 19-19 Devon; Worcester also played a draw with Bedford.
n Portland Club: Another better week at The Portland with 18 players in each half of the draw – and some jolly good darts into the bargain.
First I have to correct the winner from last week to Kenny Bell – not Bello as I understood – Bello hasn’t been yet. Sorry Kenny.
This week Chris O’Prey got through from one half of the draw. Having beaten George Moore in the last four of the half, Chris went on to eclipse David Ferguson in the final with Fergie having beaten Steve Armstrong at one stage earlier.
Fergie got through from the other half – again he beat Steve – this time in the half final. Losing semi-finalists in this half were Chris and Mick Bell.
I said there were some top darts – Steve had a 160 start, a 136 finish and a maximum:Stuart Dinnell had a 152 off and a 160 out.
Fergie had a max and a classy 141 finish. There was a 180 from Darren Armstrong and a brace of starts on 160 while Chris notched a maximum and George had a 156 start. Heat four is tonight, then we are into the second half of the heats.
n Station Inn Mixed Pairs:This was the sixth heat at The Station so there are two more Wednesday evenings for players to qualify. (Got told off about that at the weekend.) There were 11 pairs in each half of the draw this week. It really is going well and there were some good games too.
In the top half of the draw Susan Hodgson, with Mark Barlow, got to the night’s final with a 2-1 win over Heather Steele with Paul Tuck while in the other half Tracey Laverty and Martin Orchard beat Paula Williamson and Alec Hall 2-0 to go into the final.
They won 3-0 to go through to the play off. Well done because they have been in the last four more than once.
Kerry Wilkinson and Alec each had a 180 and there were three-figure finishes (alway special) from Paul on 113 and Martin with a 109. Heat seven is on Wednesday.
I should point out that The Station are starting a double entry singles on May 10 with the finals being played on July 5 with £750 on offer and it is a fiver for a double entry each night.
Baggrow doubles: Catch up time from Baggrow – week seven winners were Andy Goodfellow and Mark Storey, a likely pair.
They beat Clive Foster and Steve Stevenson (now there’s a name we don’t hear a lot of these days) in both finals. Stivi had a 160 start and a pair of 180s, Mark and Mike Sowerby had a 180 each, Mark Steele had a 108 finish while Andy had a slightly more modest 103 – but that was to win through.
The final 2 qualifiers were Garry Spedding with Mike Baines who beat George Moore and Mike Sowerby in the final.
Speds and Mike put out Jimmy and Trevor with George and Mike beating Steve Todd with Alan Lappin to get to the last 2 pairs. There were 180’s from David Hudson, Darren Bowe and Speds with starts of 120 from Mike and a 160 by Steve.
Finishes of three came from Garry who had a 112 and a 113. The finals are tomorrow and they should be super.
n Meanwhile in Holland: Peter Manley didn’t manage to hold on to his Dutch title, going out in round two to Tony Eccles.
Alan Warriner-Little went out at the same stage to John Part in a competition which was won by Raymond Barneveld but marred by the behaviour of Adrian Lewis and Kevin Painter who were disqualified from their match at the quarter-final stage.
Pete had a much better day on Sunday in the non-ranking competition where he got to the final losing eventually to the former Kent player Matt Clark. I am so glad I was not there or I would have lost money on the outcome of that match.
n Robin Hood, Smithfield: This was week one of eight and despite there being some football match on the TV there were 16 players in each half of the draw which is a pretty good start.
It was in this first week too that the “Robin Hood Brush Club” captured four new members! I fear a new order of flights is on the cards.
Andy Goodfellow got through from one half with a final victory at the expense of Stuart Dinnell 2-1, and in the other half it was Mike Sowerby who set the board on fire with winning legs in eight and nine darts (having hit an eight-darter at an earlier stage too) against Darren Armstrong.
Mike had a 160 off – probably in one of those eight darters, Mark Storey had a 152 away and there was a 10- darter from Alan Armstrong. Nice start to a “proper” darts competition – heat two is on Wednesday.
Now those new members of the famous cult. Carol Mallinson, Dean Mallinson, Sean McGimpsey and the qualifier Andy. They got brushed in the first leg of a match then won the next two legs. As a good friend of mine would almost say “silly blinking game this!”
n And finally: It was tough on Peter Manley last night.He had the second best average of the night and was very nearly whitewashed by Phil Taylor. Pete should have cemented his place in the top four before this meeting with Taylor who seems to be at his most ruthless just now. We will catch up with the winner from The Castle next week.
