WORTHINGTON’S MERTHYR AND DISTRICT DARTS LEAGUE

DIVISION ONE GRAWEN ARMS ............ 7 BAILI-GLAS A................ 4

THIS was a hard fought game from dart one with both sides desperate for the win and neither willing to give an inch.

Missed doubles cost the visitors dear in the first triples with the trio of Tim Charleston, Kerry Ryan and Mark Hulbert 140 missing six darts at the winning double before Marcus Davies 100, Steve Thomas and Jason Launchbury 100 came back to pinch the leg against the throw for an early lead which the hosts then doubled with Kerry Green 135, Lyn Jones 100 and Roy Element breezing past Ian Thomas, Terry Morgan and Andrew Morgan in the second and final triples encounter.

The first of the pairs legs saw more missed doubles from Mark Hulbert and Alan Mee as Kerry Green 100, 121 and Adrian Thomas made it 3-0 and yet another batch of blown doubles saw Kerry Ryan 100 and Ian Thomas lose out to Jason Launchbury and Lyn Jones as the hosts went 4-0 ahead.

The final pairs leg saw the Baili finally get onto the scoreboard with Andrew Morgan and Terry Morgan 100 apiece holding throw over Marcus Davies and Steve Thomas to see the hosts leading 4-1 going into the match deciding single encounters.

The first singles saw Marcus Davies hold throw over Terry Morgan 3x100 to increase the hosts lead to 5-1 which then became 6-1 with Steve Thomas 2x100, 121 breaking the throw of an out of sorts Andrew Morgan 100 by a 2-0 margin. Jason Launchbury 2x100, 137, 180 held throw over Mark Hulbert 3x100, 140 in a great game by a 2-0 margin making it 7-1 but much to the visitors’ credit they kept battling away with visiting skipper Ian Thomas 100, 122, 125, 137 holding his throw over Kerry Green 134, 123 out by a 2-1 margin to slightly cut the deficit.

The excellent Kerry Ryan 3x100, 140 beat Adrian Thomas 100 (2-1) against the throw gaining the Baili a vital third point with Alan Mee 4x100, 121, 123 in magnificent form coming from 1-0 down to beat Roy Element 100, 125, 180 by a 2-1 scoreline to earn the visitors a tremendous fourth point.

MERTHYR LABOUR CLUB............................... 6 BAILI-GLAS B ................ 5

THE defending champions from the Merthyr Labour Club entertained former champions and last season’s runners-up the Baili B in another full blooded encounter with some cracking games.

The away side took the opening triples with a hold of throw from Geraint Thomas 2x100, Andrew Rough 140 and Mervyn Matthews over Wayne Davies, Ron Morgan and Anthony Carstairs 180 for an early lead but this was soon nullified as the home side hit back with Kevin Forbes, Rob Evans and Kevin Mahoney 100 holding over Jeff Pearce, Steve Haman 125 and Matthew Quinlan 140 in the last of the triples battles.

The pairs legs saw the hosts dominate, starting with Wayne Davies 100 and Kevin Forbes 2x100, 120 breaking Geraint Thomas and Andrew Rough 100 apiece for a 2-1 home lead which soon became 3-1 with Chris Galleozzie 100, 140 and Anthony Carstairs 140 holding throw over Jeff Pearce 100 and Steve Haman.

The remaining pairs leg saw another break of throw with Ron Morgan 100 and Gareth Dunn 100, 137 getting the better of Matthew Quinlan and Mervyn Matthews for a comfortable 4-1 lead going into the singles battles.

The first of the singles encounters brought some relief as Geraint Thomas 3x100, 140 beat Wayne Davies 100, 140 by a 2-0 margin to halve the deficit but the joy was short lived with Kevin Forbes 5x100, 2x140 blasting past Hywel Llewellyn 2x100 with a 2-0 break putting the Labour side 5-2 ahead. Anthony Carstairs 2x100, 119, 3x140, 180 produced the first hold of throw in the singles to beat Andrew Rough 3x100, 121 making it 6-2 to the hosts but the Baili hit back in the next with Jeff Pearce 4x100, 180, 130 out beating Chris Galleozzie to gain the visitors a third point. Matthew Quinlan 124, 139 broke the throw of Gareth Dunn 2x100, 140 for a fourth point to the Baili with Steve Haman 4x100, 121 then claiming a fifth with a hold of throw in the final game over Ron Morgan 5x100, 122.

MERTHYR VALE EX CLUB B (DAGGERS B) ... 6 HILLS PLYMOUTH CRICKET CLUB ............. 5

THIS was a great game from beginning to end going right to the wire before giving the winner in a thriller.

The visiting Cric started well with Dean Lewis 140, John Harnedy and Jason Woodford 2x100 holding over Phil Morris 100, John Terrett 121 and Warren Rees 100 for an early lead but the Daggers were quick to strike back with Dai Phelps 140, Derek Dobbins 100 and Karl Manns holding over Rhys Lee 100, Craig Clayton and Jason Castaldi 100 for a level match heading into the pairs legs.

Jason Castaldi and John Harnedy held throw over a disappointed Phil Morris 100, 140 and John Terrett 100 who missed far too many doubles as the visitors went 2-1 ahead but back came the Daggers with Dai Phelps and Derek Dobbins holding over Dean Lewis 100, 135 and Jason Woodford 100 in a mirror image of the previous game.

The final pairs saw the home side take the lead at 3-2 with Karl Manns and Warren Rees 125 breaking Craig Clayton and Rhys Lee 100 apiece as the sides prepared for the singles battles.

Dai Phelps 137 lost his throw 2-1 against John Harnedy 2x100, 140 as the sides drew level and then a hold from Craig Clayton 3x100, 2x125, 140 against Karl Manns 3x100, 125, 140 by a 2-1 margin in an excellent game saw the Cric go 4-3 ahead. Phil Morris 2x100, 140 edged out Jason Castaldi 2x100, 105, 140 to level at four apiece with Warren Rees 121 then putting the home side 5-4 up with a good hold over Jason Woodford 100, 140.

Dean Lewis 2x100, 2x140, 159 beat Derek Dobbins 100, 125, 134, 180 (2-1) in a great game to level the match at 5-5 and in a thrilling last game veteran John Terrett 6x100 broke the throw of Rhys Lee 5x100, 140, by a 2-1 scoreline, and the hearts of the visiting HPCC to gain the hosts a last gasp victory.

DIVISION THREE MERTHYR VALE EX CLUB A (DAGGERS A) .. 7 MORLAIS TAVERN ....... 4

A HIGHLY entertaining game started with George Scott, Gareth Coombs and S Davies 140 taking the opening triples over M O’Brien, Mike Terrett and B Lloyd as the Tavern took an early lead but it was short lived as D George, R Lloyd 100 and G Robertson 100 held over Chris Brogden, D Wells and Jim- my Winstone for a level game.

The first break of throw of the contest came in the first pairs with Steve Probert and G Robertson getting the better of S Davies 125 and D Wells as the Daggers took a 2-1 lead and this they then increased to 3-1 with A Jones and R Lloyd holding the next over George Scott 125 and Gareth Coombs, with Chris Brogden and Jimmy Winstone then taking the last pairs against Steve Llewellyn 100 and M O’Brien to cut the deficit to a single point going into the singles legs.

Chris Brogden levelled the match with a break in the first singles over Steve Probert but parity was brief with D George edging past Jimmy Winstone 100, 125 to regain the lead for the hosts.

A hold of throw from Steve Llewellyn over George Scott then saw the home side increase their lead to 5-3 which then became 6-3 with Mike Terrett claiming a fine win over D Wells. A Jones held throw over Gareth Coombs 120 making it 7-3 before S Davies claimed a fourth point for the Tavern in the final game with a good hold over G Robertson.

IMPERIAL HOTEL ........ 5 PENYDARREN SOCIAL CLUB A ........................... 6

THIS was a splendid game from beginning to end containing some 20 tonplus scores including 2x180s.

Jonathon Evans, P McCarthy and Mike Bond put the Social Club into an early lead in the triples with a hold over Trevor Williams, Idwal Peters 102 and Adrian Williams but the Imp’s reply was instant with Anthony Prosser 125, 140, Terry Dowman and Paul Prosser levelling with victory over Gerald Jones, S Clark and Wayne Lee as the teams got themselves ready for the pairs legs.

Phil Bond 2x100, 121 and Jonathon Evans took the first pairs for the Pen over Wayne James 100 and Terry Dowman putting the away side 2-1 ahead which then became 3-1 with R Beynon 180 and Nigel Owen 2x100 breaking Trevor Williams 135 and Idwal Peters. The final pairs went the way of the home side with Anthony Prosser 140 and Paul Prosser breaking Wayne Lee and S Clark to see the hosts trailing 2-3 going into the singles games.

Wayne Lee got the visitors back on the winning trail with a break over Trevor Williams in the opening singles and the Pen then extended their lead to 5-3 with Richard Beynon 100 beating veteran Idwal Peters.

Nigel Owen 100, 140 broke the throw of Adrian Williams 101 further extending the Pen’s lead before Wayne James 180 grabbed a third point for the home side. Paul Prosser 100 held throw over Michael Bond 100 for a fourth point for the Imp who then gained a vital fifth in the final leg with Anthony Prosser beating Phil Bond 100 in a close game.