»from back page

Kerry Lloyd & T. Probert 100 took the opening triples against the throw with a fine win over Cael Howells, Owain Pugh & Steffan Williams and then a hold from Steve Llewellyn, Mike Terrett & G. Robertson 100 over Steven Walker 100, Anthony Morris 100 & Neil Winstone saw the home side go 2-0 ahead going into the pairs.

The first of the pairs saw the Bullet get a shot away with Cael Howells & Mark Roberts holding throw over Nicky Baldwin 100 & T. Probert 140 but the Daggers struck back in the next with G. Robertson & Kerry Lloyd 100 holding over Steffan Williams & Owain Pugh 100 in a hard fought game. The final pairs went the way of the Bullet with Steven Walker 134 & Neil Winstone getting the better of Steve Llewellyn & Mike Terrett to leave the Bullet trailing by a single point going into the match deciding singles legs.

Nicky Baldwin 100 took the first singles for the home side with victory over Steffan Williams and then a hard fought second singles saw Anthony Morris 100 battle past T. Probert 100 to pull back to within a point. Steve Llewellyn 140 put the home side 5-3 up with a hold over Neil Winstone but this again was cut to a single point with the excellent Owain Pugh 100,121,125 beating Mike Terrett with a confident hold. Kerry Lloyd then put the Daggers 6-4 ahead with a hold over Cael Howells before Steven Walker 100 put a fifth point on the board for the away side with a last leg hold over G. Robertson.

VNU ................................ 5 RED LION ....................... 6

Another hard fought game here with just a single point separating the sides at the completion of the game as both teams went for the win. Kendrick Howe, Gareth Jenkins 123, 140 & Tracey Goode opened the account for the home side with a break over Geraint Thomas, Paul Scott-Thomas 100 & Johnny Vrettos but then a second break saw Richard Calahane, Dai Richards 100 & Allen Moore beat Mark Hadley, S. Jones 100 & Rhiannon Jenkins to tie matters going into the pairs.

Tracey Goode & Gareth Jenkins 140 edged passed Johnny Vrettos & Richard Calahane 100 apiece with a hard fought break in the first pairs putting the home side 2-1 ahead which then became 3-1 with Kendrick Howe & S. Jones 100, 140 holding over Paul Scott-Thomas 100 & Richard Howard. The final pairs went the way of a roaring Lion with Dai Richards & Allen Moore 100 edging past the veteran duo of Steve Darlow & Clive Powell leaving the visitors trailing by just a single point going into the vital singles

Allen Moore 118,140 squared the match with a break over Kendrick Howe 100 in the first singles and then a fine hold from Paul Scott-Thomas 140 over Gareth Jenkins 100 saw the away side go ahead for the first time at 4-3. S. Jones 2x100 levelled with hold over Dai Richards 100 but back came the Lion to get its teeth into the game with Richard Howard holding over Mark Hadley 100 and Richard Calahane then breaking Clive Powell as the visitors led 6-4. A hard fought final game saw Tracey Goode 100 scrape past Johnny Vrettos 120 against the darts to claim a vital fifth point for the VNU.

All teams are reminded that the next Delegate Meeting of the M&DDL will be held on Tuesday 17th April in the Merthyr Ex Club commencing at 8-00pm. All teams are to be represented and all monies owed to the league must be paid. Information sheets issued on the night will include the latest league tables.

Following the Delegates Meeting the Registration/ Draw will take place for the 2018 Season of the Everson’s Sports & Trophies Sponsored Merthyr Summer Darts League will take place at approximately 8-30pm. All teams old & New pub or club are most welcome to join and must register their teams on the night to be entered into this years competition.

Last Thursday evening/ night, 5th April 2018, darts fans on both sides of the great divide PDC & BDO would have been watching the Darts Premier League on Sky Sports and would have seen & heard the terrible news on the sudden, unexpected and certainly unwanted passing of darts legend Eric Bristow OBE.

Now love or loathe him you had to respect him as a darts player and true champion of our sport. Eric, almost, but not quite alone, was the person most responsible for spearheading our sport from the smoke filled bars and clubs around the land, to the smoke filled Jollies Club, Lakeside, Circus Tavern etc to the fresh aired Alexander Palace, Blackpool Tower where the smoke filled atmosphere has been replaced by huge crowds in an electric charged atmosphere high on emotion.

The term legend is quite loosely thrown around too easily to sportsmen & sportswomen, film stars etc these days to people who have achieved very little.

In the case of Eric Bristow this is certainly not the case and the title of legend

Eric burst onto the scene in the late 1970’s and dominated darts for many, many years to follow sweeping all before him. He gained a reputation for being brash, arrogant, big headed but he backed it up on the oche with a talent not seen before and he was almost invincible. Away from the oche and on the floor he was just another bloke making a living who enjoyed his fag, a pint and a chat with the fans who came to watch him. He spoke his mind straight to the point telling it as it was which ruffled some people.

One local player who will probably miss him more than most is our own Peter Locke who partnered Eric to the World Pairs Title and faced him many times at County & International level.

Eric Bristow OBE will always be a darts legend on both sides of the darts divide and will be greatly & sadly missed.

All connected with the Merthyr & District Darts League would like to extend their deepest sympathy & condolences To Eric’s family at this deeply sad time.

Our Thoughts, Prayers & Best Wishes go to you all. RIP ERIC BRISTOW OBE LEGEND is certainly deserved.