Summer season gets underway

THE summer season of the Loughborough and District Pubs & Clubs Darts League started last Thursday with 52 teams competing from 26 pubs and clubs in the local area making up this season’s six divisions.

In an excellent opening night of darts, 11 maximums were scored across the various divisions and Navigation Wagg’s Gang team member Dave Cox hit a 152 finish to set the bar in the race for the highest check-out of the season.

In Blue Ball Division One, Steve Hopkins hit two maximums and Captain Mike Pepper one, as Spot On MP beat the Royal Oak DP 7-2. Vern Seaton hit a maximum for Navigation Wagg’s Gang and Dave Cox also hit a 112 finish as the ‘gang’ beat new boys Arena Gladiators 6-3. The Three Nuns Left Footers also had a 6-3 win against the Navigation Tap Tappers and the Blue Ball Lions beat the Royal Oak Shooters 5-4.

In Wanty’s Division Two, Steve Lavelle and Matt Llewelyn hit maximums for the Spot On Lads as they won 8-1 against Tap and Mallet CD, and Michael Sciepanow had a maximum for the Spot On Guy ‘n’ Gals as they beat Beacon Y Lolly 7-2.

In S H Cox Division Three, the Three Crowns got off to an excellent start with a 9-0 whitewash of the Bull and Bush Laughing Boys. Whilst newly promoted Blacksmiths Blue army had an 8-1 win against Crown Inn Glory.

In Generous Briton Division Four, Tap and Clapper beat the Peacock Feathers 7-2 and promoted Spot On Rejects beat the Plough B 6-3.

In Navigation Division Five, both Ian Matthams and Derek Guess had maximums for the Dewdrop Blues but their side still lost 4-5 to the White Hart Stags, and promoted Swan in the Rushes Black Pearls had a good 6-3 win against the Generous Briton Luffs.

Finally in Jim Kidger Division Six, the Plough Ernie’s and Top Railway DUI’s had winning starts to the season.

The full results for Thursday, April 27 were: Blue Ball Division One: Navigation Wagg’s Gang ( Vern Seaton 180, Dave Cox 112 & 152 Finishes) 6-3 Arena Gladiators, Blue Ball Lions 5-4 Royal Oak Shooters, Three Nuns Left Footers 6-3 Navigation Tap Tappers, Royal Oak DP 2-7 Spot On MP (Steve Hopkins 180 x2 & 109 Finish, Mike Pepper 180), Bottom Railway BA - Bye. Wanty’s Division Two: Tap and Mallet JB 4-5 Shepshed Dynamo Gate Crashers, Beacon Yer Lolly 2-7 Spot On Guy ‘n’ Gals (Michael Sciepanow 180), Spot On Lads (Steve Lavelle 180, Matt Llewelyn 180) 8-1 Tap and Mallet CD, Spot On Dinosaurs (Eric Davis 180) 3-6 Brush Club AW, Top Railway A - Bye. S H Cox Division Three: Three Crowns, Barrow 9-0 Bull & Bush Laughing Boys (Pete Newbold 180), Generous Briton Dad’s Army - Bye, Three Nuns Exiles 5-4 Beacon Reds, Black Swan JS 4-5 Three Nuns Albion, Blacksmiths Blue Army 8-1 Crown Inn Glory. Generous Briton Division Four: Griff & Barrett’s GB Bandits v Blue Ball B - No Game to be re-arranged, Tap & Clapper 7-2 Peacock Feathers, Spot On Rejects 6-3 Plough B, Crown Rejects - Bye, Twelve Degrees 26ers - Bye. Navigation Division Five: Dewdrop Blues (Ian Matthams 180, Derek Guess 180) 4-5 White Hart Stags, Crown MA 4-5 Royal Oak Old Uns, Tap & Clapper Bob Bradley’s - Bye, Generous Briton Luffs 3-6 Swan in the Rushes Black Pearls, Windmill Wild Hearts 2-7 Blue Ball CS. Jim Kidger Division Six: Plough Ernie’s 7-2 Shepshed Dynamo B&W, Top Railway DUI’s 5-4 Three Nuns Bad Habits, Swan in the Rushes Savvies v Generous Briton Team GB - No Game to be re-arranged, Blue Ball MS - Bye, Crown Jewels, Barrow - Bye.