Bottom Railway BA celebrate an historic cup title
THE SEMI-FINALS and finals of the Kater 4 Knockout Cup and Plate Competitions were played last Thursday in the Loughborough & District Pubs and Clubs Darts League.
The Kater 4 Knockout Cup was held at the Royal Oak, Loughborough, and the semi-final line up comprised of four Blue Ball Division One sides. Last season’s Kater 4 cup winners, Barrow Cons Wagg’s Gang, drew five times winners Bottom Railway BA in the first semi-final, and the Three Nuns Left Footers played the Blue Ball Lions in the second semi-final. There were some excellent darts thrown in both games but it was the Bottom Railway BA, who won 5-3, and Three Nuns Left Footers with a 5-1 result that came through to contest the final.
Andy Hibbert hit a maximum in his first throw of the opening leg of the final for the Bottom Railway BA, and wrapped up the leg in 18 darts, which set the scene for a ‘Railway’ master class of darts and they ran out comfortable 5-1 winners to secure an historic sixth Kater 4 Knockout cup.
The Plate Competition finals night was played at the Plough, Loughborough. The semi-final draw paired Wanty’s Division Two side Tap and Mallet JB against S H Cox Division Three side Spot On Guy ‘n’ Gals, and gave fellow division three side The Three Nuns Albion a bye into the final as a result of the withdrawal of the Three Nuns Exiles. The semi-final went the full distance with the Spot On eventually beating their higher division opposition 5-4.
The final was also an extremely close contest with the Three Nuns Albion playing catch up throughout the game to level at 4 games apiece and finally win 5-4 in a nervy final leg decider.
There were several important re-arranged league games also played last week.
In Generous Briton Division Four, the Crown Rejects wrapped up the division title with a 6-3 win against the Boat Black Pearls and are the first team to book their place in the end of season Shardlow Brewery ‘Champions of Champions’ Knockout Cup.
In Navigation Division Five, the Crown Jewels beat the Blue Ball B 7-2 to keep alive their slim hope of the division title. They are now six points behind the leaders Bottom Railway Leftovers going into this week’s showdown game. The Royal Oak Old Uns beat the Blue Ball CS 6-3 so the fight for third place is also an interesting one. Blue Ball CS are now one point behind the Tap and Clapper Rojo’s who are currently in third spot with the two having to play each other in their final game
Finally in Jim Kidger Division Six, the Black Swan beat Crown KM 7-2 in a game brought forward from next week, and move in to second place as a result.
With only one more league game of the winter season remaining the Registration and AGM for the new Summer 2018 Season is on Wednesday, April 4, at the Three Nuns, Loughborough.
The Shardlow Brewery ‘Champion of Champions’ Knockout Cup will be on Thursday, April 5, at the Top Railway, Shepshed where the winning teams from all six divisions will be invited to compete in the final showpiece event of the winter 2017 season.
The Presentation Night for the Winter 2017 Season is on Friday, April 20, at Fennel Street Club and the night will include the 180 ‘9-Dart’ Throw off competition which is open to registered league players that have recorded one or more maximums during the winter season. A list of qualifiers eligible to compete in the event will be prepared and published following next week’s final league games.