Champions put the pressure on title challengers
ANDY Hibbert hit two maximums, his second & third of the season, for last season’s champions Bottom Railway BA as they beat the Royal Oak Reds 9-0 to put pressure on leaders Bull and Bush Lions in Blue Ball Division One of the Loughborough and District Pubs and Clubs Darts League.
The ‘Lions’ narrowly beat the Three Crowns Spookies 5-4 and are now only two points ahead of the Bottom Railway going into next week’s crucial showdown game between the two.
Neil Pullen hit a maximum for the Royal Oak Shooters as they beat third place Barrow Cons Wagg’s Gang 6-3, and Gaz Smith hit his third maximum of the season for Royal Oak DP as they beat the Rose & Crown AW 6-3. In the other game in the division captain Mike Pepper hit a maximum for his Ring ‘o’ Bells MP side as they beat the Blacksmiths Exiles 7-2.
In Wanty’s Division Two, Spot On Waifs & Strays return to the top of the division after their 6-3 win against the Bell Foundry Blue Army. Steve Burton hit a maximum for the Crown Rejects, his second of the season, as they beat Fat Sam’s 26er’s 5-4, and Fat Sam’s Tarts equalled the biggest win of the night with their 9-0 win against the Crown Hotel.
In S H Cox Division Three Brad Cave hit a maximum for leaders Bull and Bush Laughing Boys as they won 8-1 for a second week, this time beating their pub rivals the Bull and Bush Gatecrashers. Second place Black Swan BWA beat the Top Railway Chunkle Brothers 6-3 and Tom Arme & Julie Hardy hit maximums for Plough B and the Spot On Guys ‘n’ Gals respectively as the Plough beat them 7-2 to move up to third place.
In Generous Briton Division Four Duane Etchells hit his third maximum of the season for leaders Top Railway Knockouts as they lost 5-4 to Black Swan JS. Despite the loss ‘the Knockouts’ are still twelve points ahead of the Spot On Foxes who beat the Paget Arms 5-4. Duane now shares the lead for the most maximums in the season for divisions two-five with Crown Hotel’s Frank Bray and Crown CS’s Pete Park, who hit two maximums last week in his sides 5-4 win against Barrow Cons B in Jim Kidger division five. Also in division five, Dewdrop Blues beat the Plough Ernie’s 8-1 to replace Barrow Cons B at the top. Crown CS are third but the Windmill Wild Hearts close the gap on them to two points after their 8-1 ‘double-header’ win against the Three Nuns Bad Habits.
The full results for Thursday, August 1 were: Blue Ball Division One: Three Crowns Spookies, Barrow 4-5 Bull & Bush Lions, Royal Oak Reds 0-9 Bottom Railway BA (Andy Hibbert 180 x2), Royal Oak DP (Gaz Smith 180) 6-3 Rose & Crown AW, Barrow Cons Wagg’s 3-6 Royal Oak Shooters (Neil Pullen 180), Ring ‘o’ Bells MP (Mike Pepper 180) 7-2 Blacksmiths Exiles. Wanty’s Division Two: Bull & Bush B 6-3 Three Nuns Albion, Spot On Waifs & Strays 6-3 Bell Foundry Blue Army, Fat Sam’s 26ers 4-5 Crown Rejects (Steve Burton 180), Crown Hotel 0-9 Fat Sam’s Tarts (Julie Booth 102 Finish), Spot On Mandem - Bye. S H Cox Division Three: Bull & Bush Laughing Boys (Brad Cave 180) 8-1 Bull & Bush Gate Crashers, Plough B ( Tom Arme 180) 7-2 Spot On Guy ‘n’ Gals (Julie Hardy 180), Black Swan BWA 6-3 Top Railway Chunkle Brothers, Old English Gentleman 5&4’s & Royal Oak Old Uns - Byes. Generous Briton Division Four: Three Nuns Right Footers 3-6 Tap & Clapper Rojo’s, Spot On Foxes 5-4 Paget Arms, Generous Briton Beer Legs v Crown GB - No game to be re-arranged, Top Railway Knockouts 4-5 Black Swan JS, White Hart Stags - Bye. Jim Kidger Division Five: Three Nuns Bad Habits 1-8 Windmill Wild Hearts (Double Header), Crown CS (Pete Park 180 x2) 5-4 Barrow Cons B, OEG Sambuca’s v Blue Ball JLA - No game to be re-arranged, Dewdrop Blues 8-1 Plough Ernie’s, Blacksmiths Bombshells - Bye