Paisley Daily Express

Hagg A captain crowned singles champ

Stevenson scoops title

- Craig Ritchie

Evander Stevenson has clinched the Paisley and District Darts League First Division singles title.

The Hagg Bar A skipper fought off the competitio­n with a thrilling performanc­e on finals night at the Railway Inn.

The first match of the night between Paul Hanvidge of Burgh Bar and Paul Carruthers finished 3- 0 in favour of the Burgh man as he proved too strong.

Hanvidge would go on to play Hagg Bar A’s Ian Thomson, who beat Fraser Dempsey of Pickwicks 3-1.

In the next game it was another Burgh Bar player in the shape of John Williamson, who came through at the expense of Flying Horse A’s John Peacock.

Williamson was in inspired form as he hit an 18-dart leg and finished with a 116 check-out during the best of five contest.

Facing Williamson in the next round would be Pockets Red player Martin Quinn after he squeezed through 3-2 against Willie Cuthbertso­n.

If the top half of the draw was dominated by Burgh Bar players then the same could be said for the bottom half as there were four players out of eight from Hagg Bar A all drawn in different games.

The first player through in the bottom half was from Hagg Bar A as Andy Boulton eased past Arthurlie Inns’ Steven Wright with a 3- 0 scoreline.

Boulton’s opponent in the last eight would be his team captain Evander Stevenson as he too had a 3-0 win against Pickwicks’ Dean Fitch.

The next game saw previous doubles winners Drew Callary of St Peter’s and George Dempsey of Hagg Bar A face off against each other, and it was the Hagg player that proved too consistent as he came through the tie a 3-1 winner.

The last man through to the quarter finals was Richie Baillie, who put out Court Bar’s John Barclay Snr.

Into the last eight and the opening game between Burgh Bar’s Hanvidge and Hagg A’s Thomson set the pace for the rest to follow as Thomson reeled off three games in rapid succession to go through 3-0.

Thomson’s semi-final opposition would come from Burgh Bar’s Williamson as he too dispatched Pockets player Martin Quinn with the same 3-0 scoreline.

In the bottom of the draw there were two all Hagg Bar A games with the first winner being Stevenson as he battled through some spirited opposition from Boulton before taking the match 3-2.

Stevenson’s game in the semis would be against his doubles partner George Dempsey after he came through a tough game 3-2 against Baillie.

The first semi- final finished in favour of Williamson as he came through 3- 0 against Thomson to dash hopes of an all Hagg Bar A final.

Williamson would be paired with Stevenson as he came through a 3-1 winner against Dempsey.

In the final the two players started off as they meant to continue when Stevenson took the first leg after 16 darts including a 180 score.

Williamson then retaliated with a 180 of his own which gave him the breathing space to take the second leg and square the game at 1-1.

Stevenson then took the lead with an 18-dart leg including a 104 checkout and then finished the match with a 17 dart leg to take the title 3-1.

 ??  ?? Finals night Runner-up John Williamson with singles winner Evander Stevenson
Finals night Runner-up John Williamson with singles winner Evander Stevenson

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