Hagg A off to flying start as they trump Horse rivals
After week three of the new season, the 1st Division is taking on a familiar look.
Hagg Bar A sit atop the table with three wins out of three thanks to a resounding 7-2 home victory over Flying Horse, with the defeat knocking the defeated side down to third spot.
On the same points as Hagg Bar A and the only other undefeated team in the division are Clachan Arrows, who swept aside the challenge from newly-promoted Kelburne Cricket Club with a thumping 8-1 away win.
The Kelburne side have still to find their feet in Division 1 as they suffered their third defeat in as many games and now sit tenth in the table.
The top two are only separated by a four leg difference in games won, so it’s already shaping up to be quite a title race.
The teams go head-to-head next week, so only one of them will retain their unbeaten status and, at this point, it’s anyone’s game.
The New Saints hold on to fourth spot after an impressive 6-3 home win over Railway Inn B, another team yet to register a win.
Hagg Bar C keep a grip on fifth place with a 5-4 win away win at Court Bar in a game where they led 4-0, only to see Court Bar pull it back to 4-4 before the Hagg team finally secured the points.
This was thanks to a fine doubles display from Stuart Coleman and Mickey Brogan, with Brogan hitting the winning double to take the points.
Despite the defeat, Court Bar climb two places and now occupy eighth place in the table.
Railway Inn sit alongside Hagg C in the rankings, sharing fifth spot on the same points total and leg difference after a hard fought 6-3 home win over Arthurlie Inns.
In Division 2, the lead has changed again, with Keystone C now taking over top spot after a whitewash 9-0 victory over neighbours Hazel Pirates.
The Keystone team have now won their first three games of the season and are one of only four teams across the divisions to have won all three.
Keystone cannot afford any complacency to creep in though as Pockets A – last week’s table toppers – are right behind them, also on three wins from three games.
This week’s win for the Pockets team was a hard fought affair as they faced Keystone B at home.
Pockets looked to be coasting after the singles as they led 4-2, but Keystone came back to level the tie at 4-4 and take it to a last game decider.
It was James Kilday and Craig Lowe that held their nerve to take the match 5-4.
The closeness of the victory cost the Pockets team their lead in the table, but they are just two legs behind the leaders and will look to close that gap next week.
The Clachan Bar jump three places and are now in fourth place after a thumping 8-1 home win over Pockets B, who drop two places into seventh.
Also climbing the table are Charleston Arms as they go up one place into fifth courtesy of a 5-4 win over Tartan Rose with the loss dropping the Tartan side one place into ninth.
In the last game of the night, it was another tense affair as The Hazel Nuts took on Gryffe Inn.
After the singles games, the match was tied at 3-3 and that continued into the doubles as the sides shared the first two matches to sit level at 4-4, meaning the game would be decided by the last doubles game.
It was the home side of David Taylor and Bobby Gibson who held their nerve and won the game 2-0 to give the Hazel Nuts their first win and a crucial two points.
There were 16 scores of 180 recorded this week, taking the season total to 46.
Mick Malone, of Hagg Bar A, was the big hitter of the week, scoring three maximums.
There were 20 legs of darts finished in 18 darts or less this week, with the best of these being a 15 dart leg from Flying Horse player Allan Scott.
The highest finish of the night and the highest of the season so far came from Kelburne Cricket Club’s Ross MacLean with a brilliant 164 checkout.
Dean Fitch Jr managed to claim a place in all three highlights tables as he scored a 180, hit a 17 dart leg and secured a 100 finish.
Next week, we continue with league games and another top of the table clash in Division 1 as Clachan Arrow host Hagg Bar A.
In Division 2, the leaders will be hoping for profitable away trips. Keystone C travel to Gryffe Inn and Pockets A face an away tie at Tartan Rose.