WORTHINGTON’S MERTHYR & DISTRICT DARTS LEAGUE

THE first league games after the Christmas festivities produced some fantastic action with some splendid performances as the teams got back into action in superb style.

The high scores returned in abundance along with the tension, drama and excitement that is the Merthyr & District Darts League.

DIVISION ONE BAILI-GLAS A ................ 8 PENYDARREN SOCIAL CLUB B ........................... 3

THIS must be the first time in living memory that the Baili A have been the first report for actually winning a game by a fantastic 8-3 margin.

The match started very slowly with the visitors taking the opening triples with Nathan Morgan, Kendrick Howe and Graham Elias holding over Wayne Robinson, Andrew Morgan and Tim Charleston for an early lead but this was short lived as Stewart Charleston, Ian Thomas and Alan Mee hit back with a fine hold over Steve Smith, Lyndon Price and Dai Richards for a level match ahead of the pairs legs.

The first pairs saw Alan Mee 100 and Mark Hulbert in steady form as they broke Dai Richards and Graham Elias to put the home side ahead for the first time but back came the Pen with Nathan Morgan 100 and Kendrick Howe scraping past Kerry Ryan 100 and Stewart Charleston with a break of throw making it two apiece.

The final pairs saw the third consecutive break with Ian Thomas and Terry Morgan 2x100 standing tall for the Baili to beat Steve Smith and Lyndon Price nudging the hosts 3-2 ahead with the singles battles up and coming.

The first singles proved to be massive for the home side with Stewart Charleston 100 somehow managing to hold his throw 2-1 over Steve Smith 2x100, 140 coming back from 1-0 down to put the Baili 4-2 ahead. Terry Morgan 2x100, 123 was then embroiled in a real battle with Graham Elias 100, 120 before winning with a 2-1 break for a 5-2 lead before Lyndon Price 100, 2x140 beat Mark Hulbert 3x100, 140 with a 2-1 break in a thrilling battle to pull a third point back for the battling Pen.

Andrew Morgan, with the aid of a 120 out, beat Kendrick Howe 100, 101 with a 2-0 break putting the home side 6-3 ahead with Kerry Ryan 3x100, 101, 121 then holding 2-1 over Nathan Morgan 100, 140 putting the hosts 7-3 ahead.

The Baili then completed their excellent win with Tim Charleston 2x100, 125 beating Dai Richards 120 by a 2-0 margin in a minimarathon taking both legs on a double one finish.

HEOLGERRIG SOCIAL CLUB ............................... 4 GRAWEN ARMS ............ 7

THIS was a high quality game with some 45 tonplus scores being hit with both sides giving their all in a battle for points at different ends of the table.

The Grawen started well with Phil Locke 2x100, 140, Marcus Davies and Steve Thomas 100 holding in the first triples over Mike Evans, Trad Davies and Meirion Evans for an early lead which they then doubled with Kerry Green, Scott Whitmore 100 and Lyn Jones breaking the throw of Kevin Roberts, Ray Williams and Bob Watkins.

The first pairs game saw the home side get their first point on the board with Mike Evans 100 and Bob Watkins managing to sneak past Kerry Green and Adrian Thomas 100, 140 with a break of throw but the visitors were quick to respond with Steve Thomas and Scott Whitmore breaking Ray Williams 139 and Iory Haines for a 3-1 lead to the Grawen.

The final pairs leg saw a hold for Phil Locke 100, 140 and Marcus Davies 100 of the Grawen over Kevin Roberts and Trad Davies for a 4-1 lead heading into the singles games.

The first of the singles battles saw Phil Locke 3x100, 125 break Mike Evans 140 with a 2-0 break increasing the lead to 5-1 but then Kevin Roberts 3x100, 134 reduced the deficit by a point with a 2-0 win over Marcus Davies 100, 102, 2x140 in a hard fought game.

Veteran Iory Haines 4x100, 118 scored a tremendous 2-1 hold over Steve Thomas 2x100, 121 to pull a third point back for the hosts but the relief was short lived as the living legend Adrian Thomas 3x100, 135, 140 beat Bob Watkins 2x100, 121, 123 with a 2-1 hold in a great game, and then Kerry Green 100, 140 scored a 2-0 break over Meirion Evans 2x100 for a 7-3 away lead. The final game of the match saw Ray Williams 2x100, 123 break Lyn Jones 2x100 for a vital fourth point for the home side.

YE-OLDE EXPRESS ...... 6 MERTHYR LABOUR CLUB ............................... 5

BOTH teams were done for TTH (Treble Twenty Harm) here with the said segment being admitted into intensive care after being clobbered in a match containing some 63 ton-plus scores including 5x180s and countless other 80+ scores in a fantastic game that saw the defending champions lose for the first time this season.

The Express started like a train taking the opening triples against the darts with Peter Locke 100, Darren Locke and Owain Davies 140 breaking the darts of Wayne Davies 100, Chris Galleozzie and Ron Morgan but the lead was short lived as Rob Evans 100, 125, Kevin Forbes 100 and Kevin Mahoney fired back beating Wayne Titcomb 100, Steve Nicholas and Brian Nicholas for a level game at one apiece.

Steve Nicholas 2x100 and Wayne Titcomb 180 kept the break of throw theme going with victory over Wayne Davies and Chris Galleozzie and then the force was really with the home side with father and son Peter 135, 180 and Darren Locke 100 securing the first hold of throw with victory over Ron Morgan and David Rowlands 180 for a 3-1 home lead.

The final pairs saw the Express continue to roll on with Dean Thomas and Brian Nicholas 123 breaking Kevin Forbes 2x100 and Anthony Carstairs 100 for a 4-1 lead heading into the match-deciding singles battles.

The first singles saw the home side continue to attack with Peter Locke 3x100, 180 holding 2-0 over Chris Galleozzie 2x100 making it 5-1 but then the Labour Club started to strike back with Kevin Forbes 3x100, 140 holding 2-0 over Dean Thomas 180 in a hard fought encounter.

Ron Morgan 3x100, 140 came back from 1-0 down to break Darren Locke 5x100 and put a third point on the board for the defending champions and a fourth then followed with Wayne Davies 2x100, 2x140, 145 beating Wayne Titcomb 100, 2x140 to get right back into the match at 5-4 down.

Owain Davies 100, 123, 134, 140 then scored a vital 2-1 hold over Anthony Carstairs 2x100 putting the hosts 6-4 ahead before David Rowlands 3x100, 140 took the final game of the match with a 2-1 hold over Steve Nicholas 3x100, 129, 2x140 to gain the away side a fifth point.

GUEST KEEN BOWLS CLUB A ........................... 6 BAILI-GLAS B ................ 5

THIS was another high class with no less than 59 ton-plus scores being recorded with the current league leaders from the Guest being pushed all the way by one of the main challengers for this year’s crown.

The Baili started well with Andrew Rough 140, Geraint Thomas 100 and Mervyn Matthews 100 holding over Jamie Evans 100, Craig Morgan 140 and Dale Pinch 100 but the home side were quick to level with Scott Bayliss 100, 140, Justin Davies 140 and Phil Williams beating Jeff Pearce, Steve Haman 100, 123 and Paul Thomas.

The dynamic duo Jeff Pearce 137 and Steve Haman took the first pairs for the visitors with victory over Justin Davies 123 and Phil Williams 100 to go 2-1 up back again the Guest were quick to reply with Scott Bayliss and Dale Pinch 100 apiece edging past Paul Thomas and Mervyn Matthews 100 apiece for a level match at two apiece.

The final pairs went the way of the away side with Andrew Rough and Geraint Thomas 100, 140 holding over Jamie Evans and Craig Morgan 100, 105 for a slender advantage entering the singles match-ups.

The first singles went with throw as Phil Williams 2x100, 2x140 beat Geraint Thomas 100, 123, 125, 140, 100 out by a 2-1 score to draw level but the visitors responded with Andrew Rough 2x100, 123, 125, 134 breaking Scott Bayliss 2x100, 125, 2x140 (2-0) for a 4-3 away lead.

Jeff Pearce 114, 140 and a 14-dart leg broke the throw of Craig Morgan 100, 123, 137, 180 (2-0) putting the Baili 5-3 ahead and just one more win away from victory but the Guest are made of tough stuff and were not ready to give up without a fight.

Justin Davies 100 edged past Steve Haman 100, 140 with a 2-0 break in a scrappy game pulling the hosts to within a point and then Jamie Evans 3x100, 96 out beat Mervyn Matthews 121 (2-0) with throw to level the match at five apiece with one match left to play.

The final game saw Paul Thomas 140 in action against his former teammates but it was not to be a dream return as his throw was broken and he suffered a 2-0 defeat against Dale Pinch 3x140 as the Bowls Club roared back from a seemingly impossible position to take the match 6-5.