Shield ties full of fine displays

ON Friday evening in the Widnes & District Darts League, the Alf Houghton Memorial Shield was played at the Mill Brow SC.

In the pre-lims, Keith Allen, Ian Sharples and Rob Cotty went through in two straight legs whilst Billy Cain booked his place into round one as he won 2-1.

In the first round, the competition heated up as Rob Baxter, Keith Glover, Keith Elwell, Andy Atkin, Dave Herley, Barry Noonan, Rob Cotty, Rob Morris, Adam Durbin and Carl Bryan all had a tussle to go through to round two, eventually winning 2-1. Meantime, John Leather (12 darts), Matty Fisher, Sean Bell, Brian Mercer, Dave McIntosh and Paul Cotty all won in two straight legs.

In round two, Matty Fisher, Rob Morris, Carl Bryan, and Rob Cotty were putting themselves in the limelight as they won 2-0 again.

Also in form was Keith Glover with another win in two legs. Rob Baxter, Andy Atkin and Paul Cotty booked their places in the quarterfinals after a third and deciding leg of darts was required.

In the last-eight, Rob Cotty and Matty Fisher won in two legs while Carl Bryan and Rob Morris triumphed 2-1 securing themselves a place in the semi-finals.

The first semi-final saw Rob Cotty drawn to play Matty Fisher. With these two pitted against each other it was no surprise they served up a cracker. Fisher, after going a game to the good, found himself back on level terms as Cotty struck back with the best leg of darts on the night, a 10-darter.

Not to be outdone, though, Fisher hit back to win the contest with a timely 14 dart display.

In the second semifinal, Rob Morris came head-to-head with Carl Bryan.

With both players deserving a place in the final it was always going to be a tense tussle to get there.

Both players claimed a leg of darts each so it came down to the final leg of darts.

With the tension really mounting, Morris clinched the victory securing a showdown with Fisher on finals night for the Alf Houghton Memorial Shield.