3 faces of darts complete 2012/13 winter league

This week’s final team fixtures include a 3 Time winners record matching performance from Bilton Batsmen, a hard fought Consolation Final between the Londesboro Club, and Harlow Hill ‘B’, and a relegation decider between the Slip Inn and Harlow Hill ‘A’

The Bilton Batsmen have become only the second team in the leagues 60 year history to have won both the 1st Division title and Knockout Cup for 3 consecutive years.

They secured the Ken Mountain Memorial Trophy by beating the Conservative Club Mahoosive 5-2, however the games were a lot closer than the score line would suggest. The batsmen took an early lead when Lewis ‘Chunk’ Pride beat Mahoosive Captain, Andy ‘Webcam’ Hare 2-0 with a 24 darter.

A win for Karl Walker in 20 and 18 darts was followed by Paul Kennedy in 22 and 24 darts over Rowdy Yates and Tony Sharratt respectively to put the Mahoosive 2-1 up.The nerves were starting to show now as Batsmen Captain Lee Swales levelled the match at 2-2 with a fine opening leg of 41 darts and following that with a rapid 26 darter in a win over Malcolm Taylor.

Alex Pride shot high scores of 137 and a maximum 180 to leave 85 after 12 darts in the opening leg against Tezz Sherwood, but took a further 18 darts to complete leg. Sherwood pulled the game to 1-1 with 24 darts after Pride again missed chances. Pride started the final leg with a 140, but Sherwood pulled it back later in the leg with a 135. Pride was down to the double first and missed his chance leaving Sherwood a showboat finish on the bull. Sherwood must have thought about the pint Captain Hare would have to purchase if successful and promptly hit big 10, now a show pony! Pride made no mistake this time and hit double 10 in one dart for a 22 dart leg and a 3-2 lead for the Batsmen.

The one player everyone comes to watch could win the match for the Batsmen, Ryan Hoggarth. So much pressure on young shoulders showed as opponent Stu Pyke took the first leg in a comfortable 37 darts, Hoggarth rallied in the second with power scoring of 26, 26, 7 and 30 to leave 94 after 27 underwhelming darts, which he took out in the next throw after Pyke had missed 6 match darts. Ryan was first to a double in the deciding leg and eventually hit the double at the seventh attempt to ensure the Batsmen lifted the Knockout Cup for the fourth year running.

With the match won the last pairing of Graham Hoggarth and Steve Townson could relax and enjoy the game. Graham won the opening leg in 25 darts before Steve replied with a 24 darter. Hoggarth senior nicked the final in 31 darts.

In the second fixture of the week the Londesboro Club faced this year’s Cup Giant killers Harlow Hill ‘B’

The Match began with local veteran Col Ingles taking the first game including an 18 dart leg in true top league 180 player fashion, then the fight from Harlow began with both Adi Blythe and Chris hall winning games to give the giant killers the early lead.

From that point on the Division 1 underperforming plodders solidly beat the Harlow hearts into the ground with solid performances and wins from Dave Ingles, Forrest Humphreys, Stu Marshall and Nick Hanslow to give Londesboro the trophy with 5-2 win at the Manhattan Club.

Captain of the Londesboro Club Ian “Money Man” Gibson was elated following the victory said “We played the final like a Stratocaster, slow to start, but once the tune started there was no stopping us”

In the final League match of the season, in a delayed fixture the teams at the bottom of Division 1 were waiting for a result to decide the relegation fate of either the Harrogate Cons Club or Harlow Hill ‘A’. The Cons club had their own fate in their hands as the Harlow team had already finished their fixtures for the season the week prior with a fighting 5 – 4 result over the talented Manhattan Dales team. Luck may have been on their side as the Slip Inn fielded a weakened team a man short ensured that 2 points we conceded to the Cons Club without a dart thrown, but the nights hope didn’t last long as the slips remaining players class showed, as did the nerves of the Cons club players. Both Paul Brecken and Adi Shaw hit 24 darters into the hearts of the deflated Cons Club team as they surely accepted their fate in the second division losing the match 6 – 3 overall.

Entries for the Harrogate & District Darts leagues Individuals and Pairs competitions were submitted this week at the monthly meeting all games will be drawn on the night at the 2 venues.

Individuals 22nd May (Harrogate Railway)

Pairs 15th May (The Manhattan Club)

Final League Standings ( Harrogate & District Darts League 2012 / 13 )

Division 1

Division 2