Shropshire Star

Honours even in Shrewsbury Darts League table top clash

It was honours even in the CRF Shrewsbury Premier Darts League’s match of the day between leaders Compasses and second-placed Admiral Duncan.

Published

Terry Nash landed a 180 on his way to giving visiting Duncan the perfect start by edging out Scott Towers.

Scott Dockerty also hit a maximum as he levelled the match only for the Duncan to take the next three games through Paul Ashworth (26.19 one dart average), Dave Beesty and Derek Rogers to put the Baschurch side 4-1 up.

However, Compasses showed why they have held top spot for the last four weeks as they hit back, taking the final singles game through James Mansell (27.27) before claiming both pairs to salvage a draw.

The Masonic seized the chance to move up to second with a fine 5-3 win away at Hop & Friar.

Josh Davenport and Jim Elsey put the Masonic two up before John Roberts (25.53) halved the deficit by defeating Ash Hilditch (24.14) in a cracker of a game that went the full five legs.

Paul Rowley (29.47) restored Masonic’s two-game lead only for Sarah Roberts (23.45 and a 180) to win another five-leg epic at the expense of Ryan Page.

Vaughan Owens took the final singles to put Masonic 4-2 up but, almost inevitably, John and Sarah Roberts took the first pairs game to ensure the match was still live going into the final clash.

Triumphed

Rowley and Hilditch then triumphed to ensure a first home defeat of the season for the Hop & Friar. The Brooklands complete the top five following a welcome first win in four matches.

They edged out the Royal Oak 5-3 at home after trailing 2-0 and 3-1.

Brooklands’ Matt Elsey won the pivotal fifth match against Andy Kynaston before Steve O’Callaghan took the final singles to level the match up. The hosts took both pairs to complete a hard fought victory.

Charles Darwin also enjoyed a 5-3 home win that was secured in the final game, with the Inn On The Green B providing the opposition.

The hosts took the first two matches, both in the fifth leg through Tony Lloyd and Andy Mullinder. IOTG B hit back through Buddy Budryk and Stephen Tweddle (19.88) before the Darwin had another two-game winning surge through Rob Paine and Nigel Neale, who hit a brilliant 154 checkout.

Although the IOTG B took the first pairs, Neale and Paine saw Darwin home in the final match.

The final two games of the night featured three out of the bottom four teams with the Dickin securing a second successive victory, this time 7-1 away at the Woodman.

Meanwhile, over at the Heathgates bottom-placed Wheatsheaf fell to a third consecutive defeat as they went down 6-2.

Inn On The Green A suffered a similar fate to their B side as they went down to a 5-3 reverse to Mytton, which again was decided in the final pairs clash of the night.

following their home match to the MYTTON. The visitors made a flying start taking the first two games through Ron Burton & Shaun Pryce (22.10 inc. 2 x 180) without conceding a leg. Craig Davies (22.49) replied for the hosts in some style edging out Ed Price (23.29) although the Mytton bounced back taking two of the last three singles through Martin Pope (20.59) & Ben Morgan (24.64), once again without conceding a leg. Sandwiched in between was a Phil Passant (20.01) success for the IOTG A who then closed the overall gap to just one game following a brilliant first pairs match that saw Sacha Rothwell & Craig Davies combine to fire a 12 dart leg that featured a 141 check out by Sacha. It was left to Mytton duo Ben Morgan & Jason Griffiths to take the final pairs game 2-0 to give the Habberley outfit their first victory in five games as they move up one place to Sixth. Meanwhile a third successive 5 v 3 defeat for the IOTG A sees them remain Eleventh.

The Woodman had led through Kevin Wilson but Neil Southern (18.74 inc.180) sparked a Dickin revival after he edged out Steve P Davies in the fifth leg & from then on the Wem outfit didn’t look back taking the remaining five games to run out 7 v 1 winners. Gary Crowther (23.11), Andy Evans (22.10 Inc. .180) & Craig Ashley (20.04) & Andy Saunders capping off a fine team performance with his first Premier league singles win. The Woodman showed plenty of fight with Tony Wilson firing a maximum & Steve P Davies a 120 outshot but the Dickin are now two points & one place above their opponents in Twelfth.