The University Arms Academical made it two consecutive draws in the Sheffield Franchise League after coming from 3-1 down to claim a 3-3 tie against the Newbold Aces.
Replete with a sizeable stage and a wealth of practice boards, the Newbold WMC was the perfect venue for a night of high quality and drama.
M. SMITH 3-2 JACK LEWIS: The first game of the evening proved to be one of the most thrilling. "Pot" had the Academical in high spirits with an excellent 22-dart opening leg, whittling his score down to 150 after 12 darts, but Smith responded with a 23 darter to level the scores. Double trouble in the third heightened the drama, but Lewis kept his nerve to hit double 16 and hold throw. Smith opened with a 140 in the fourth leg, but Lewis responded with two tons to find himself on 196 after four visits. With the fate of the match hanging in the balance, it took a double 1 from Smith to level the scores and set up a climactic decider. Unfortunately, the final leg failed to meet the standards of its predecessors, and a ton halfway through the leg was all it took for Smith to seal the only break of the game and edge a superb encounter.
RICHARD SWAINSTON 3-0 TOM WRIGHT: Luck was not on the Ginger Hero's side as the draw pitched him against Aces star player Swainston, who barely threw a loose dart throughout. A 50 checkout sealed a 21-dart first leg, and though Wright notched up a ton in the second, Swainston held firm to double his advantage. The Aces thrower sealed the third in 20 darts, a 60 checkout ending Wright's resistance.
TREVOR TYE 2-3 MATT ROYLE: Unarguably the tie of the night, Matt Royle marked his Academical debut with a remarkable comeback against Trevor Tye. The Aces man started on the front foot, breaking Royle's throw with a 68 checkout sealing a 21-dart leg. Better was to follow; two 140s gave Tye the chance to claim a 15 darter. Though the double 18 was missed, the second attempt landed in the red bit to round off an excellent leg. It was then that Royle sprung into action. Having troubled the treble plenty already, Royle hit a ton and a 99 as he looked to rescue the game. Tye could not close out the leg but his opponent could, nailing tops at the first attempt. Royle kept the pressure up in the fourth, reaching 152 after 15 to stay in contention, and when Tye missed double 18 for a 21-dart leg the Academical player was able to take out 59 in ice-cool fashion. The decider was a superb culmination to a high-intensity games, with the pair trading big scores. Tye followed up a 122 with a missed attempt on the bull for the match. It was Royle, who had put himself in an excellent position with a 140, who checked out 21 for a 24 darter to put the Academical on the board.
IAN SPEED 3-0 OLI NEWALL: Oli Newall's Franchise League development continued apace, but Ian Speed's consistency proved too much for the youngest player on the night. Speed hit two tons en route to a 26-dart leg in the first leg, repeating the feat in the second thanks to a 68 checkout. Speed left 99 after 21 darts in the third leg, but a two-dart 61 out made it three 26-dart legs in a row for a comfortable win.
D. BELFITT 0-3 MATT EARDLEY: Matt "Cardley" made it three Franchise League wins from three with an easy 3-0 win in the fifth tie of the night. Eardley opened with a 123, adding a ton before a cool 52 checkout rounded off a 21-dart leg. Eardley once again hit a 21 darter in the second, needing just one ton before finishing 61. The third leg lacked any of its predecessors' quality, with Eardley completing the whitewash in a mammoth 46 darts - the longest leg of the night by a full 16 darts.
D. WILLS 0-3 ED MCCOSH: With a draw up for grabs, Ed McCosh kept his cool to take a 3-0 win and an overall share of the spoils. The Academical captain was rarely troubled, and a ton followed by a 93 saw him canter clear in the opener, needing just one dart at double 18 to seal a 22-dart leg. McCosh opened the second leg with another ton, wobbling slightly before hitting 96 to leave 95 after 18 darts. Again, double 18 did the trick, and a 140 in the third leg had McCosh well on his way to victory. Wills would not give up however, hitting an 81 to leave 127. McCosh's nerve almost left him with the previously unmissable double 18 letting him down. Double 9 was dealt with swiftly though, and the win secured the draw for the Academical.
The result lifts the Academical firmly into mid-table, while the Aces kept themselves off the bottom of the table with their first draw of the season.
report by Ed McCosh
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