Red Dragon Franchise League (Week 2)
Thursday 21st September 2017
Academicals 3-3 Vulcans
Brad Clowery 0-3 Phil Lambert
Oliver Newall 2-3 Steve Whyers
Tim Close 3-0 C. Woodhead
Ritesh Xiong 1-3 Mick Swift
Thomas Wright 3-0 Bye
Harry Hatter 3-0 Bye
We start the weeks report at the University Arms where the Academicals who suffered defeat in the first game faced an under strength Vulcans who were on the back foot from the off.
The Vulcans did started brightly with Phil Lambert registering a 21 darter in the opening leg of the night against Brad Clowery on his way to a 3-0 win.
In the second game a closely fought contest between Uni's Oliver Newall and Steve Whyers went all the way as every leg went against the throw, eventually Whyers secured the victory in the decider to to make it two in two for the Vulcans.
Academicals fought back in the third match when Tim Close wrapped up a 3-0 win against debutant C. Woodhead.
In the final match of a short night, Mick Swift showed bottle to rescue a draw for the Vulcans as he powered to a three legs to one win over Ritesh Xiong.
Black Eagles 5-1 Pirates
Greg Beard 3-0 Martin Chivers
Owen Cubitt 3-1 Jordan Chivers
John Walton 3-0 Simon Chivers
Steve Briggs 3-0 Ben Chivers
Jason Burkhill 0-3 Anne Lofthouse
Trevor Burkhill 3-1 Sie Simmons
Over at the Woodbourne the defending Champions Black Eagles who started the season with a win took on Pirates looking to improve on last weeks heavy defeat and have four Chivers in the line up.
"The Titan" Greg Beard kicked off the night for the home side with an 18 darter and a 111 finish on his way to a comfortable victory in three over Martin Chivers.
Another Chivers' Jordan took on Owen " Ice" Cubitt in a good battle between the two players. Cubitt set off well hitting back to back legs, Chivers replied with a 21 dart leg and a 119 finish but "Ice" froze his opponent out in the fourth leg hitting a max and securing the win with a 19 darter.
Former World Champion John "Boy" Walton showed his class in the third game hitting an 18 and a 20 dart leg as well as a 110 high finish to romp home in three against Simon Chivers to make it 3-0 to the Champions.
Ben Chivers stepped up in game four to keep his side in the match as he took on Steve Briggs, but Briggs was too good as he didn't drop a leg and finishing the match off with a 19 darter to secure the win for the Black Eagles with two to play.
It was the home captain Jason Burkhill up next to keep the run going against Anne Lofthouse. Lofthouse set off well taking the opener then breaking Burkhill in the second with a 21 dart leg. Anne finally wrapped up the win to put the Pirates on the board.
The last game of the night Sie Simmons and "Turbo" Trevor Burkhill played a great game as every leg finished under 21 darts, "Turbo" raced into a 2-0 lead with back to back 20 darters. Simmons kept himself in touch with a 15 dart leg to break back but it was Trev to win it in four with a maximum and a classy 13 dart leg to wrap up a 5-1 win for the Black Eagles.
Hawks 0-6 Railwaymen
Pete Bell 0-3 Steve Marfleet
Matt Pryor 2-3 Steve Brittle
Matt Allen 0-3 Martin Scott
Laura Taylor 0-3 Mark Gurran
Steve Ewington 2-3 Tom Gurran
Joelle Taylor 0-3 Gavin Pilling
It was a team debut for the Hawks at the Hawk & Dove as they face a tricky tie against a Railwaymen team already setting out their stall this season following last weeks 5-1 win.
Pete Bell started it all off for the Hawks against Steve Marfleet but it didn't start well for him as Marfleet took the opener in 20 darts. Bell tried his best to battle back including hitting a maximum as well as 5 perfect darts to start the leg but it wasn't to be as Marfleet didn't get put off and took the win in three to get the Railwaymen off the mark.
In the follow up to that match Steve Brittle took on Matt Pryor hoping to make it two in two. Brittle took the opening two legs but Pryor fought back to two each and Pryor had the darts in the deciding leg but it wasn't to be as Brittle took out the victory double to make the score 2-0.
The Hawks were already on the back foot and things didn't get any better as as Matt Allen found out against Martin Scott. It was Scott who had the darts and after taking the opener he went on to register a 180 alongside 19 and an 18 dart legs to win the game to make it three.
With the Railwaymen threatening to run riot Mark Gurran kept up the pressure against Laura Taylor as he broke the throw with a 17 dart leg and after holding in the second leg he secured his win to wrap it up for the Railwaymen.
They were still fight left in Steve Ewington despite the score as he faced "The Inferno" Tom Gurran. In the opener Gurran went one up then Ewington found the range and took out the next two legs and a 180 to go with it but Gurran showed class by breaking back in the fourth to throw for the match he did with conviction to keep the winning run going with a match to go.
In the sixth a final game Gavin Pilling was looking to make it a full house for the Railwaymen as he took on Joelle Taylor. Pilling started with a 19 darter and a break of throw. Taylor needed to find form for a comeback but it wasn't going to happen for her as Pilling continued on to record a 3-0 win to keep the Railwaymen's solid start to the season.
Wades 4-2 Wolves
Craig Ingram 3-0 Dave Cliffe
Tom Sawford 2-3 Pete Daffin
Tom Briggs 3-1 Ash Deaton
Simon Sawford 1-3 John Edwards
Lee Siddle 3-0 Pat Finney
Stephen Naisbitt 3-2 Graham Waller
The second consecutive Woodbourne derby of the season saw Wades looking to bounce back from last weeks defeat take on the Wolves who started with a win.
It couldn't have got off to a better start for the Wades as Craig Ingram set off like a train throwing consistent darts all the the way through his game to wrap up a 3-0 win over Dave Cliffe to get the ball rolling.
The second game was one to savour as Wolves captain "Super Daff's" Pete Daffin took on young gun Tom "Shooter" Sawford, "Shooter" opened with a hold of throw to take the lead then Daffin found his range taking out the next two with a 180 throw in to go 2-1 up. "Shooter" showed maturity beyond his years holding it together in the fourth leg to finish in 15 darts and a 105 checkout under pressure just to stay in the game but in the decider "Super Daff's" found another gear with another two maximums and a 13 dart finish to win a tight affair which levelled the scores.
Tom Briggs faced Ash Deaton next with both players looking to give their team the upper hand. Briggs broke early to leave his mark then held to make it two, Deaton managed a leg back but it was Briggs who finished in four to put the Wades back in front.
In the fourth John Edwards for the Wolves faced Simon Sawford who started with the darts but it was Edwards who broke first, Sawford quickly broke straight back to level but as the game wore on it was Edwards in control as he secure the win in four to make it two each with two to play.
With the scores level the penultimate game was Lee Siddle facing Pat Finney. Siddle felt in control all the way through the game as he swept Finney aside in three legs to make it 3-2 to the Wades.
The deciding game of the night so another close battle between Wolves Graham Waller and Wades captain Steve Naisbitt in a match that went all the way, both players had chances to win it in the five leg match but it was captain Naisbitt who kept his cool to hit the winning double in the last leg shootout to secure the Wades first victory as a team.
Warriors 2-4 Panthers
Ian Webster 3-2 John Schultz
Jodie Bruce 1-3 Mick Hulley
Nicola Warne 0-3 Russ Simmons
Angie Brittle 0-3 Pat Meeson
Steve Newton 3-0 Ryan Smyth
Paul Brittle 0-3 Ryan Goffin
Midland Warriors played their first match at the new venue after moving away from the Woodbourne as they took on the Panthers.
The night set off with a good match between Ian Webster and John Schultz of the Panthers. Schultz looking confident took the first two legs but after Webster hit a maximum he suddenly kicked in and after breaking back in the third leg he held throw to force a fifth leg in which Schultz threw first but Webster finished off the comeback to give the Warriors the lead.
In the second game Jodie Bruce started where Webster finished off against Mick Hulley as she held in the first leg. Hulley took out a 21 darter on throw to level then it was all one sided from their as Hulley hit a 115 checkout on his way to a 3-1 win to equalise for the Panthers.
The scores were level after two games as Nicola Warne of the Warriors played a tough Russ Simmons as it proved with Simmons starting with a 20 darter. Warne had the darts in the second but couldn't make it count as Simmons broke, then he secured the win in the next leg finishing in 18 darts also taking out a 124 finish to wrap the game up and make it 2-1 to the Panthers.
"The Landlord" Pat Meeson made light work of Angie Brittle in the fourth game recording a 16 dart leg on throw in the second and a maximum to go alongside it to finish with a 3-0 win to put the Panthers 3-1 up with two to play.
It was down to "The Hero" Steve Newton to keep the Warriors in the game against Ryan Smith. "Hero" left his mark with two 21 dart legs both against the throw on his way to a solid win in three to force a deciding game to keep the Warriors in it.
In the final match of the night with the match on a knife edge the Panthers Ryan Goffin and Paul Brittle went head to head. It was Goffin who broke in the first leg to gain the advantage and he never looked like losing it as he recorded a 17 and an 18 dart leg as well as a 180 to finish off the night and secure the Panthers a 4-2 win.
Report by
Pat Finney (Projectdarts Reporter/Media)
Illustrations
Jason Burkhill (Web Admin)
