Aces deal Panthers defeat

Red Dragon Sheffield Franchise League (Week 11) 

Thursday 7th December 2017

Aces 5-1 Panthers 

Andy Umney 3-2 John Schultz 

Wes Deane 3-0 Mick Hulley 

Ian Speed 3-2 Kieron Potts

Mick Smith 0-3 Ryan Goffin

Simon Birkett 3-0 Richard Brown

Trevor Tye 3-1 Mick Wood

We start week 11 at the Newbold in a match which saw home side the Aces unbeaten in four going into tonight facing a Panthers side who won their first match in seven last time out in a game which saw 46 scores over a ton or more which shows the standard of darts in this league.

Up first to start us off was a five leg thriller between Aces Andy Umney and opponent John Schultz. It was Schultz who got us underway but Umney who hit the first blow with an maximum followed by an 18 dart leg. In the second leg Schultz fired back to equalise then held to make it 2-1. It was not over yet though as Umney held to force a deciding leg in which Schultz had throw but Umney took the match and a 101 finish to get the Aces underway.

Mick Hulley was next up for the Panthers as he took on Wes Deane who started with a 14 darter plus a max to get him up and running. Hulley couldn't do anything about Deane's explosive darts as he recorded another 180 and a ton finish as well as winning the game in 17 darts in the third leg to put the Aces two up. 

In another match that went all the way Aces Ian Speed faced Kieron Potts in game three in a tight affair which could've gone either way. It was Potts to start and both men threw consistently well throughout the match which showed in the first four legs all went with throw in the finale leg with Potts favourite with the darts, Speed pulled it out of the bag to win the match to make it three for the Aces and they were on a roll.

It was Panthers captain Ryan "The Manic" Goffin looking to steady the Panthers sinking ship in game four as he took on Mick Smith and Goffin took the game into his own hands straight from the off with some brilliant darts. Goffin started with a 20 darter against the throw but he was just warming up as he took the second leg in 21 to make it two. Smith was hoping for a comeback but Goffin saved the best until last where he took out a fantastic 12 dart leg to win it in three and put in a captain's performance.

Aces' Simon Birkett saw Goffin's performance in the last match and aimed to go one better as he played Richard Brown. It was Brown with the darts but that didn't bother Birkett as he quickly turned it round and took out a 15 dart leg to open the scoring. He then doubled his lead finishing in 19 darts to go one away. Brown had throw to stay in it but Birkett was too hot tonight as he took victory with another 15 darter finishing with a 125 checkout and a 30.67 average to boot to win it for the Aces with one to spare.

In the final match in a terrible night for the Panthers Mick Wood was searching for a consolation point versus Trevor Tye. It was Tye's darts and he held in the opener. Wood replied with an equaliser but then Tye took it up a notch and went 2-1 up after leaving himself a one dart finish after 21 he took it out with the very next dart. Wood needed to hold to stay in the contest but couldn't manage it as Tye finished off the night winning it in four to give the Aces a 5-1 win which stretches their unbeaten run to five games. 

Black Eagles 5-1 Vulcans

Owen Cubitt 2-3 Mick Swift 

John Walton 3-0 Steven Caley

Steve Briggs 3-0 James Thomas

Marie Tuinstra 3-0 Phil Lambert 

Trevor Burkhill 3-0 Mark Barnes

Jelger Tuinstra 3-0 no player

Next up we're at the Woodbourne where defending champions Black Eagles who start the night three points clear at the top host bottom of the table Vulcans.

It was youngster Owen "Ice" Cubitt to start for the Black Eagles as he played a good test against Mick Swift. It was Swift to start and he took the first leg of the night, Cubitt replied with a 21 dart leg to equalise, Swift then took out a 101 finish to make it 2-1. Cubitt held it together in the fourth taking out a 110 finish to push the match into a final leg in which Swift had to hold to win it and he did in a match where every dart went with throw it was the Vulcans who took a shock lead. 

Up next for the Vulcans was Steven Caley hoping to keep the Vulcans pushing on bit he bumped into former World Champion John Walton. "John Boy" stated in typical fashion holding throw in 20 darts. Caley needed to hold his throw to stay in touch but Walton was too god breaking him with a 17 darter then comfortably winning it with another steady 20 dart leg to equalise for the Black Eagles.

After that match it was all downhill from there for the Vulcans as James Thomas suffered a heavy defeat by the hands of Steve Briggs, as Briggs took off with a 180 and breaking throw in 16 darts to go one up. Briggs then continued with a 21 dart hold of throw. "Tank" didn't have anything left in the third leg as Briggs blitzed to victory rounding off with an 18 darter to put the champions ahead. 

Black Eagles were flying now and in match four Marie Tuinstra was in good form against Phil Lambert who did manage to register a maximum but that's all he could muster as Tuinstra held her throw to go one up then she broke Lambert with a 16 dart leg then after that Marie finished off the game in three to make it 3-1 to Black Eagles with two to go. 

It was all on Mark Barnes to keep the Vulcans in the match as he took on "Turbo" Trevor Burkhill. Barnes had the darts which could've been an advantage but from the off Burkhill were flying taking out the first leg in 21 darts to break early. Trev then held his own throw with a 17 dart finish. Barnes was reeling and never really recovered as Burkhill took victory with a 20 darter to secure the win for the champions to keep pushing on at the top of the table. 

Railwaymen 5-1 Academicals 

Steve Marfleet 3-0 Conall Doughty 

Steve Brittle 3-0 Ben Tomlinson 

Martin Scott 3-2 Ritesh Deo 

Pete Bramley 1-3 Tim Close

Gavin Pilling 3-0 Greg Batting

Tom Gurran 3-0 Bye

Over at the Station Hotel second placed Railwaymen who are trying to catch the leaders but have had an in-different form of late face a player down Academicals team who are unbeaten in three but back to back draws have stalled their rise up the table. 

The night started bright for the Railwaymen as Steve Marfleet showed good form in his 3-0 win over Conall Doughty. Marfleet hit a 15 darter against throw to start then he took out finishes of a ton with two double tops and a 120 "Shangai" also ending on tops, Doughty didn't stand a chance a Marfleet won it with a 21 dart leg to give the home side the lead.

Up next for the Uni lads were Ben Tomlinson taking on Steve Brittle, it was Brittle to throw and he continued the Railwaymen's run in the opening leg by leaving him a one dart finish after 21 he cooly slotted in the double in one dart the next visit to set him on his way, Brittle broke Tomlinson in the se one leg to make it two and Tomlinson didn't have an answer to Brittle's darts as he ran out another 3-0 winner to make it two. 

In the match of the night in the third game Martin Scott and Ritesh Deo played a quality match which saw Scott break throw early doors to give him the advantage, after Scott held in the second leg with a 119 finish by taking out double 19 it looked all over but back came Deo in the second half of the match after holding to pull it back to 2-1. Scott threw for the match but couldn't finish it yet as Deo levelled up with a 21 dart leg which made it a decider and Deo had the darts to complete the comeback but it was Scott what ended the battle between the two with an excellent 12 darter and a 121 bull finish to win the contest which made the match 3-0 to the home side. 

After Academicals were unlucky in the last game following a brilliant finish by Scott, Tim Close was next up trying to put a point on the board as he faced opponent "Perfect" Pete Bramley and Bramley throwing first he looked out of sorts as Close took the first two legs with 22 dart finishes in both. Bramley only managed an hold of throw to peg it back to 2-1 and that was as good as it got for him as Close took the match with a 20 dart leg throwing fantastically well to pull a game back for the Uni. 

In the final game of a short night in the Railway, Gavin Pilling played solidly in his convincing 3-0 win over Greg Batting, Batting had throw to start but got broke twice by Pilling as he finished off the night hitting a 19 dart leg to give the Railwaymen a 5-1 win over the Uni team to keep tabs on the leaders.

Wades 4-2 Hawks

Lester Bowers 3-1 Ben Dulley 

Stephen Naisbitt 3-0 Laura Taylor

Simon Sawford 2-3 Paul Moore 

Tom Briggs 3-0 Pete Bell

Antonio Cruz 1-3 Matt Pryor

Tom Sawford 3-2 Steve Ewington

In the second match of the night at the Woodbourne Hotel, it was the turn of the Wades who sit fourth face an Hawks team who start sixth and were looking to chase down tonight's opponents.

To start it was Wades Lester "Big Red" Bowers playing opponent Ben Dulley who had the darts but Bowers scoring over-powered the consistent Dulley as "Big Red" broke in the opener with a 19 darter, he then took out a 21 on throw to double the lead. Dulley took a leg in third to bring the score back but Bowers finished him with an 18 dart leg to win and put the Wades in front. 

Laura Taylor was next up for the Hawks looking to level as she took on Wades captain Stephen Naisbitt. It was the captain to start and set off well holding his throw to get underway. Taylor needed to hold to stay in touch but couldn't keep up with Naisbitt as he broke her in the second leg and he then finished it off in the third to make the score 2-0.

After game two the Hawks were already reeling and they needed to get back into the match, up next for them was Paul Moore who's match with Simon Sawford went all the way. Moore opened with a hold, Sawford took the second leg to level, then after breaking the Moore throw in the third with an 18 dart leg he looked odds on for the win, but Moore picked up and following a 180 he equalised in 17 darts then in the final leg decider he took out an 18 darter to win it to pull a game back for the Hawks.

Wades were being pegged back then upped stepped Tom Briggs in his game with Pete Bell. Briggs started with an hold to take the lead. He then broke Bell's throw to make it 2-0 to leave Bell with it all to do. In the third leg it was all over as Briggs took it with a winning double to halt the Hawks comeback and leaving Wades needing just one to win out of the last two games. 

In match five Matt Pryor needed to take out Antonio Cruz to force a deciding match and he started well under pressure taking the opening two legs to give him that cushion. Cruz took out a ton finish to break back and threw first in the fourth leg to stay in the match but Pryor responded to the test to win it to give the Hawks hope.

In the deciding match with the Wades 3-2 up young Tom "Shooter" Sawford and Steve Ewington traded blows with both players throwing well it was anybody's game. Sawford had the throw and started brilliantly hitting a 16 dart leg to open the game. The pendulum kept swinging back and forth with both players holding throw in every leg. Ewington took out a 17 darter to stay in the game and for it to go to a fifth and final leg with "Shooter" throwing he was favourite and he threw well enough to win the match with an 81 finish on the bull to win it and give the Wades a tight victory. 

Warriors 2-4 Wolves

Jodie Bruce 3-0 Graham Waller

Ian Webster 0-3 Lee Cushworth

Angela Brittle 0-3 John Lieber 

Nicola Warne 0-3 Dave Cliffe 

Steve Newton 3-1 Pat Finney

Paul Brittle 0-3 Pete Daffin

In the final game of week 11 we head to the Midland where the Warriors who are in poor form with eight defeats on the bounce face a Wolves side who sit middle of the table with just one defeat out of last six games played. 

Playing first for the Warriors was Jodie Bruce as she made light work of Graham Waller earning a 3-0 victory with some big scores thrown in to give the Warriors a perfect start. 

Up next was "The Dartin' Demon" Lee Cushworth looking to pull the Wolves level against Ian Webster who had the throw. Cushworth couldn't have started better breaking Webster in the first leg with a 15 darter. "The Dartin' Demon's" form continued as he held to make it two. Webster needed to hold on the third leg but couldn't manage it as Cushworth took the match with a 20 dart leg to level the scoring. 

John Lieber was up third for the Wolves to try and put his team ahead for the first time as he took on Angela Brittle. It was Lieber to start and set off well taking the first leg with ease. Brittle needed to hold throw to be equal to her opponent but Lieber didn't take the game too lightly as he broke throw which led to him winning it in three to overturn the deficit to put the Wolves ahead. 

For the first time on the night the Wolves found themselves in front, up next for the Warriors looking to equalise was Nicola Warne who had the throw against Dave Cliffe. In the opening exchanges it was close until Cliffe seized the opportunity to break throw to open the scoring. Cliffe went on to hold in the next leg to make it two, Warne needed an hold to bring herself back in the game but Cliffe was the victor which made it 3-1 to the away side. 

It was down to "Hero" Steve Newton to keep the Warriors in with a chance of getting something out of their fixture as he took on Pat Finney. It was Finney who had throw which gave him a slight advantage but couldn't get a rhythm going in the early part of the match as Newton took his chance and threw well to break in the first leg then Newton took out a 21 dart leg to double his lead. Finney replied with a hold in the third leg but "Hero" won the match in four to give the Warriors a chance of a draw going into the final game. 

The sixth and deciding match saw captains of both sides go head to head to finish as "Super Daff's" Pete Daffin for the Wolves and "The Undertaker" Paul Brittle did battle. Brittle had the darts to try and make a statement but Daffin wasn't too impressed as he plodded on to break throw. "Super Daff's" started to warm up as we got into the second leg and he took out a 15 darter to make it two, then on Brittle's throw Daffin won it with a two dart finish, 17 dart leg to round off the night with a 4-2 win for the Wolves to get them back to winning ways. 

Report by

Pat Finney (Projectdarts Reporter/Media)