Red Dragon Sheffield Franchise League (Week 16)
Thursday 8th February 2018
Academicals 3-3 Aces
Conall Doughty 2-3 Andy Umney
Harry Hatter 0-3 Mick Smith
Ritesh Deo 1-3 Ian Speed
Tim Close 3-0 Trevor Tye
Tom Hogg 3-0 Dave Belfitt
Adam Warner 3-0 Wes Deane
Week 16 of the Franchise Leagues starts at the University Arms where the Academicals who have drawn four out of the last seven games take on an Aces side who have won five on the spin before tonight.
We start the night with Academicals Conall Doughty who faced a tough opponent in Andy Umney but he gave a good account of himself through the match. Umney started well after holding throw he broke Doughty with a 16 darter to go two up. Umney had the darts to win the game but Doughty took out a 21 dart leg to break back and after he held his own throw in the fourth it went to a last leg shootout in which Umney made the darts count to put the Aces ahead.
In the next game Aces Mick Smith threw solid in his win over Harry Hatter. It was Hatter who started but couldn't get going as Smith broke him early then went on the rampage with a 19 and 17 dart legs to win it in three to double the Aces lead.
Up next for the Uni lads was Ritesh Deo who needed a good start against Ian Speed and he got it by breaking Speed in the opener but Speed hit back with a leveller and after Speed held to make it 2-1 Deo couldn't hold his throw as Speed won it in four to make it three for the Aces.
It looked all over for the Academicals after the first three games but Tim Close gave them a glimmer of hope against Trevor Tye. Close had the throw and he took full advantage taking the first leg. The needed to equalise but Close threw well to break him and that gave him a big boost going into the third leg where Close won it with a maximum finishing it off in 16 darts to start the comeback.
In game five the Academicals were right back in the tie as Tom Hogg defeated Dave Belfitt without dropping a leg to force a decider which didn't look likely after the first three games.
In a game of two halves the Aces were struggling even for a leg in the second half of the match as Wes Deane stepped up in the decider against a rejuvenated Adam Warner. It was Warner to start the match off and he held his throw to go one up. Deane threw for the equaliser but Warner's consistency proved crucial to breaking Deane then Warner threw for the match in which he did without fuss to complete the Academicals comeback and the draw specialist added another one to the tally for this season.
Hawks 2-4 Panthers
Peter Bell 3-1 Mick Wood
Paul Moore 3-0 Kieran Potts
Laura Taylor 1-3 John Schultz
Matt Pryor 2-3 Pat Meeson
Steve Ewington 1-3 Russ Simons
Joelle Taylor 0-3 Richard Brown
Over at the Hawk & Dove it's sixth vs fifth as the Hawks face the Panthers with seven points separating the two sides but the Hawks have a game in hand on tonight's opponents.
Up first for the home side it was Pete Bell who took on Mick Wood. It was Wood to start the night off. In the opening leg Bell hit a maximum to put Wood under pressure on his throw early on but Wood responded well and it was him who held throw and took the lead. Bell equalised soon after and then it was Bell who took a 2-1 lead after breaking the Wood throw in the third leg and then it was Bell who finished off the match to take the opening game of the night.
Hawks team raced out of the blocks after the second game as Paul Moore put on a good showing in his match with Kieran Potts. Moore started with consecutive 19 dart legs to go two up and threw for the match which he controlled from start to finish to make it two in two for the Hawks side.
After two games the Panthers were on the ropes as John Schultz stepped up to face Laura Taylor and it was Taylor who won the first leg against the throw but then it was the start of the comeback for the Panthers as Schultz broke straight back to level then went on to secure a 3-1 win to put the Panthers on the board.
Matt Pryor and Pat Meeson had a rollercoaster of a game in the fourth match as Meeson started well braking throw in the opener. Pryor hit back with a break and a hold to make the score 2-1. It was Meeson's darts on the fourth leg to stay in the match and he threw well to level at two each. Pryor was slight favourite going into the deciding leg as he had the throw but Meeson pulled out a quality 14 dart leg to win the match, leaving Pryor stunned as the score were level at two each.
In the crucial fifth game Hawks Steve Ewington took on Russ Simons for a chance for one of these to give their team hope of victory. Simons had the darts but it was Ewington who took the opening leg. In the second leg on the Ewington throw he had the chance to double his lead but it went begging as Simons levelled then Simons went on to hold his throw in the third leg to go in front. Ewington had to hold his throw in the fourth to stay in it but Simons finished him off to give the Panthers a chance of victory in the final game of the night.
It was up to Joelle Taylor to save the Hawks from defeat as she faced Richard Brown in the final game. Taylor had the darts but Brown quickly took control of the leg and broke to go in front. After that Brown never looked back as he controlled the game to win it in three legs to give the Panthers a 4-2 win to cement the top five in the table.
Railwaymen 5-1 Vulcans
Steve Brittle 0-3 Mick Swift
Mark Gurran 3-0 Steven Caley
Martin Scott 3-1 James Thomas
Pete Bramley 3-1 Alex Sproston
Glen Payne 3-0 Tom Wright
Gavin Pilling 3-0 Phil Lambert
We head to the Station next where the title contenders Railwaymen who sit just 3 points behind the leaders face a second bottom Vulcans side with one win to their name all season.
The match started in the best way possible for the Vulcans as they went into a shock lead when Mick Swift who started with a 16 darter took out Steve Brittle without losing a leg.
In the second game Mark Gurran levelled up the scores with a good three legs to nil win over Steven Caley.
James "Tank" Thomas started his game well with Martin Scott as he took the first leg but Scott took out a 21 and a 17 dart leg plus a 119 finish on his way to a 3-1 win to put the Railwaymen in front.
As the fourth match started the Railwaymen had their confidence up as Pete "Perfect" Bramley played Alex Sproston. Bramley kicked off with back to back legs which included a 120 checkout. Sproston managed to take out a leg in the third but it was Bramley celebrating finishing off his opponent in four legs to put his side 3-1 up.
It was Tom Wright fifth on for the Vulcans needing a win to force a decider as he played Glen Payne. It was Wright's darts to start us off but it was Payne who set off with a 19 dart leg break of throw to take the lead. Wright managed to hit a 180 himself in the game but it wasn't enough for him as Payne sailed to a 3-0 win.
In the last game of the night, Gavin Pilling for the Railwaymen played well to round of a good night for his team as he faced Phil Lambert. Pilling recorded an 18 and a 19 dart leg on his way to a win it in three to make the final score 5-1 to the Railwaymen to keep in touching distance of the leaders.
Wades 4-2 Pirates
Tom Briggs 3-0 Lee Slack
Simon Denton 0-3 Sie Simmons
Lee Siddle 3-0 Simon Chivers
Simon Sawford 3-0 Anne Lofthouse
Tom Sawford 3-1 Michael Slack
Stephen Naisbitt 2-3 Martin Chivers
Over at the Woodbourne for the only match in their this week we had fourth placed Wades who were looking to bounce back from last week's defeat face a Pirates team who sit third bottom, 3 points behind the Academicals who are the team above.
To open we had Wades Tom Briggs in decent form in his game with Lee Slack as Briggs took all three legs to give the Wades the perfect start.
Pirates Sie Simmons equalised with a convincing victory over Simon Denton also without dropping a leg as he won the match with a 20 darter.
In game three the Wades were back in front in another 3-0 scoreline as Lee Siddle got another victory under his belt against Simon Chivers.
It was fourth consecutive 3-0 game as Wades Simon Sawford put daylight between the two teams as he defeated Anne Lofthouse to put the Wades 3-1 up.
In the final two games were a little closer as the next match saw Pirates Michael Slack trying to give his team a chance against "Shooter" Tom Sawford in a game where both players started with a break of throw and a maximum each. Sawford then turned it on as Slack couldn't keep the same level has he showed in the first couple of legs therefore it was "Shooter" who grabbed a victory in four to give the Wades the win with one to spare.
It was captain of the Wades Stephen Naisbitt up in the final match taking on Martin Chivers. It was Naisbitt to start the match and he did well holding throw to take the lead. Chivers equalised in the next leg to level. In the third captain Naisbitt went 2-1 up and looked like winning but Chivers played well in the final two legs and won the match against the darts in the decider to make the score a respectable 4-2 Wades win to cement fourth place.
Warriors 0-6 Black Eagles
Sandra Webster 0-3 John Walton
Barry Brittle 0-3 Charlie Stocks
Nicola Warne 0-3 Micky Stocks
Ian Webster 1-3 Owen Cubitt
Steve Newton 0-3 Trevor Burkhill
Paul Brittle 0-3 Steve Briggs
In the final match of the weeks action we go to the Midland in a bottom vs top clash as the Warriors take on the Black Eagles.
Up first for the Warriors was Sandra Webster facing former World Champion John "Boy" Walton. It was Walton to throw first and he stamped his mark early doors by putting in a 16 darter. Walton continued his dominance through the game in which he won convincingly in three legs to get the Black Eagles off to a flying start.
In the next match Black Eagles youngster Charlie Stocks took on Barry Brittle. Brittle had throw but Stocks was the more consistent player of the two and after he broke throw in the first leg, Brittle struggled to find a way back in the game as Stocks took all three legs to make it two for the Champions.
Warriors Nicola Warne was facing an uphill task in her game with Micky Stocks as Stocks took the opener on throw, he then went on to break Warne with a 20 dart leg to make it two, Warne had no answer to Stocks scoring as he ran out 3-0 winner to leave his team in complete control of the match.
"Ice" Owen Cubitt was fourth up to the oche for the travelling team to win it early against Ian Webster. Both players started sluggish as they traded breaks of throw. Cubitt then hit a maximum and took out a 15 dart leg to throw for the match in the fourth in which he did cooly taking it out in 20 darts to give the Champions the win with two left to play.
It was hero vs turbo in game five when Steve Newton played Trevor Burkhill. It was "Turbo Trev" to start the game and he comfortably took the opener in 19 darts. Burkhill then registered a maximum followed by a 21 dart break of throw to make it two. Newton struggled to cope with Burkhill as he won it with his best leg of the night hitting a 15 darter to make it five for the Black Eagles.
Black Eagles rounded off a good night for them as Steve Briggs defeated "The Undertaker" Paul Brittle with a 180 on the board, a 19 and a 20 dart leg to finish and complete a near perfect night for the away side to nudge 4 points clear at the top of the table.
Report by
Pat Finney (Projectdarts Reporter/Media)
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