Red Dragon Sheffield Franchise League (Final Week)
Thursday 5th April 2018
Hawks 5-1 Wades
Marc Ellis 3-1 Antonio Cruz
Steve Ewington 3-1 Craig Ingram
Ben Dulley 3-0 Jonathan Szymankiewicz
Paul Moore 3-0 Lee Siddle
Peter Bell 3-0 Stephen Naisbitt
Joelle Taylor 0-3 Tom Briggs
It's the final week of the second season of the Red Dragon Sheffield Franchise League as we start in the Hawk & Dove as the seventh place Hawks take on the Wades who were looking to hold on to a fourth place finish on their debut season.
Action got underway as "Tiny" Marc Ellis started well in his match with Antonio Cruz racing into a 2-0 lead. Cruz took a leg in the third to keep him in the match but in the fourth leg Ellis grabbed victory to give the Hawks an early lead.
Up next for the Wades, Craig Ingram was looking to equalise as he took on Steve Ewington. It was Ewington's darts to start and he took the first leg well. Ingram hit back with an equaliser but Ewington stepped it up by taking out a 21 dart leg to make it 2-1, forcing Ingram to hold to stay in the game which he couldn't do as Ewington won it in four to make it two for the Hawks.
Hawks were in fine form going into game three and Ben Dulley was no different as he took all three legs off opponent Jon Szymankiewicz to make it three in three for his side.
In the fourth match on Hawks Paul Moore wrapped up an early victory for the team as he recorded a 20 and a 19 dart legs on his way to a convincing 3-0 win over Lee Siddle.
As the fifth match got underway Wades captain Stephen Naisbitt was looking to stop the rot in his match with Peter Bell but it was Bell who started the better and broke in the first leg. Bell kept his form going by taking the second leg to double his lead. Naisbitt had the darts in the third to keep him in it but Bell wrapped it up to make it five for the Hawks and a chance for a clean sweep in the final game.
In the last game of the night, Hawks Joelle Taylor had the chance to make it a full house in her game with Tom Briggs but she didn't get off to the best of starts after Briggs broke throw to go one up, he quickly doubled his lead with a 19 darter to give him daylight between the two players. Taylor had throw to stay in the match but it was Briggs who finished off the night well to avoid the whitewash for the Wades as the Hawks finished off the season in style.
Panthers 4-2 Aces
John Schultz 0-3 Andy Umney
Mick Wood 0-3 Mick Smith
Mick Hulley 3-1 Ian Speed
Russ Simons 3-2 Wes Deane
Richard Honeyman 3-1 D. Wilks
Richard Brown 3-0 Trevor Tye
Over at the Woodbourne Hotel sixth placed Panthers looking to finish the season as high as fourth play an Aces team who have the chance to finish the season in second place.
It was the Panthers who got off to the worse possible start as John Schultz struggled against Andy Umney as Umney took all three legs to put the Aces into an early lead.
In the second game Aces doubled their lead as Mick Smith played Mick Wood and didn't really give him a chance as he also ran out a 3-0 winner to double the Aces lead.
The Panthers were on the back foot after two games as the Aces chances of second place was looking a good bet but Mick Hulley got the Panthers off the floor against Ian Speed as he had to come from 1-0 down to come back and win by three legs to one to put the Panthers on the board.
In game four Aces Wes Deane and Russ Simons took us all the way to a five leg match. It was Simons who started with the throw and took out a 16 darter to put himself one up. Deane responded with a 16 of his own to level but back came Simons who then took out a 21 dart leg to put him backing front but in the fourth leg Deane equalised in 18 darts to make all four legs finish in 21 darts or under going into the last leg shootout with Simons being favourite with the throw he stood up to that tag and won the match to level the scores between the two teams at 2-2 with two to play.
In another good match Panthers Richard Honeyman played D. Wilks with both men knowing a win will give his team a chance of victory in the decider. It was Honeyman who took a 2-0 lead with two maximums thrown in to take control of the tie. Wilks managed a leg on the third taking out a 108 high finish to leave his mark on the game but it was Honeyman who won it in four to complete the comeback for the Panthers and give them a chance of victory going into the final game.
To finish off the night Aces Trevor Tye needed to win Richard Brown to rescue a draw but it was Brown who took an early lead. On the Tye throw once again Brown was the more consistent player and he broke to go two up and throw for the win in which Brown did to complete the comeback for the Panthers who finished the season in fifth place.
Railwaymen 3-3 Academicals
Steve Brittle 3-1 Jack Lewis
Pete Bramley 2-3 Ritesh Deo
Martin Scott 3-0 Ellis Turner
Tom Gurran 2-3 Tim Close
Mark Gurran 1-3 Adam Warner
Gavin Pilling 3-0 Tom Wright
We head to the Station next as the Railwaymen were looking to seal second place taking on the Academicals who finish the season in eighth.
We start the night with Steve Brittle for the Railwaymen facing Jack Lewis. It was Lewis who started with a hold of throw to give him the lead. Brittle soon got going though and after levelling up the scores he broke the Lewis throw to go 2-1 up. In the fourth leg Brittle finished off Lewis to put the Railwaymen in front.
Up next a contest between Ritesh Deo and Pete "Perfect" Bramley that went the distance. Deo managed to break Bramley early doors and after going 2-0 up Deo thought it would be done early but Bramley had other ideas has he fought back to bring the scores level and Bramley had the throw in the decider he looked good for the win but Deo got his game together and won the match against the throw to equalise for the Academicals.
In the third game on Martin Scott played well against Ellis Turner as he ran out with a victory taking all three legs and hitting a maximum in the process to put the home side back in front.
In another five leg match Academicals Tim Close played Tom "Inferno" Gurran in game four and the match started with Gurran holding to take the lead. Close recorded a 180 and took out a 15 darter to equalise but "Inferno" went back in front to put his opponent under pressure in which Close handled it well after drawing level at 2-2, Close went on to win the match finally breaking Gurran in the last leg to bring the scores back level between the two sides.
As the match got tight between the two teams with two to play the fifth game between Mark Gurran and Adam Warner was crucial. Gurran broke in the first leg taking out a 21 darter to lay down a marker on his opponent to which Warner responded with a break straight back along with hitting a 125 finish with a bull, 25, bull knocked the stuffing out of Gurran as Warner went on to secure a 3-1 win to give the Academicals chance of victory going into the final game.
In the final game Railwaymen's Gavin Pilling were looking to rescue a draw for the home side as he played Tom Wright, Pilling got off the best possible start after holding throw he then took out a 21 dart leg to break and double his lead. Wright didn't stand a chance in the third leg as Pilling won it in 20 darts to rescue a draw for the Railwaymen to end the season in second place.
Vulcans 2-4 Black Eagles
Steven Caley 0-3 Micky Stocks
Tom Wright 3-1 Steve Briggs
S. Walters 0-3 Charlie Stocks
Mick Swift 1-3 Owen Cubitt
James Thomas 0-3 Trevor Burkhill
Phil Lambert 3-1 Jason Burkhill
Next up we're at the Punchbowl where the Vulcans who start the match second bottom could finish a place higher with a win over the Champions Black Eagles who have had a great season with just one defeat to their name.
We start with Vulcans Steven Caley who couldn't match Micky Stocks dart for dart as Stocks took out a 20 and a 15 darter on his way to sealing a 3-0 win to put the Black Eagles one up.
Up next the Vulcans equalised as Tom Wright threw well in his game with veteran Steve Briggs, the opening exchanges were shared but then Wright after holding throw to go 2-1 up took out Briggs against the throw to level the scores at one a piece
Youngster Charlie Stocks were next up for the Black Eagles as he put on a good showing defeating Walters in three straight legs to put the Champions back in front.
In game four Vulcans Mick Swift started well on his match with another Black Eagles young gun Owen "Ice" Cubitt after taking the lead on throw, Cubitt replied to level then the youngster took out a 19 dart leg to break Swift in the third to throw for the match in which he defeated his opponent in four legs to make the score 3-1 with two remaining.
It was up to James "Tank" Thomas to keep the Vulcans in the game as he took on "Turbo" Trevor Burkhill who was on form from the word go as Trev started with a hold of throw in 20 darts to take a 1-0 lead. "Turbo" then followed it up by breaking Thomas with an 18 dart leg and threw for the match in the third leg in which he finished the job off to finish the Black Eagles back to back Championship winning season with a win with the captain to finish off the season next up.
It was a fitting end to the Black Eagles season when captain Jason Burkhill toed the oche for the last league game against Phil Lambert and the captain got off to a dream start breaking throw to take the lead but it didn't last long as Lambert hit back to draw level then in the third leg Lambert put himself 2-1 up. Burkhill had the throw in the fourth leg but it was Lambert who took out the winning double in the end to make the final score 4-2 to the Black Eagles who are worthy Champions who led the league from the fifth week in and never gave up that top spot afterwards for a second consecutive title.
Wolves 6-0 Warriors
Dave Cliffe 3-2 Ian Webster
Lee Cushworth 3-0 Barry Brittle
Pete Daffin 3-0 Sandra Webster
John Lieber 3-0 Nicola Warne
Pat Finney 3-2 Paul Brittle
Iain Fulton 3-1 Steve Newton
In the final round up of the league season we finish off at the Woodbourne where the Wolves were looking to finish as high as fourth take on bottom of the table Warriors.
In the opener Wolves Dave Cliffe and Ian Webster battled it out in a five leg thriller, it was Webster to start us off but Cliffe took the lead. Webster broke straight back in the next leg and after holding throw to go 2-1 up, Webster looked good for the win but Cliffe showed grit and determination in the second part of the match which got him over the line in a 3-2 win to put the Wolves ahead.
It was Barry Brittle up next for the Warriors against "The Dartin' Demon" Lee Cushworth. It was Cushworth's darts and he opened with a steady 20, Cushworth then broke Brittle in the next leg with an 18 darter to make it two and Brittle found it tough and it showed as Cushworth finished it off in three to make it 2-0 to the Wolves.
Up next was Wolves captain Pete "Super Daff's" Daffin looking to make it three against Sandra Webster as Daffin started with a break of throw 21 dart leg. After Daffin held in the second to make it two, Webster found it tough throughout but Daffin didn't get out of second gear as he won the match in three to put his side three up.
Nicola Warne needed to win John Lieber in the fourth game on to keep her side in with a chance but it was an uphill task after Lieber took the lead on throw. Warne had the darts in the next leg but Lieber was too good as he broke to make it two, Lieber went on to seal the win for the Wolves in the third leg with two game left to play.
In the fifth game Warriors captain Paul Brittle was looking for at least a point for his team as he took on Pat Finney and Brittle had the throw to start us off but it was Finney who broke early to go in front. In the next leg it was Finney who found it tough going as Brittle equalised and then going on to take a 2-1 lead and looked like winning. In the fourth leg Finney held to force a deciding leg with Brittle throwing for the match but couldn't seal it up as Finney won it in five to keep the Wolves record up with one to play.
It was the last match of the season with the Wolves having a chance of a whitewash as Iain Fulton took on Steve "Hero" Newton. It was "Hero" who took the lead with a break of throw and things were looking positive for the Warriors but he couldn't keep the form going as Fulton battled back to go in front after three legs as Newton needed to hold his own throw to force a decider he couldn't manage it as Fulton won it in four to finish off the league season with a clean sweep for the Wolves as they finished the season in fourth place.
Pat Finney (Projectdarts Reporter/Media)
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