Sutton Coldfield Superleague Darts

LEAMINGTON V SUTTON SPORTS  6TH OCTOBER 2011

MATCH REPORT

Leamington 5 Sutton Sports 3

After last season’s visit where we were thumped 8-0 it might appear a great result only going down 5-3, but we left Leamington this time more than a little disappointed not to leave with at least a point. Three of the players who lost had shots to have won the game and the others had chances to take it to a decider. In the end Leamington took out their doubles at crucial times better than we did in an otherwise very even game.

Jamie Atkins (22.73) 3 Mark Wild (21.80) 1

30 seconds before the draw was announced, Wildy muttered the immortal words “anywhere will do but number one”. Jamie is always a very difficult player to beat at anytime but perhaps this was the best chance one of our lads has had in recent years with Jamie unusually at sub 23 average. Wildy, with a bit more time on the board beforehand, may well have taken advantage of that, but will be the first to admit this one wasn’t his ‘A’ game. Two tons and a 99 gave Jamie the edge in the 1^st leg with Wildy starting slowly. His reply of 100 & 125 came too late in the leg and Jamie took a 1-0 lead in 20 darts. Jamie hit scores of 100, 125 & 98 in the second, but left 5 to rip and scores of 123 & 140 set Wildy up for a 56 finish, which he took out for 1-1 in 20 darts. Jamie started 134 in the 3^rd leg and added two more scores over 80. Wildy despite a 140 to begin, never got above 60 for the rest of the leg, and Jamie duly re-established his lead at 2-1 in 23 darts. Despite starting 123 in the 4^th it was clear Jamie wasn’t finding his usual fluency. Wildy put in back-to-back scores of 100 & 139 which gave him 3 darts to take out 58 and go to a decider. It just wouldn’t go in, and Jamie took the leg in 24 darts for a 3-1 win. Jamie 6 tons, Wildy 7 tons. 1-0 Leamington.

Dave Sanders (23.55) 3 Mark Birch (23.53) 2

Birchy put in back-to back scores of 140 & 125 in the first, but it was Dave with three successive tons who got down first and out in 21 darts with Birchy left on 59. It looked like more of the same from Dave in leg 2 with scores of 140, 100 & 140, but Birchy with a 140 and three more scores over 80 left 28. Dave missed tops for a 78 finish and Birchy duly levelled in 17 darts. Dave hit three more tons in the third, and although steady scoring saw Birchy to the double first, Dave’s advantage of throw saw him take out 66 for 21 darts and a 2-1 lead. Back-to-back 140’s at the start of the 4^th leg looked to have set Birchy up to level again, but having missed tops for 15 darts he struggled to find the double. Dave himself got down to have a shot at a double but missed, and Birchy took it in 25 darts for 2-2. Birchy found a couple more tons in the final leg, but advantage of throw saw Dave down first, and after Birchy missed out on a 90 finish Dave sealed a 3-1 win in 23 darts. Dave 11 tons, Mark 7 tons. Match score now 2-0 Leamington.

Dave Atkins (18.42) 2 Jimmy Collins (20.55) 3

Both players will be very disappointed with their averages in this one but it all really stemmed from the first 2 legs. Dave was clearly distracted throughout the first leg by something happening at the Leamington lad’s table. Jim could clearly also see there was something wrong from Dave’s perspective but with his back to Dave whilst throwing seemed to wonder if it was something he himself was doing. The result appeared to leave both players affected. Jim hit a 180 but having done the hard bit missed 7 at a double to allow Dave in to clock 80 for a win in 27 darts. Dave was still clearly not happy in leg two, and Jim despite a 100 & 140 again ran into difficulties on the doubles. Finally, after 15 darts at a double Jim levelled at 1-1 in 32 darts. Both lads started to settle in the 3^rd leg, and when Dave hit 105 to leave 130 you got the impression Jim needed to follow the two successive tons he had hit with the 91 finish remaining. Jim took it in 2 for a 20-dart leg and 2-1 lead. Dave, now back on track started the 4^th leg 133, 129, & 97 and even had the luxury of missing a few doubles before levelling in 22 darts at 2-2. The 5^th leg though was just class from Jim, out in 14 darts (100, 136, 100, 125, 40f) for a 3-2 win. Dave 4 tons, Jimmy 9 tons and a 180. Leamington now 2-1 up.

Martin Tonks (22.07) 3 Dane Vickers (22.14) 2

Dane started well and scores of 140 & 125 enabled him to get down first against throw, and out in 18 darts for 1-0. Martin started with a ton in the second, but although he never added to his ton count he hit a treble twenty in every visit to the board afterwards, seeing him first to a double and level at 1-1 in 19 darts. Martin had the edge throughout leg 3 with 2 tons and an 85 and went 2-1 up in 25 darts as Dane struggled to find the treble. Dane bounced back though in leg 4, with a 140 and 100, and despite busting 56 the first time, he nailed it in two the next to level at 2-2 in 23 darts. Dane must still be wondering how the 5^th leg got away. Two scores of 100 put him in control and left him on 154. The trebles went in, but he narrowly missed his tops for the 154 out shot. Dane had a further 3 darts from tops to settle it before Martin took out 68 for a 3-2 win in 24 darts. Martin 5 tons, Dane 8 tons. Match score now 3-1 to Leamington.

Pete Hughes (25.83) 2 Ian McFarlane (27.84) 3

Ian has been getting out of the blocks quickly every week so far this season and he did again here, with scores of 100, 98, 100 & 105 in the first leg he finished it in 18 darts for a 1-0 lead, this despite scores of 100, 121 & 99 from Pete. Pete scored 100 and three further scores over 90 in the second leg, but could not stay with Ian who went out in a superb 14 darts (134, 140, 91, 96, 40f) for 2-0. Ian scored a 180 in the 3^rd leg, but Pete scored a maximum of his own and pulled the leg back with a 112 finish in just 15 darts (83, 180, 84, 42, 112f) as Ian waited for his chance to clock 78 for the match. Both players had their chances in an edgy 4^th leg before Pete levelled the match at 2-2 in 26 darts. Ian wasn’t finished though and he started 99, 137 before scoring 121 to leave 16 after 15 darts. Pete left himself on a shot of 120 but Ian took it at the first attempt, out in 16 darts for a 3-2 win and the Sutton MOM award. Pete 7 tons and a 180, Ian 8 tons and a 180. Leamington now only 3-2 up.

Nigel Heydon (28.75) 3 Martin Brown (25.29) 1

A steady first leg from both, but Nigel having the edge with two tons and two further scores over 90. Martin replied with 100 & 81, but it was Nigel who took the leg in 24 darts. Nigel put in successive scores of 100, 100 & 140 in the second leg, but Martin hit back with 100 & 140 and with advantage of throw took it to level at 1-1 in 20 darts. Martin started 140 but against the throw could do absolutely nothing about a fantastic 12-dart leg from Nigel (140, 140, 180, 41f) and Nigel was 2-1 up. Nigel scored his second maximum of the game in leg 4, along with 100 & 97 and left 64 after just 12 darts. Martin, however, had left just 40 after 12 himself (85, 140, 140, 96), but agonisingly missed his next 3 darts for a 40 finish. Nigel took out the 64 for a 15-dart leg and a 3-1 win. It was also to be the Leamington MOM performance. Nigel 10 tons and 2 x 180’s, Martin 6 tons. Leamington 4-2 up.

Colin Laffar (20.85) 1 Luis Barberan (23.66) 3

Luis started superbly with 140, 100, 180, to leave 81 after just 9 darts. It took a few darts to put away and Luis took it in 19 darts, by which time Colin had started to find his form with a couple of tons. Luis went off well again in leg 2 with 121, 100, 100 but Colin replied steadily and put in back-to-back scores of 100 & 128 to leave 44 which he took out for a 21-dart game and it was level at 1-1. Colin scored 100 & 123 in the third, but Luis retained the edge with scores of 120, 85 & 140 and closed out in 19 darts to go 2-1 ahead. The players scored a ton apiece in the 4^th but both struggled on their doubles before Colin finally took it in 33 darts. Many far more experienced players would have let their heads drop after that one, but not Luis, who has a fantastic temperament for a young lad. He put in scores of 100 & 140 and steady scores elsewhere to take the 4^th leg in a tidy 18 darts and seal a 3-1 win. Colin 8 tons, Luis 11 tons and a 180. Leamington 4-3 up.

Mark McGeeney (28.65) 3 Matt Gallett (25.67) 2

If this was a big ask before the game for Matty it got tougher after a cracking 1^st leg by Mark, out in 15 darts with scores of 100, 99, and 85, before taking out 157 sweet as a nut. Mark started leg 2 with a 140, but Matty battled and with a 140, and 3 further scores over 80, he got down first and levelled it in 19 darts. Again Mark turned the screw starting leg 3 with 140, 140, 140 and won it in 16 darts for a 2-1 lead. Matty came back again in the 4^th with a 180 & 100 getting him down first despite Mark’s scores of 140, 100 & 96, and Matty levelled it clocking 50 for a 17-dart game. Mark put in successive scores of 95, 140 & 135 in the 5^th leg but couldn’t shake Matty off who hit back with 100 and four more scores over 80. Mark missed the bull for 18 darts, which gave Matt his chance with 110 left. However, when his last dart went just under the wire of tops for the finish, you got the feeling it wasn’t our night after all. Mark duly finished in 20 darts, winning 3-2 and only just missing out on the MOM for Leamington by 0.1. Mark 10 tons, Matty 5 tons and a 180.

Final score Leamington 5 Sutton Sports 3.

Running averages were Leamington 23.86, and Sutton 23.81.

Tons went Leamington 61+3, Sutton 61+4 (a team record).

This game also, incidentally equalled the most legs played in a match involving Sutton (37), which was previously achieved in a game also against Leamington at home in 2006/07.

A great effort from our lads against the Champions, but not quite enough to secure a 9^th straight game without defeat. It has been a record run for us though, and we have to take a lot of encouragement from the fact we really gave them a game here.

We look forward to seeing our opponents at our place later in the season. Next up it’s Bishopsgate away in the catch up of the week one game which was postponed.