Leaders’ unbeaten record is derailed

0:00am Thu Dec 24, 2009

There was an unusual event in the Newark and District Double Board Darts League — the Railway Club 45s lost a match.

The 45s, who have dominated the league during the last decade with ten consecutive titles, suffered their first defeat in nearly two years as they were beaten 3-2 by fellow title challengers, the Newark Working Men’s Club Lads.

The Lads are now the only unbeaten team and lead the reigning champions by two points at the top of the table after becoming the first side to beat them since Ferry Masters of Muskham in January 2008.

A shock was certainly on the cards after the Lads edged out their opponents on the finish in the opening two legs but Paul Gallacher responded with the league’s top finish of the season when he checked out on 100.

Gallacher had a terrific match as he also finished the game with this season’s top average of 71.70, but it was not enough to protect their unbeaten record.

Mark Hill held his nerve to sink double seven to claim a famous victory and blow the title race wide open.

Both the Horse and Gears Oxo Club, who have been runners-up for the last two seasons, and Plough Inn of Coddington kept their own title aspirations alive with varying degrees of difficulty.

The Oxo Club, helped by two finishes from Stuart Glover, eased to a 5-0 victory over Newcastle Arms while the Plough edged out the Castle and Falcon Marauders 3-2, with Pete Britten’s fourth leg 32 checkout sealing a win that left the Falcon side in the bottom half.

Balderton Cricket Club remain fifth after they recovered from 2-0 down to win an evenly contested match against the Staythorpe Sureshots.

The Sureshots, who have now lost six matches by the odd leg, appeared to be heading for victory after winning the opening two legs, but the cricketers rallied to record their sixth 3-2 win of the season with a finish from Tim Clipsham and two — including the vital fifth leg checkout — from Notts cricket coach Paul Johnson.

The Castle and Falcon Phoenix are up to sixth after coming from behind to win 3-2 against in-house rivals Castle and Falcon Arrows, with Simon Potter sinking the crucial double.

In the Premiership reigning champions Castle and Falcon Archers are well on course for a fourth successive team title after they opened up a nine- point lead at the top.

The Archers, helped by maximum nine-point hauls from Mick Pitchford and Paul Gallacher, took full advantage of the slip up of their closest title rivals.

Archers had a 7-2 victory over bottom of the table RAFA PDC, while second-placed The Power of the Horse and Gears were beaten 5-4 by in-house rivals The Lost Boys.

The Castle and Falcon Veterans are now joint second after they took the last three legs to beat the Fun Boy Three of Muskham 6-3.

Results, Men’s Division: Newcastle Arms 0, Horse and Gears Oxo Club 5; Newark Working Men’s Club Lads 3, Railway Club 45s 2; Plough Inn 3, Castle and Falcon Marauders 2; Castle and Falcon Phoenix 3, Castle and Falcon Arrows 2; Railway Club A 5, Broadway Lads 0; Staythorpe Sureshots 2, Balderton Cricket Club 3.

Premiership: Castle and Falcon Veterans 6, The Fun Boy Three 3; The Power 4, The Lost Boys 5; Watermill Toy Story 7, Horse and Jockey Tic Tacs 2; RAFA PDC 2, The Castle and Falcon Archers 7.