Oxo Club are cooking on gas in title chase

0:00am Fri Oct 30, 2009

The Horse and Gears Oxo Club, who finished runners-up last season in the Newark and District Double Board Darts League, have got off to a great start in their aim to go one better this term.

The Oxo Club maintained their 100% record with a fourth win when they recovered from 2-1 down to edge out the Newcastle Arms B team 3-2, with Tom Cutts hitting the crucial double in the game’s deciding leg.

It is the Railway Club 45s who are once again in pole position after the reigning champions opened up a four-point gap at the top after an excellent 4-1 away win at the previously unbeaten Balderton Cricket Club.

The only other side yet to taste defeat, the Newark Working Men’s Club Lads, moved in to third spot with a 4-1 victory at Railway Club A.

At the other end of the table, the league’s new boys, Broadway Lads, are still looking for their first win after they suffered a heavy 5-0 home defeat at the hands of Castle and Falcon Marauders to leave them rooted to the bottom.

There was better news for the Staythorpe Sureshots who recorded their first top flight win to move to mid-table. The Sureshots had suffered three consecutive 3-2 reversals but ran out convincing 4-1 winners against Newcastle Arms, with Alan Braithwaite hitting two of the checkouts.

Plough Inn of Coddington bounced back from their 5-0 reversal against the Newark Working Men’s Club Lads with a victory over Castle and Falcon Phoenix. Despite going 2-0 up, they were taken to a last leg decider as the Phoenix rallied before Pete Knott held his nerve to clinch the match on double one.

The Ladies’ Division looks as though it will be very competitive this season, if the opening two weeks are anything to go by.

The second round of matches saw all the ties ending in slender 3-2 wins for the home sides to leave just one team unbeaten and one without an early season victory.

Last season’s runners-up, Castle and Falcon Ladies, are the only team with a 100% record after they took the opening three legs against the White Swan Cygnets, with Elaine Pashley securing victory with a 48 finish.

Reigning champions Cafferatas bounced back from their opening day defeat by the Castle and Falcon with a victory over the Horse and Gears Boozers, with Joy Sharpe on target with two vital checkouts.

In the all-Newark Working Men’s Club match, The Youngers appeared to be heading for a second defeat as they found themselves 2-0 down, but they recovered to edge out The Avengers 3-2.

The remaining match saw the Railway Club Drunks surrender a 2-1 lead as they were beaten by the Watermill Artists, with captain Barbara Hood hitting the final crucial double.

Results, Men’s Division: Balderton Cricket Club 1, Railway Club 45s 4; Broadway Lads 0, Castle and Falcon Marauders 5; Castle and Falcon Phoenix 2, Plough Inn (Coddington) 3; Railway Club A 1, Newark Working Men’s Club Lads 4; Staythorpe Sureshots 4, Newcastle Arms 1; Newcastle Arms B 2, Horse and Gears Oxo Club 3.

Ladies’ Division: Cafferata Ladies 3, Horse and Gears Boozers 2; Castle and Falcon Ladies 3, White Swan Cygnets 2; Watermill Artists 3, Railway Club Drunks 2; Newark Working Men’s Club Youngers 3, Newark Working Men’s Club Avengers 2.