Title retained with games to spare

12:32pm Wed Feb 22, 2012

Newark Working Men’s Club Youngers secured their third successive title and remain on course for a unique treble in the Newark and District Double Board Darts League after coming from behind to defeat their closest rivals.

Castle And Falcon Ladies appeared to be keeping the title race alive after Elaine Pashley’s 40 checkout put them 2-1 ahead, but a brace of finishes from Linda Gregory not only kept the Youngers’ unbeaten record intact but secured an impressive fourth title in five seasons with two games to spare.

The champions will now focus on the two cup competitions as they try to complete a historic treble.

Meanwhile, Cafferata set up a final match decider against the Castle And Falcon for the runners-up spot after they came from 2-0 down to beat White Swan Cygnets 3-2 thanks to a crucial final leg checkout from Jane Hartley.

The closest title race in the ten-year history of the Premiership is going into an extra week after the league leaders’ final match of the season was postponed.

Horse And Gears Meat and Two Veg now know that a 6-3 win in the re-arranged match against their in-house rivals and bottom-of-the-table Lost Boys will secure them the title.

The Power are currently occupying top spot after their joint highest victory of the season with a comfortable 7-2 win over Castle And Falcon Veterans. Pete Baldwin, who has topped the singles league, led the way with three wins, while captain Simon Cobb and Russell Rose won two apiece to keep their title hopes alive.

The Wanderers will count themselves very unlucky after they inflicted a first home defeat on the Fat Boy Slims of The Crown, Bathley, in a match between the two other title contenders but, as it turned out, the excellent 6-3 win was not enough as both sides’ title ambitions were ended.

In the singles league, five players have guaranteed their place in the end of season play-offs.

Pete Baldwin and Brian Coughill, who had already secured their places, are joined by Tom Cutts, Simon Cobb and former champion Stuart Smith.

The remaining three places are between Mark Hill, Kieran Cumberland, Phil Binns and Mark Toulson.