Horse and Gears Mix and Match secured the Newark and District Double Board Darts League’s Premiership title with a game to spare after victory over in-house rivals Horse and Gears Wanderers.
The unbeaten leaders, skippered by Kevin Rose, knew that a win over their nearest rivals would clinch the title, and Paul Gallacher led the way with a hat-trick of wins in the 6-3 victory, which has given his side an unassailable 27-point lead.
Gallacher’s eight-point haul has also stretched his lead at the top of the singles’ league to 20 points. He is the only player so far guaranteed a place in the top eight and qualification for the end-of-season play-offs.
Elsewhere, fourth-placed Andy Norris’s three wins helped Castle and Falcon Veterans to a 6-3 win over Plough Lost Boys, while Mark Toulson kept his hopes of a top-eight finish alive with a hat-trick of wins as Watermill Topshots beat Watermill Fat Lads 7-2.
In the men’s league it was cup week, and the final will be a repeat of the 1999/2000 final after Newark Working Men’s Club 45s and Castle and Falcon Marauders both had comfortable 4-0 semi-final victories.
The 45s — looking to win the competition for a seventh successive season — defeated Castle and Falcon Phoenix with Colin Weir’s double-top checkout securing the match.
Newark Working Men’s Club Lads’ hopes of reaching the final for a second successive year were scuppered as two opening leg finishes by Dave Yarnell set the Marauders on their way to an easy win.
In the John Browne subsidiary cup, Plough Coddington are on course to win the competition for a third season in a row, after two finishes from Pete Britten and a match-clinching 62 checkout from Steve Mastin earned them a 4-1 semi-final win over Balderton CC Outlaws.
Their opponents in the final will be Balderton Cricket Club, who came from behind twice to defeat Castle and Falcon Arrows 4-2, with Chris Hall hitting two of the finishes before Paul Colcomb’s double-top secured the victory.
In the ladies’ league the Hillside Medical Supplies Cup finalists are known after the group stages were completed.
The holders, Newark Working Men’s Club Youngers, who had already earned their place in the final, will be up against Castle and Falcon Ladies after they secured the win they needed to finish second in the group.
Castle and Falcon knew that defeat against Watermill Artists could hand a final place to their opponents or in-house rivals, Cafferata Ladies, instead but victory never looked in doubt as they cruised to a 13-2 win.
The remaining match saw Cafferata defeat White Swan Cygnets 9-6 to leave last season’s losing finalists in third spot.
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