Taverners win their first ever trophy in the Newark and District Double Board Darts League’s after a thrilling victory over Castle and Falcon BBC2s in the John Browne Subsidiary cup
The Taverners have won their first ever trophy after a thrilling victory over Castle and Falcon BBC2s in the Newark and District Double Board Darts League’s John Browne Subsidiary cup final held at the Wheatsheaf.
The Taverners, formed in 2008, had reached the final on four previous occasions including in 2022 against the BBC2s but agonisingly had suffered 4-3 defeats on each occasion.
The Railway Club based side went into the match against the reigning summer league champions with hopes of finally ending the hoodoo after a terrific league campaign which had seen them defeat their cup final opponents twice on their way to finishing as runners-up to Rose and Crown Marauders.
Just as happened two seasons ago the two sides produced a terrific encounter which was a fitting way to bring down the curtain on the men’s season.
The BBC2s took the opener as Jack Oldfield checked out on double-3 with Richard Taylor lying in wait for a shot at 120 but they were left to rue missed chances in the next as Brian Coughill holed out on double-17 to bring the Taverners level.
A tight third leg saw chances on both sides before Stuart Hay restored the BBC2s lead with a double-8 finish but once again the Taverners gained parity as Coughill checked out on 47 with their opponents hoping for a shot at 50.
The fifth leg saw the Taverners have several opportunities to lead for the first time but they failed to take their chances and the BBC2s edged ahead for a third time as Oldfield checked out on double-top.
The Taverners were now under pressure but they responded by outscoring their rivals in the next leg and drew level for a third time when
Coughill’s fine finishing form continued as he checked out on double-15 to complete his hat-trick of checkouts with the BBC2s still requiring 139.
The previous six legs of this exciting battle had all gone with the advantage of throw so when the Taverners won the toss to start the deciding leg you wondered if this would prove significant.
The Taverners now knew that for the fifth time they were going to be involved a 7 leg thriller but were determined that for the first time they would end up on the right side of the scoreline.
The Railway Club side crucially edged the scoring to reach the checkout first and, with their rivals sitting on 140, up stepped the Taverners’ skipper Simon Cobb who held his nerve to check out on 44 (single-5, single 7, double-16) to secure the 4-3 win and finally end his team’s 16 year wait for a trophy.
In the men’s league RHP Darts of Hazzard, who finished bottom two season’s ago, have clinched third place this time around after they came from behind to defeat Castle and Falcon Projectile Dysfunction 4-1. Michael Rawle’s 76 checkout had given the bottom side the lead
before finishes from Jon Gough, Paul Gallacher and a brace from Steve Alexander earned RHP their highest ever finishing position.
In the ladies division reigning champions, Castle & Falcon Bangers, have taken advantage of Railway Youngers’ inactivity to go top of the table following their hard-fought 9-6 victory over third-placed Wheatsheaf Wandering Misfits secured by Karen Whittaker’s checkout in
the concluding team leg.
The Bangers had found themselves 4-0 down after the pairs but singles wins by Whittaker and Fran Paterson plus two drawn encounters had set up the team leg decider.
Elsewhere singles wins by Di Nuttall and Stacey Grand-Scrutton helped Falcoholics defeat RHP Ladies 10-5 and victories by Lorraine Shereston and Jane Hartley enabled Caffs Ladies to overcome King’s Queens 9-6 while Collingham Mother Chuckers beat Railway Club Artists 10-5 helped by singles victories from Leanne Forman and Rachel Raikes.
