Matthew Glover wins Newark & District Double Board Darts League’s Premier Singles title after winning the Premiership 2025 grand-finals at the Castle & Falcon
Matthew Glover is the new Newark & District Double Board Darts League’s Premier Singles champion after an impressive performance secured victory in the Premiership 2025 grand-finals held at the Castle & Falcon.
Glover, who went into the play-offs as top seed after finishing top of the league stage, was hoping to secure the crown at the seventh time of asking since making his debut in the competition in 2016 and after suffering the disappointment of exiting at the semi-final stage on the last four occasions.
Glover had suffered just three defeats all season and one of those was against his semi-final opponent Simon Cobb but he got off to the perfect start as he won the opening three legs. Cobb, the only former champion in this year’s field, won the fourth leg but Glover responded by taking the next two to lead 5-1 and move to within a leg of his first final. Cobb rallied to reduce the deficit to 5-3 and had chances in the next to close the gap further but he failed to take his opportunity and Glover checked out to secure a 6-3 win.
The second semi-final saw competition debutant and second seed Jon Dawn up against Stuart Glover, who was hoping to reach his third final. Despite taking the opening leg against the throw, his hopes of a title match against his son never materialised as Dawn won the next six legs without reply to record a 6-1 victory.
The final was much closer than the scoreline would suggest but Matthew Glover’s better finishing in a quality match was the difference. Glover took the opener with a 20 checkout (single-10, double-5) with Dawn lying in wait on 60 before doubling his lead with a double-10 finish after his opponent had failed to take his chances. The next leg saw Glover hole out on double-15 with his opponent hoping for a shot at 72 before Dawn suffered more anguish in the next two legs as he failed to take his opportunities and Glover increased his advantage to 5-0 with checkouts of 50 and double-1. Dawn started the sixth and ultimately final leg with 100 but Glover responded with a 120 and once again, after chances on both sides, Glover secured the victory with a double-9 checkout to deservedly claim his first Premier Singles crown with a terrific 6-0 win.
The first silverware of the season has been decided in the ladies’ league with King’s Queens winning the subsidiary cup following a hard fought 10-5 victory over Caffs Ladies.
The Queens had led 3-1 after the opening pairs encounters but Caffs, who had lost in last season’s final to RHP Ladies, drew level at 3-3 following Jane Hartley’s victory over Andi Atherley in the opening singles clash. Two drawn matches followed before the Queens edged in front again after Sandra Baker defeated Caffs’ skipper Chris Henderson.
Despite the Queens leading 7-5 the concluding three-point team leg would decide the outcome but it was the King’s Arms side who completed the victory as Baker landed the crucial checkout with a double-2 finish with Caffs lying in wait on 23.
In league action Railway Youngers have stretched their lead to 18 points after Louise Fletcher’s checkout in the team leg secured them an important 10-5 victory in their top of the table clash with Falcoholics.
During the match, Falcoholics’ Sarah Burge recorded the season’s highest score of 119 (bullseye, single-19, bullseye).
Elsewhere Collingham FC MC are up to fourth after singles wins by Sharon Hovey and Leanne Forman, who also checked out in the team leg, helped them secure an 11-4 victory over Wheatsheaf Wanderers.
It was cup action in the men’s division and the knock-out cup holders Rose & Crown Marauders are in the final again but they were pushed all the way RHP 26ers. Checkouts from Charlie Ashley and Steve Alexander had given RHP an early 2-0 lead before the Marauders fought back with finishes from Steven Barnett, Mark Neal and Jason Hill to turn the match 3-2 in their favour. Ashley was on target again in the sixth leg to regain RHP parity but they were unable to complete the fightback as the Marauders produced their best darts of the night to clinch a 4-3 win with Ryan Holland checking out on 24 with RHP still on 323.
In the final they will play Wheatsheaf Bellies & Bullseyes who came from behind to defeat Wheatsheaf Phoenix 4-1 with checkouts from Neil Ward, Dave Thompson and a brace from Kevin Rose.
In the John Browne Subsidiary Cup, The Taverners and Castle & Falcon Arrows are through to the semi-finals after a hat-trick of checkouts from Matthew Glover helped the Taverners come from behind to edge out Balderton Cricket Club 4-3 while checkouts from Dave Hindson, Lionel Garrad and two from Andy Norris earned the Arrows a 4-1 win over Castle & Falcon BBC2s.
