Louise Fletcher wins Newark & District Double Board Darts League’s ladies singles title for the first time

Louise Fletcher has been crowned the Newark & District Double Board Darts League’s ladies singles champion for the first time after the Railway Youngers player came out on top at the Castle & Falcon.

Fletcher, whose previous best performance in the competition came nine years ago when she was beaten in final by Linda Gregory, was in fine form as she went one better on this occasion to secure the crown.

Her opening match of the night saw Fletcher overcome Wheatsheaf’s Helen Wheeler 2-0 before edging home 2-1 against Stacey Grand-Scrutton of the Falcoholics. In her semi-final she was up against Collingham FC’s Amy Rayney and a 2-0 win clinched a place in the final.

Fletcher’s opponent in the final was the reigning summer league champion Linda Brockson of Wheatsheaf Wanderers. Brockson started her campaign with a 2-1 victory over team-mate Ann Hubbard before a 2-0 win over Falcoholics’ Sam Rawle earned her a semi-final clash with nine-time winner Gregory, which she also won 2-0.

Fletcher outscored her opponent in the opening leg of the final as she checked out on double-7 with Brockson still requiring 114 but the summer league champion responded in the next as she gained parity with a double-17 finish with Fletcher lying in wait for a shot at double-4.

A tight third leg saw both players miss several opportunities before Fletcher checked out on double-2 to re-establish her lead and move to within one leg of victory. The fourth and ultimately final leg saw Fletcher outscore Brockson and reach the double first against the throw and with her opponent waiting in vain for a shot at 80 she held her nerve to sink double-4 to wrap up a 3-1 win and claim her first singles crown.

The men’s competition saw a repeat of the previous year’s final with reigning champion Neil Ward once again pitting his wits against team-mate John Esam.

Ward, of Wheatsheaf Bellies & Bullseyes, started his defence with a 2-0 win against Wheatsheaf Phoenix’s Mark Jackson before dropping his only leg of the night as he came from behind to defeat Steve Alexander of RHP 26ers 2-1. His quarter-final tie saw him overcome Rose & Crown Marauders’ Ryan Holland 2-0 before once again claiming his place in the final with a 2-0 semi-final win against Jon Gough of the RHP 26ers.

Esam, who was hoping to clinch a fifth winter league singles crown, opened the night with a 2-0 victory over Marauders’ Andy Brown before he had to come from behind to edge out Phoenix skipper Richard Durham 2-1. A 2-0 quarter-final win over team-mate Dave Thompson followed before he earned a seventh final appearance with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over reigning summer league champion Steven Barnett of the Marauders.

The final was a fitting way to the end a terrific night of action with both players producing quality darts but Ward’s clinical finishing and consistent high scoring, which saw him not score below 60 in the entire match apart from when setting up finishes and checking out, gave him the crucial edge.

A terrific opening leg saw Esam, whose only two previous final losses had come at the hands of Ward, have a chance to take the leg against the throw but he just failed to land 78 which allowed Ward to check out on 42 (single-10, double-16) to gain the early advantage. The second leg proved to be pivotal with Esam not taking advantage of the throw as he failed to match his high-scoring in the opening leg and with him still requiring 181 Ward produced an 18-dart leg culminating with a 41 checkout of single-9 and double-16.

The third and ultimately final leg of this absorbing showdown saw both players produce a special leg of darts which resulted in them both hitting 15 consecutive single-20s each to leave the two rivals sat on 101. Ward then scored 59 to leave 42 before Esam attempted a shot at 101 to keep the match alive but just failed to land the required bulls-eye with his second dart. So it was left to Ward to wrap up the match and he duly obliged as he checked out on 42 (single-10, double-16) to seal a terrific 3-0 win and claim his third winter league singles title.