THE EURONICS DARTS LEAGUE 16 APRIL 2015

Well that’s it folks, the conclusion of yet another Euronics season, one of the best yet. At the top of the pile Hub Meerkats retained their unbeaten record for successive seasons and the league title, but only just as the Hyenas took them to the wire with a draw, shared points and plenty of smiles.

Simon Williams Hyenas finished a comfortable second and well deserved, with Porter House ending third, their highest position to date. In Division 2 Breakaways were comfortable champions, losing just the one match, but taken to a draw on five occasions, this week by Karl Mallinson´s Ale House who have really found their mark of late.

Que Pasa Kestrels finish strongly to finish a well deserved second, their tenth victory of the season and a real together side. Well done! Just three more weeks of the season remaining this week both Cup Finals are taking place, the first at Porter House where the Meerkats take on the Hyenas and down at Playa Flamenca in the Busters bar where Pint Depot Kings hope to topple the Porters from Porter House.

The following week, April 30th, is reserved for Semi-Finals of Mens, Ladies individuals, pairs and triples. The week after, May 7th will finalise all competitions and conclude the 2014-2015 season with the presentation of prizes. Both weeks will be at the Celler venue, formerly Decades and will include a complimentary buffet and the renowned league raffle with prizes valued at around €1,000.

A captains notice will be distributed this week advising all players of registration and start times. Both evenings will have an 8.00 p.m. start with players registration opening at 7 p.m. but closing at 7.45 p.m. irrespective of the timing of individual events. Presentation evening will also include the Leader Newspaper Merit Awards for teams, ladies and mens performances which have been contested all season on a weekly basis.

On to this week´s darts and the top match Meerkats v. Hyenas. Several players in current form really made it a night to remember. Nearly 50 tons and ton pluses most going the way of the Hyenas included a maximum from cuddly Spice and a wire away from a 144 out from Shaun Smith (after hitting 2 treble 20s). Lee Maiden just missed the bull for a more modest 127 out, but team mate Dave Frew topped the lot with a 142 out on D20. Magnificent!

The Kats got off to a lively start via Paul Durrant on an 80 out, Smith hitting a 140 for the Hyenas. Spicer levelled on D16 and then hit a ton in the third, Smith adding two more. But it was Kat Frew who completed the leg on D5 after finding 133 and 121. Frew then partnered Pat Abrams in the first pair, Abrams opening with a 140, Smith a ton. Requiring 142, Frew found T17 first dart, unusual to say the least, then a further T17 and lastly D20 for a super 142 finish.

Alex Nikolov made it 3-2 for the Kats plus a 140 followed by Spicer and Joe Hawkins expecting to level after a ton and 180 from the cuddly one. It was however Maiden who closed out for a 4-2 half time lead. Spicer opened the singles against Del Kingsbury in a shared 6 ton thriller, the Hyena coming out on top 2-0. Smith made it all square with 3 tons, opponent Maiden hitting 100 and 2×140. Abrams gave the Kats a slender one leg advantage taking out John Eyre, followed by Durrant winning two legs to nil against Harrison ensuring the draw and more importantly keeping the Kats unbeaten record intact.

Nikolov faced Hawkins in the 11th and took the opener on D10 after a 103. A further two tons followed from the Bulgarian, Hawkins finding two of his own plus D16 to level. Two more tons from the Hyena were enough to see off the Nikolov challenge, Hawkins completing the 501 on D1. Frew took the first on D20 in the last match of the evening hoping to take the match for the Kats. Opponent Joe Miller had other ideas and returned 2×100 in the first, 140,100 and D20 in the second and 140,100,D18 in the third for a well deserved draw.

Breakaways finished their season as top dogs of Division 2, with just one defeat, but it so nearly was two as the Ale House went 6-4 up with a real chance of toppling the champions. It was 3 apiece at half time, courtesy of Ivan Jones D18 Sarah Simpson D3 and Paul Lear D4 for the Breakaways. Ian Phillips D4, Kay Hobbis D1 and Karl Mallinson D18 gaining the honours for the Ale House. Kelvin Angel made it 4-3 for the Alers on D16, Mike Douglas 95,100 and D2 making it all square once again.

Brian Hobbis had a tidy game finishing on D2 for the Alers fifth leg, followed by Tony Woods ensuring the draw on D2 against a lively Mike Snow. With a win in their sights Mallinson´s men looked a certainty for both points. Enter left the reliable Sarah Simpson to take the 11th on D4 and Jones on D2 for the 12th leg draw and shared points.

The Porter House ended the season on a convincing win against the Junction Jackals. A 5-1 half time lead, pointed the way to a heavy Jackals defeat, despite three tons in the second triple from Phil de Lacy, Kenny Wilkinson and Jimmy Gray, in a leg won by Peter Ayres on D14. It went the other way in the third, Matt Jackson hitting 2×100 but Steph Simpson finding D10 for the Jackals only leg of the match.

Sid Cross 135,D2, Ray Hayes 100,D8, Ray Sanderson D20 and Ayres D9 taking the Porters total to 5 at the break. Jackson had a comfortable win in the first singles on D10 and D19, similarly Brian Nash 140,95,D9,D20 to take the match and points. Debbie Metcalfe won two of the three against Simpson on D8 and D4 in a game that included a 121 and 90 for the Porter.

Nice one Debbie. Ayres gave his usual sound performance with 2×121, D20 and D4, Cross doing a similar job on de Lacy. Captain Ray Sanderson concluded the evening winning two of three on D4 against Nigel Elvery.

Finally, Derek Kingsbury and myself have decided this is to be our last season at the helm of the Euronics league. This year is our sixth full session after taking over the Luke Salt league part way through the 2009 season. One or two changes have been implemented, primarily our sponsorship with the Euronics company and Debbie Wright who have been exceptionally generous and supportive during their three years of involvement.

The Leader newspaper has also played a major part in the Euronics success by way of informing our players of results within the full page coverage of Euronics darts every week.

We introduced the free issue top of the range dart board to ensure every team played on the same quality board week in week out, a new one issued each season. Most recently, in fact for the past two seasons, each bar has been allocated around 9 adverts per season published in the Leader, all part of the participants entry fees. Quite innovative and well received.

All in all, I hope the readers of this column, players and bars have enjoyed their six seasons of Thursday evening darts as we both have enjoyed yours for 99% of the time!

A report will of course be published to cover the next three weeks of Euronics darts. Over and out!

Filed under: http://www.theleader.info/article/47001/

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