Brooklands still setting the pace
Week six of the CRF Shrewsbury Premier Darts League saw the top two meet for a second time in three weeks and this time league leaders Brooklands successfully defended their position with a fine 5-3 home win against the Admiral Duncan.
It would be the visitors who made the better start going two up through Terry Nash and Kev Rogers.
But Dan Dean, Paul McMullen and Matt Elsey hit back for the hosts. Mike Coyne levelled matters but Brooklands took the pairs games to clinch the win.
Without doubt the game of the night was the clash between third-placed Mytton and fifth-placed Masonic.
The fourth match on saw Paul Rowley (30.70 one-dart average) take on Eddie Price (29.04) with the duo sharing 25 ton-plus scores in five legs.
Price led 2-0 following 16 and 13-dart legs only for Rowley to take the final three games.
Jim Elsey pitched an 11-darter, equalling the least darts thrown this season, as The Masonic took the singles 6-0. Mytton had the consolation of taking both pairs.
The Compasses continue to head in the right direction after they felled the Woodman 8-0 at Coton Hill to move up to second place.
Jon Mansell stared for the visitors with a one-dart 26 average while brother James checked out on 111 in one of three games that went the full five legs. It was a fourth successive defeat for the Woodman who remain just outside the bottom two.
Hop & Friar were the second team of the night to enjoy a whitewash as they saw off visiting Wheatsheaf.
John Roberts led the way for the hosts with two maximums while team-mates Evonne Taylor and Steve Ritchie fired one each.
Another team enjoying back-to-back wins were the Heathgates, who triumphed 5-3 at the Charles Darwin.
Jason Evans put the Heathgates ahead, although Rob Paine (25.40) did level. The visitors regained the lead through Phil Atter and appeared to be in control with further wins for Ian Evans and Steve Guyatt, who landed a 180.
The Darwin fought back with Andy Mullinder taking the last singles before he joining forces with Nigel Neale to win the first pairs and reduce the deficit to one.
Steve Guyatt and Ian Evans then combined to close out victory for the Heathgates, who move up one place to seventh.
Inn On The Green A secured their first victory of the season at the expense of the Dickin, who still await their first point.
In a game that saw the lead change several times after Phil Passant put the IOTG A ahead, the visitors soon made a game of it following wins for Matt Price and Neil Southern. The hosts hit back after Sacha Rothwell survived three-match darts against Che Kerin. Sam Breakes regained the lead for the Dickin before Craig Davies, aided by a 1880, levelled up once more. Both pairs then went the way of the IOTG A.
And Inn On The Green B also won, 6-2 away at the Royal Oak. The highlight of the night was a brilliant 158 checkout from Royal’s Mark Walker.
Before all matches were played a glass was raised in memory of Gordon Draycott, who sadly passed away recently.
Gordon was instrumental in helping establish the Shrewsbury Premier League and was captain of the Crown Abbey Foregate side that were league winners for the first two seasons.
