Shropshire in the top half after second win
Shropshire have climbed into the top half of the BDO British Inter-Counties Championship Division Four after making it back-to-back victories.
The county darters built on their win at then league leaders Gloucestershire to leapfrog visitors Breconshire in their ensuing home fixture,
A first home success at the third attempt of the campaign bodes well for their penultimate league tie of the season.
Welcoming the Isle of Wight to Castle Hall in Bridgnorth on the weekend commencing April 2 wraps things up on their own turf, before they begin their finale at Middlesex on April 23.
Play got underway against Breconshire last Saturday for two days with the ladies B pairings, where Shropshire trailed after losing 4-2.
Breconshire's Kaye Hales top scored with an average of 18.48 to beat Caroline Powell 3-1, while the hosts' Suzanne Lane notched 15.34 for a 3-0 whitewash over Janthia Layton (13.64).
Grace Angell, 14, made it three wins out of three in county action for Shropshire with 13.42 over a 3-1 defeat of Donna Hilton (13.23).
Team-mate Sophie Fawcett, 15, lost 3-2 with 13.02 after a 3-2 last leg battle with Jane Smith (13.66), as Breconshire seized the early advantage.
There was more work to do for Shropshire after the away line-up extended their lead with the men's B proceedings, coming out on top 7-5.
Breconshire's Andrew Rough racked up 24.76 to record a 3-2 verdict over Martin Angell (22.97), while Shropshire's Louis Burley got 25.99 but still lost 3-2 to Dave Williams (24.66).
Andre Knox needed a last leg decider to establish the highest winning average for Shropshire B, with 24.52 to see off Tim Boulter (26.02).
The fightback gathered pace with a 4-2 result for Shropshire in the ladies A meeting, halving Breconshire's advantage.
Stephanie Clarke remains unbeaten for the home county this season and excelled here, with 22.00 in a 3-1 vanquishing of Louisa Fox (16.04).
Marie Riggs also impressed for Shropshire with 21.17 in a 3-0 shut-out of Helen Thomas-Evans (17.06), while Breconshire's Joy Toghill got 16.28 to oust Mandy Morgan (15.25) in the last leg.
It was all riding on the men's A clashes from there, where Shropshire levelled and then surged ahead for a vital 8-4 scoreline.
Play was upgraded to a best-of-seven format. The home side's Richard Parker notched the highest average of the weekend, with 30.83 in a 4-0 landslide over Stuart Nicholls (26.06).
Andrew Chatter was hot on his heels with 29.60 in a 4-2 vanquishing of Mike Rowlands (27.57), while Breconshire's Richard Langlois had 26.01 for a 4-3 win over Roger Taylor (23.85).
Shropshire closed out proceedings by claiming a 19-17 match victory, gaining three extra points as the winning county.
