League Round 3 - 13th August 2013

Match Report
Ben v Glen
Glen opened the scoring with a string of good totals including a 140, Shanghai 120 and a couple at 80+ to build a commanding lead and reach his checkout while Ben still faced over 250. But double trouble not only left the door ajar; it opened it wide to let Ben work his way down to a closing double which he hit to take a most unlikely lead. A timely 132 from Ben gave him a shot at double-top to take the second leg before Glen regained his concentration and found his target to get a leg back on his own throw. The final leg was close score-wise but both players missed countless attempts at their doubles before ending up in the madhouse: double-1. In the end it was Glen who found the target first to draw the match 2-2.

Ram v Ben
Ram came out with guns blazing to build a good lead in the opening leg, hitting a 140 and a ton and carried on to his 65 checkout with a comfortable margin. Ben came back in the second leg with a big opening throw of 134 followed by an 80+ while Ram strayed into the 5 too many times. Ben maintained his lead in the leg and checked out quickly to level the match. Another good leg from Ben broke Ram's throw, but the wheels fell off in the final leg and some loose arrows gave Ram plenty of opportunity to come back and take the leg for a 2-2 draw.

Nick v Ram
Nick wasted no time from the off, hammering darts in with 20 after 20, several of them trebles. Ram was still straying into the 5 too often and Nick went two legs up in next to no time with great accuracy on his doubles. Ram picked up in the third leg and even though Nick put in three 100s he was in with a chance when, with 70 remaining, his shot at treble-10 hit a 15 but his next dart for a big 15 to leave double-top went wide of the mark, out of the board to dash his hopes. Nick cleaned up with his next throw to win 3-0.

Darren v James
With a reputation as James' bogey player, Darren had the psychological edge going into the last match of the night. James was having none of it though, and threw some steady darts while Darren, usually deadly on the 19s, hit too many 7s and 3s to keep up with the scoring, and leg after leg went James' way. Final score 3-0: a decent performance from James and hopefully a sign that he is returning to the form he showed last season.

Bonus points were awarded to Nick and James for their clean sheets. Ram won the £5 for the highest checkout with his 65, while he and Glen shared the £5 for the highest score with 140.

• Results & Fixtures
• League Table

Next Week
Tom and Claire return from their holidays for Round 4 and Anne is hopeful that she will finally be fit. The fixtures (barring unplanned absences) will be:

• Anne v Ben
• Claire v Nick
• Darren v Nick
• Glen v Anne
• Ram v Tom
• Tom v James

League Round 2 - 6th August 2013

Although our numbers were down with people being away on holidays, we saw some good matches in Round 2.

Match Report
James v Glen
Glen started well and took an early lead with some good darts. James wasn't playing at his best but came back with a 140 and a very steady 71 checkout to avoid a whitewash. With both players throwing consistently it was close and they deserved to share the spoils with a 2-2 draw.

Ben v James
Ben had never beaten James in the league and didn't hold out much hope going into this match, but a run of good scores in the 80's and 90's together with accurate checkouts saw him take a 2-0 lead. While James kept the pressure on in the 3rd leg, Ben started to show his usual inconsistency with some low scores allowing James back into the match. The final leg was pretty one-sided with Ben looking tired as James kept his unbeaten record with a 2-2 draw.

Nick v Glen
This was the first time the two had met in the league; they had played each other socially with Nick reportedly having the best of it, and it was Nick who went ahead before Glen came back in the second with a good 66 checkout. Several 100's from Glen were matched by Nick's 80+ totals with Nick having fewer wild arrows straying into the 5 and 1 overall, but in the end it all came down to the checkouts, where both players had chances in equal measure. A very close encounter finished with the third 2-2 draw of the night.

Darren v Ram
Darren didn't play badly but Ram was on fire, banging in ton-plus scores including a 180 (I enjoyed calling that one in traditional Lakeside fashion), 140 and 135. Darren kept plugging away with steady scores around the 60 mark but Ram was building too much of a lead with the big totals and had little pressure on him to check out. 3-0 to Ram.

• Results & Fixtures
• League Table

Next Week
Next week will be Round 3. Tom and Claire are still on holiday but I'm hoping Anne will be fit to make her first appearance.

• Anne v Ben
• Ben v Glen
• Darren v James
• Nick v Anne
• Ram v Ben

League Round 1 - 30th July 2013

Last night saw the return of the Premier League. We have nine players this time and everybody will play everyone else twice.

Match Report
Darren v Ben
Darren opened the night's action in a close first leg. With decent middling scores from both players it came down to the wire but the advantage of throwing first proved decisive as Darren checked out double-9. The second leg also went with the darts, levelling the match and guaranteeing a fourth leg. Some poor throws from Ben gave Darren the edge in the third leg to break the throw but the favour was returned in the last leg and both players were happy with a well-deserved draw 2-2.

Claire v Tom
In a lengthy first leg both players threw some wayward arrows but it was Claire who found the target to checkout and take the lead. Tom came back with some better scoring including the night's best 138 and also a 135 (narrowly missing out on a 180 when his third dart landed the wrong side of the wire in the treble-5). But Claire came back in the fourth leg. With both players aiming for their finishing double she found the target first to gain the draw 2-2 to a round of applause.

Nick v James
Finding his form after a lean few weeks of knockouts, James hit consistently good scores and even though Nick didn't play badly he didn't get a look in. James checked out three legs in succession, including the night's highest out of 66 to win 3-0, earning a bonus point for the clean sheet.

Ram v Glen
An unusually scrappy display from Simmonds senior saw Glen race to a two leg lead but Ram fought back in the third, opening with consecutive 100s as Glen's form dipped briefly and winning a leg back. However the respite was short-lived as Glen came back strongly in the final leg of the night to win 3-1.

Congratulations to James who gained a bonus point for his 3-0 win along with £5 for the highest checkout, and to Tom who won £5 for the highest score.

• Results & Fixtures
• League Table

Next Week
Round 2 will be played next Tuesday.

• Ben v Glen 
• Ben v James 
• Darren v Ram 
• James v Glen 
• Nick v Anne

Pairs Knockout - 23rd July 2013

Match Report
Eight players for the last knockout before the new Premier League starts and for a change we played pairs, best of 5 legs from 501. The pairs were drawn at random.

Semi Finals
Ben & Glen v James & Sam
It was a slow start from Ben & Glen as James & Sam built up a lead in the first leg, but they allowed Ben & Glen to catch up with some shaky attempts at their doubles before taking the leg. Ben and Glen tightened up their throwing from that point and although it was a close match they took the next three legs to go through 3-1.

Nick & Tom v Ram & Darren
Nick & Tom threw some good, steady darts, including a Shanghai 120 from Nick, and the scores were reasonably close in the second match of the night. However as always it was the checkouts that counted and Ram & Darren hit the target three times to go through with a clean sheet.

Final
Ben & Glen v Ram & Darren
After it took three throws for Bull to decide who threw first a close match seemed on the cards, but some poor throws from Ben gifted the first leg to Ram & Darren. Some good arrows from the pair in the next leg put them 2-0 up before Ben & Glen got their act together, fighting back to take the third with a well-timed 100+ score from Ben to leave the checkout for Glen. But Ram & Darren continued to throw well in the fourth leg, gaining the advantage on the scoreboard and finishing well to win the match and the competition 3-1. The £20 pot was presented to the winners: £10 each.

Next Week
That wraps up the summer knockouts as we start the Premier League next Tuesday. We currently have 9 players signed up, but there is still time to add your name if you want to join us: just come along at 8pm on Tuesday 30th.

As usual the league will take the form of a round robin where every player plays everyone else. Matches are played as the best of 4 legs of 501 with 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw. Bonus points are awarded for a clean sheet (3-0 win) and there are cash prizes for the highest score and highest checkout on the night. In a change from last season there will not be bonus points for the highest score and checkout.

Thank you to everyone who has taken part, and I'll see you next week!

Knockout - 16th July 2013

Due to personal reasons Ben was unable to attend tonight so it was the turn of the darts rabble to pull together and organise a night of darts. A good turnout of nine players including the return of Natasha. Same format as normal, best of 3 games at 501.

Match Report
Preliminary Round
Natasha v James
First on the oche to start the proceedings were Natasha and James in the only preliminary round of the night. Natasha has been absent from the oche for many weeks so it would be fair to say there may have been a few cobwebs in the locker, this clearly wasn't the case and she took the first leg with the dreaded madhouse (double one). In the second leg James produced some much higher scores including the night's top score of 168 which allowed him to take this leg. In the decider it was the high scores from James that proved decisive again allowing him to take the match 2-1.

First Round
Tom v Claire
A match that could have gone either way, in the first leg the inconsistent scoring from Tom and the steady scoring from Claire allowed her to build up a lead and take the leg. In the second leg it was more of the same in regards to the scoring but this time Claire could not find the double, this allowed Tom to catch up and hit the double. In the decider Tom's scoring improved greatly, he got down to the double first and took the match 2-1.

Darren v Nick
Last week's runner up Nick took on Darren who at this point was looking rather dazed probably due to the amount of alcohol consumed. The first and second leg were pretty much the same story, Nick was able to produce high consistent scores regularly hitting the treble 20 while Darren could not even hit a treble of any sort. Nick got down to doubles first in both legs and took them out very quickly to take the match 2-0.

Ram v Sam
It was the turn of last week's and the week before's knockout winner Ram against Sam who every now and again can throw a spanner in the works. This looked like the case with Sam winning the first leg with the highest check out of the night 81 but then Ram showed his class which we have become used to by now. Upping his scores into three figures which Sam could not match, this allowed Ram to take the second leg. In the decider Ram continued his second leg form to book his place in the semi final 2-1.

James v Glen
In the final first round game both players matched each other's scores but fell into double trouble with each player having many darts to take the first leg, eventually James took it with the famous double one check out. This may have affected Glen as in the second leg he was clearly below par which James took full advantage of taking the second leg and taking the last semi final place 2-0.

Semi Final
Tom v Ram
The first semi final and as in the famous quote from Bobby George "Trebles for show and doubles for dough."
In the first and second leg Ram again produced high consistent scores with Tom throwing some steady consistent darts; this allowed Ram to get to the double first on both occasions. Unfortunately in this match Ram could not find the appropriate doubles which allowed Tom to catch up. He accepted the invitation taking out the required doubles to book a place in the final and guarantee some dough 2-0.

Nick v James
In the first leg both players matched scores and reached doubles in similar time, slight double trouble again but it was James who took the leg. The second leg James started to hit the big scores and built up a lead and looked the favourite to take the match but Nick had other ideas finally hitting some big scores and taking out an unorthodox double 17 to take it to a decider.  This leg was over very quickly with Nick hitting big trebles regularly and finishing with a double 8 whilst James was still on three figures to book his place in the final 2-1.

Final
Tom v Nick
This was Tom's first appearance in a knock out final and Nick's second consecutive final so well done to the both of them. After losing last week in the final Nick was on a mission to ensure this didn't happen again and although Tom put up a valiant effort it was the high scores and quick finishing from Nick that won the match and this week's knockout 2-0.

Congratulations to Nick finishing in first place winning £15.00 and well done to Tom for finishing in second place winning £7.50.

Thank you to everyone who turned up and helped organise the knockout, if these same nine people sign up for the league with Ben and the giant killer Anne returning....... it's going to be one open exciting league.

This week's match report was written by James: many thanks. You might've got yourself a new job!

Next Week
It's the last knockout before the start of the big one - the Premier League.

Knockout - 9th July 2013

A different format from usual for this knockout: it was that old favourite double-in. Good practice on the all-important doubles, plus the format tends to prove a great leveller! I must apologise because I've not had much time to write the report this week, so it's just the results.

First Round
Darren 1-2 Ben
Nick 2-0 Sam
James 0-2 Ram
Tom 1-2 Glen

Semi-finals
Ben 1-2 Nick
Ram 2-0 Glen

Final
Nick 2-3 Ram

Well done Ram: second win in a row and the £12.50 first prize. Congratulations to runner up Nick who took home £7.50.

See you all next Tuesday for the last knockout before the new league starts!

Knockout - 2nd July 2013

It was a good turnout for Tuesday night's knockout with eight players including another new player, Claire, joining in for the first time.

Match Report

First Round

James v Tom

First on the oche to get the night under way were James and Tom. A steady performance from James was enough to see him through 2-0.

Sam v Darren

Sam was much quieter than usual as she took on Darren, who hadn't played for a couple of weeks. Some good scores from Sam in a match that went into a deciding third leg which you'd have fancied her to win, especially after Darren scored a personal worst zero in the second leg with all 3 arrows out of the board! But Darren turned things around and finally found his focus to win the third leg convincingly.

Ram v Ben

A confident Ben built up what should have been a decisive lead over Ram in the first leg, helped by a personal best 174, but some loose throws at the finish let the big man back in. It was neck and neck in the second leg with both players scoring well, but it was Ben who checked out to level the match. Ram just had the edge in the equally-close third leg and finished with 24 darts to gain his semi-final spot.

Glen v Claire

Last week's winner Glen took on new player Claire in the last match of the first round. In a low-scoring match it was Claire who had the narrow advantage leading up to the checkouts but with both players having some double trouble it could have gone either way. In the end it was Glen who threw the lucky dart to win 2-0.

Semi Finals

James v Darren

A difficult one to predict with the under-par James against Darren who had such a shaky start in his previous match. In the event Darren threw well, finding his favourite treble 19 regularly and yet again proving to be James's bogey player with a 2-0 win for a place in the final.

Ram v Glen

A Simmonds family affair as Ram took on nephew Glen. Although Glen played better than in the previous round it was not enough to match Ram who appeared to be coasting after his first round battle. A convincing win for age & experience over youth.

Final

Darren v Ram

It was Darren's first appearance in a knockout final as he stepped up against Ram, but any dreams of a fairytale ending were quickly dashed as Ram showed the same form as his previous matches. Darren threw some decent arrows but there only looked like being one winner: 2-0 to Ram.

Next Week

There will be another knockout next Tuesday night and I'm thinking about a different format, possibly double-in... See you all next week!