A good turn-out of 26 players entered for the ‘B’ League Singles. This was well up on last year’s entry and, as in all competitions, there were some surprise results – like all of the RBLM players going out at the first hurdle and, by quarter-final time, there were three players from Kirkwall-based teams and five from teams outwith Kirkwall.
There were then two each in the semi-finals – Jamie Robertson and Neil Croy from the Kirkwall teams and Ryan Tulloch and Derek Ward Jnr from across the Barriers.
It was Derek and Neil who made it to the final and what a final it was, with the games going the whole hog.
Neil won the first leg, but Derek took the next three to lead 3-1 and only needed one leg. But he never got it, as Neil reeled off the next three to win 4-3.
It’s a pity there had to be a loser, as both these young men played their hearts out and, with all the other good players on show, I think the future of Kirkwall darts looks very bright indeed.
The Williamson’s ‘A’ League is on its last games for the first half, and the Legion are sure to be leading by at least five points, as they thumped Sanday 11-1, while their nearest challengers, Untouchables, dropped points, as the Untouchables ‘A’ held them to a six-all draw.
In fact, it was a week for draws, as the Wanderers also drew 6-6 with the Commodores and that was also the score at Quoyburray, as the ‘B’ team held Meadowbank.
It was a second point for Quoyburray ‘B’, but they still haven’t won a game as of yet.
There was no trouble for the Golf Club though, as they beat the other Quoyburray teams 9-3.
There’s still a couple of games to play in the Williamson’s ‘B’ League and they must be played by Friday, December 16, or the committee will decide the outcome. The one postponed game played saw the Murray Arms go clear in second spot with an 8-4 defeat of Shore ‘2’, but they are nine points behind RBLM.
There were 180s from Ian Linklater, Derek Ward Jnr, Jamie Robertson, Martin Peace, Robbie Stanger, Kevin Gray, two from Billy Ward and three from the ‘B’ Singles Champion Neil Croy. High finishes: 101 Martin Peace; 115 Fraser Laird; 116 Hendry Bateman; 142 from Aaron Mitchell. 158 is still the top finish in the Williamson’s ‘A’ League, from Derek Firth, and Glen Miller has the lead in the Williamson’s ‘B’ League, on 152. One detail missed from a previous report was that father and son doubles partnership Robbie and Sean Stanger had an 11 dart leg in a recent match.
It’s a big night on Friday night, with the visit of the West Mainland ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams for the annual East v West encounters. It’s in the Masonic Club at 8 p.m. and then on Friday, December 16, it’s the fourth ranking points event, with the Festive Singles in the Legion at 7.30 p.m. It’s open, and there’s the raffle also.
Ranking points after three events:
D. Firth 31; I. Leslie 18; K. Gray 17; G. B. Moar 17; B. Moar 15; R. Stanger 14; M. Moodie 8; Roy Foubister 8; S. Linklater 7; G. Rendall 6; D. Ward Jnr 6; C. Moar 6; I. Wilkie 5; I. Linklater 5; M. Louttit 5; B. Murray 5; C. Kirkpatrick 5; B. Stevenson 5; D. Gillespie 3; G. Louttit 3; D. Kirkpatrick 3; R. Gatt 3; M. Muir Jnr 3; C. Taylor 3; L. Shearer 3; R. Donaldson 3; P. Foubister 3; J. Flett 3; M. Peace 3; T. Shearer 3; B. Ward 3.
RESULTS
‘B’ League, Singles Final: Neil Croy beat Derek Ward Jnr 4-3.
Williamson’s ‘A’ League: Legion 11, Sanday 1; Wanderers 6, Commodores 6; Quoyburray ‘B’ 6, Meadowbank 6; Untouchables ‘A’ 6, Untouchables 6; OGC 9, Quoyburray 3.
Williamson’s ‘B’ League: Murray Arms 8, Shore ‘2’ 4.
FIXTURES
Friday, December 9: East ‘A’ and ‘B’ v West ‘A’ and ‘B’, Masonic Club, 8 p.m.
Friday, December 16: Festive Open Singles, Legion, 7.30 p.m.