Ker St defeat city rivals Maritime in Super showdown

KER St Social Club have moved to within one point of premier division leaders Winchester Warriors, after they defeated reigning champions Maritime Social Club in the Devon County Super League.

Dave Roberts (22.46) got the Devonport side off the mark with a 4-3 victory only for Paul Palmer (21.94) to come from 3-1 down and win 4-3, to bring the teams level.

Scott Lawrey (23.02) edged Ker St back in front with a 4-2 win and the same winning scoreline was also achieved by Dave Algar (23.59) whose win included a 15-dart leg and a checkout of 118.

Gary Phillips (23.50) increased Ker St’s advantage to 4-1, aided by a 15-darter before Mark Turner (21.10) halted Maritime’s demise with a 4-3 victory after trailing 3-1.

Mark Hatherley (23.37) then won Ker St the decisive fifth point followed by a man of the match performance from Marc Creswell (24.85) (pictured left) before John Mann (23.86) emerged a clinical 4-0 winner for Maritime.

Porters missed an opportunity to move up into third spot when they were defeated 6-3 at home to Exmouth side Muff Boyz.

Only Antony Hayman was a home winner from the first four sets and attained a 29.10 average, winning 4-1 in 18, 13, 14 and 20, aided by three maximums.

Mark Shears (25.05) won in four straight legs, including a leg in 13, followed by a win from Lewis Dare (25.57).

Dare had won the first three legs in 18, 17 and 17 but was taken the full distance before taking the seventh and decisive leg in 20.

But hopes of a home victory were dashed when the next two sets went awry with only one leg won.

Poison Ivy (Westward Inn) consolidated third spot in division one and are only five points behind the leaders, with a match in hand, after they came from behind to edge out Cullompton RFC 5-4.

Victories by a 4-3 margin were achieved by both Dave Matthews (23.03) and Lee Agar (22.01) as the first four sets were shared before the visitors took two on the bounce to move to within one win of victory.

But with their backs to the wall, the Lee Mill side had Mike Pearce (22.03) and Tex Pearce (20.20) both winning to bring the teams level at 4-4, before Neil White (21.38), despite trailing 3-1, dug deep to win 4-3.

Maritime Social Club remain top of the ladies’ division after their trip to Cully Belles (Cullompton) resulted in a 6-1 victory.

There were 3-1 successes for Kim Reilly, Sue Pullen and Tracy Dring while Mel Sharpe and Yas Coldwell both won without dropping a leg as did lady-of-the-match Jodie Hawton (17.28).

Levy Ladies produced their best performance to date and returned from Exeter with a 6-1 victory after beating Loco Ladies.

The highlight of the match was an outstanding 3-0 victory from England international Maria O’Brien who won in 14, 17 and 23 for a 27.83 average.

Anna Johnson (16.89) also won in three straight legs as did Chrissie Kinnaird (18.33) and Trish Penberthy (15.82) who finished a 21-dart leg with an out shot of 110.

Sarah Brown (16.58) won 3-1 as did Cat Callard (pictured above), who produced a solid performance to finish with a 22.33 average.

Both Callard and Kinnaird hit maximum scores and O’Brien’s excellent performance has enabled her to move to the top of the averages.