Devon Youth win double-header to go second in table

DEVON Youth faced Gwent in a Southern Youth League double-header at Heavitree Social Club, Exeter, and won both matches to go second in the table.

The Welsh visitors won the opening game of the Under 18s fixture, only for Devon to respond by taking four on the bounce.

Jordan Grimshaw (20.96) emerged a 3-1 winner followed by Owen Bates (20.88) who won in three straight legs.

Frankie Stout (22.10) (pictured) also won 3-0 with a man-of-the-match performance before Pacey Large (20.00) won 3-1.

Gwent won the last point, but Devon’s 4-3 overall victory was the perfect platform for the girls to build on.

And build on it they did with three splendid victories.

Rhea Winsor (16.89) was a 3-0 winner as was Cleo Trelease before Emma Leverett rounded it off with a 3-1 success.

Devon now had a 7-3 lead but their Under 21s found the opposition too good on the day and crashed to a 4-1 defeat with Kieran Peek (17.78) the only home winner.

But when the maths was done, that solitary point was enough to give Devon an 8-7 victory.

Devon went into their second fixture full of confidence and opened up a 2-0 advantage when Kyle Grant and Luis Green won after they both had to go the full distance.

Gwent pulled one back only for Jordan Grimshaw (20.88) to win 3-0, followed by another man-of-the-match performance from 13-year-old Frankie Stout (22.39).

Gwent took the penultimate point before Owen Bates (16.70) emerged a 3-0 winner for an emphatic 5-2 victory.

The girls were reliable once again and victories from Cleo Trelease (3-0) and Emma Leverett (3-2) increased Devon’s overall advantage to 7-3.

Harry Bull (24.22), who was back in the fold after a two-year absence, caught the eye when winning the first point in the Under 21s fixture, but Devon could only win once more.

Curtis Green put in an excellent showing and in winning 3-0, earned himself a single dart average of 25.47.

But despite losing the last discipline 3-2, Devon came out on top for a second time and the 9-6 scoreline puts them just seven points away from top place, but with a match in hand.