Title still in doubt despite finishing 50-game campaign

ROYAL Naval Arms A finished their campaign with an 8-5 victory over Brewery Tap A to finish their 50-game season with 521 points, but they don’t know whether it will be good enough to lift the Plymouth and District Friday League title.

Tap’s Antony Hayman (28.60) (pictured) made sure of the individual title when he defeated his nearest rival Andy Bates in 35, but Bates on 46 points, will now have to play off for second place against Windmill’s Steve Marker after the Windmill marksman won his final match.

Second placed Kings Tamerton CC defeated Victory Inn 8-5 and a 13-0 win in their final match would put them on 522 points, one above Royal Naval Arms A.

But even that may not be enough as City Social, who defeated Porters 12-1 with Jordan Grimshaw (30.33) winning in 33 and Simon Cunningham hitting two maximums in a solid singles victory, could still pip both of them.

Social are now on 496 points but have two matches in hand and two 13-0 victories could put the spanner in the works.

Indian Inn A showed good form in edging out their stablemates Indian B 7-6 and recorded the best game of the week when Paul Gavican and Steve Ebsworth won their doubles in 27 darts (37.07).

Trailing 6-5, Indian Inn A secured victory when Tony Birch and Bryan Hodgins won the last two singles.

A singles win in 34 for George Beckett (29.44) was the highlight of Steam Packet’s 12-1 win against The Tradesman while The Windmill defeated City Social B 11-2.

Mark Shears (30.33) earned the plaudits with a singles victory in 33, aided by four throws of 140.

Indian A’s Paul Gavican recorded the week’s highest checkout with a mark of 116 while also on target were Jack Botterill (113) and Andrew Nation (109).

Other results: Queen & Constitution 3, Dinky Diner A 10; Octagon 8, Weston Mill OV 5; Cherry Tree 8, Railway Inn 5; The Fawn 6, Pennycross SC 7; Brewery Tap B 7, Royal Naval Arms B 6; Bull and Bush 8, Queens Dock 5.