Bates Takes It To Bluebird

Andy Bates' sixteen three figure scores was a driving force for top team Tradesmans A, who defeated Bluebird C 10-1 in the Monday Premier League.

In a stunning display of scoring, the runaway leaders produced no fewer than sixty-six ton plusses between the six players on show with John Mann and Mike O'Brien hitting eleven tons a piece.

Both Shaun Dring and Jaden Whitting were almost as equally brilliant in their performances as they reached ten tons each.

The Stonehouse based side were equally ruthless at the business end of legs as Mann's 114 checkout was beaten no fewer than three times during the match.

Whitting added a finish of 115 to his ton total whilst Bates' 145 was usurped by Mann who produced a fabulous 160 checkout to go along with his team's only maximum of the match.

Mann paired with Dring (34.34) to take their 601 doubles contest 2-0 with legs of 20 and 15 darts, which bettered a 21 dart leg in O'Brien and Whitting's 2-1 success.

Mann (31.98) returned in the singles to triumph 3-0 thanks to legs of 14, 15 and 18 darts, which started a procession of short legs.

Bates brace of 18 dart legs in his 3-2 win over James Stoodley proved crucial as the veteran withstood legs of 16 and 15 from Stoodley to come out on top.

A leg in 15 from Dring helped him to a 3-1 success before O'Brien took his game in three straight legs with the help of a 17 darter.

The Compton team's only point of an otherwise disappointing evening came from a 3-0 win for Glenn Halford who hit one of two maximums for his team on his way to ten tons; Stoodley with the other.

Andrew Cook top scored with fourteen tons but still found himself on the end of a 6-5 defeat to Indian Inn as his King Billy team fell.

Cook won his singles with the help of legs in 16 and 12 whilst also contributing two of four maximums during match; Sam Truscott and Kevin Lofthouse providing the others.

Thirteen tons from both Sean Taylor and George Beckett lit up a brilliant game between Brewery Tap and Cherry Tree B; the latter running out 8-3 winners.

Beckett got the better of his adversary 3-2 in the singles phase with a brace of 18 darters and a maximum proving the difference between himself and an inspired Taylor.

Beckett's teammate Marc Webber added a second maximum for his team whilst Lewis Byrne struck for the defeated team and a Dave Barton 127 one visit checkout took the high finish honours in the match.

Richard Wheatley's thirteen tons were unmatched in Victory A's 7-4 win over Cherry Tree A, who had Matt Nicholson in good form with a twelve ton haul that included a maximum.

Darren Collis was also prominent for the victors as he added a 124 three dart combination out shot to a ten ton personal tally.

Both Lee Hellings and Simon Washington reached twelve ton plusses during a 10-1 win for Octagon A over Bluebird A.

Washington's total was topped up by a 136 checkout that beat admirable 110 and 106 finishes from teammates' Paul Palmer and Alfie Ford respectively.

Palmer added two maximums to that effort, which rounded off ten tons for the Stonehouse marksman whilst the other 180 of the match went to teammate Dave Pethick.

Jayden Dodd was also in good for as he added a leg in 17 darts in his 3-0 singles success and walked away with ten tons overall for his evening's work.

In the second singles, Hellings added an 18 darter to his 3-0 win whilst Ford continues to shine into the autumn of his darting career with legs of 17 and 15 in a win by the same score line.

Palmer added a leg in 17 as the clinical darts continued for another 3-0 win whilst Pethick added a fifth singles win without a single leg being dropped.

Washington didn't have it half as easy as he threw legs of 18, 18 and 17 during a 3-2 success over an inspired Jack McMinn.

McMinn added thirteen ton plusses to the scoreboard overall and won one of his two successes in 17 darts whilst Alan Masters was also prominent for the defeated team with ten tons.

Paul Gavican top scored with eleven tons during an 8-3 win for Victory B over Bluebird B in game that saw Gavican check a leg in 17 and teammate Paddy Archibald throw the contest's only 180.

Both Dave Hollow and Nathan Langdon reached double figures in tons but still ended on the wrong side of a 6-5 defeat as Octagon B triumphed over Union Inn.

The Plympton pair did team for a 601 leg in just 20 darts in the doubles phase but found themselves on the end of a 2-1 defeat during that discipline, which proved to be crucial to the outcome of the win.