Hellings Brings Life To Octagon's Title Challenge

Octagon took all but one of the points on offer against Fawn A in a Plymouth City Super League 10-1 win; a clash dominated by the form of Lee Hellings.

The Stonehouse team asserted their dominance by winning the first two 1001 trebles games in 38 darts (26.34) each before adding two further doubles games in just 36 for a single dart average of 27.81 for a 4-0 lead.

Of the one hundred and three ton plusses chalked up between the teams, Hellings top scored with fifteen whilst John Mann bagged thirteen and one of seven 180s in the match.

Despite chalking up legs of 16 and 18 darts, Mann would fall to an inspired Dave Roberts who defeated the reigning two time Champion of Champions thanks to two maximums on his way to an eleven ton haul.

The remarkable standard between the former teammates saw only one single leg going beyond seven visits to the board in a match that went to all five legs.

Another high scoring competitor on display was Simon Stevenson who bagged a maximum on his way to thirteen ton plusses for the defeated team.

Stevenson was roundly beaten thought by Hellings who managed a 17 darter in the 3-1 success over his former Devon colleague.

Octagon's Alfie Ford was the next best ton hitter with twelve tons and a 96 checkout whilst Fred Goldsmith notched three 180s on his way to eleven ton plusses.

Goldsmith showed why he's been one of the most revered competitors in Plymouth for four decades with legs of 17 and 18 darts in a 3-0 singles success.

Another eleven ton man during a scintillating match was Neil White whilst teammate Dave Matthews checked a leg in 18 darts in his 3-0 individual win.

Leaders Bluebird A continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 7-4 success over Steampacket that saw Glenn Halford scored a truly remarkable five maximums on his way to fourteen tons for the evening.

Four of those maximum efforts came in a Plymouth darting heavyweight clash with George Beckett in which Halford had to survive a barrage of tons, including a 180 of his own from Beckett.

Beckett smashed in twelve tons overall and a 15 dart leg against Halford to no avail as Halford's 11 darter became crucial in a 3-2 triumph.

Whilst Halford rightly takes the plaudits, it certainly wasn't a one man show as James Stoodley bagged his team's other maximum on his way to thirteen three figure scores.

Teammate Glenn Austin was also in top form with twelve tons which couldn't stop him from falling to Marc Webber who hit a 114 kill in a 3-2 win.

Webber's moment of magic bettered a 110 for Tony Teal for the Compton based team who showed that despite being into the autumn of his darting life, he still has so much to offer the title chasers.

Fourteen tons, including one of three team maximums, from Dave Johns certainly made a massive difference to Kings B as they came from 4-0 and 5-1 down to defeat Cherry Tree on the road.

John Greatrex was in good form with a maximum and a 17 darter but fell to an inspired Johns who checked a leg in 16 during the 3-2 success.

Roger Backway was the other 180 scorer on his way to ten tons and the high checkout honours went to Martyn Down for his 78 one visit out shot whilst Rob Oak got his team the win with a 3-1 win in the final singles rubber.

A 7-4 win for Victory B at Ker St was dominated by the brilliance of Lewis Dare who notched the game's only maximum on his way to thirteen three figure scores.

Dare checked a leg in 18 during his 3-0 win whilst teammates Mark Turner and Adam Fell shared the high checkout honours with two fabulous 100 checkouts in their respective individual ties.

Dan Hurley managed as many as thirteen three figure scores, and Jamie Roberts a 97 finish, but both still ended up on the wrong side of a 7-4 loss as Colebrook beat Bluebird B.

That owed much to the form of Dave Hollow who reached twelve tons personally whilst Steve Hiscox added ten to the scoreboard including one of three 180s; the other two efforts going to teammate Darren Smith.

Reigning champions King Billy made it six wins in six outings with Lee Doncaster being the highest scoring player with thirteen three figure scores.

Doncaster took a share of the high checkout honours with a 110 finish that was matched by teammate Paddy Archibald whilst Doncaster also added a maximum to his night's work.

Paul Palmer also produced a moment of magic with a 180 whilst Paul Goundry and Antony Hayman reached twelve and ten tons respectively in a 10-1 over Duchy of Cornwall that puts them just two off of the top.

A third team of the week to win 10-1 were Victory A who got the better of Clifton thanks in part to a masterclass of scoring from Scott Cook who put twelve tons onto the scoreboard.

Cook's 3-0 singles success included an 18 darter and one maximum for his team with Mark Shears adding a sole effort in a 3-0 win that also featured a leg in 15.

Danny Allen chalked up two 180s in the match whilst Tom James added another to make the team total five and Paul Gavican nailed a brace of 18 darters in his 3-0 success.

Kevin Seal was Clifton's shining light on a disappointing evening for the team has he made it to eleven tons and was the only winner for the Greenbank team.

Reg Matthews and Mike Trim shared twenty-two ton plusses equally between them with the majority coming in a 3-2 success by the former.

Matthews' teammates Warren Gordon and Dave Algar were both influential in the team success as they hit a brace of maximums and eleven tons respectively.

Algar's 106 checkout wasn't bettered whilst his 18 darter in a 3-1 win was only usurped by legs of 13 and 16 darts for Gordon in his triumph by the same score line.

Despite ending the wrong side of the loss, Ben Welsh was also prominent with ten ton plusses overall for the defeated Peverell team.

Victory C's visit to Fawn B ended in a 7-4 win as Jason Goldsmith notched ten ton plusses in the success and Lee Lagor hit his team's only 180.

The only noteworthy contribution from the defeated Greenbank team came from Mark Sargeant who added a 180 during one of the four matchups in which his team were successful.

Raffles returned from their trip to Kings Arms A with all but one of the eleven points on offer as James Ewing capped a successful night with the highest checkout of the week; a fine 135 three dart combo.