Last Leg Rescue Maintains Duchy Unbeaten Record

Cornwall continued their undefeated start to the new county darts season after a dramatic last gasp draw with Lincolnshire.

Tyrian Jesse (15.20) started off on the right foot with a 3-1 victory before two defeats put the Duchy behind for the first and only time of day one.

Nikki Furse (19.78) continued her impressive return to county action with a routine 3-0 win before youngster Courtney Hancock (15.49) gave Cornwall the lead by the same score line.

It was down to Becky Curnow (14.46) to bring home the Ladies B victory and she didn't disappoint with a 3-1 triumph.

Kyle Willmott (24.05) then extended the Cornish lead further on his home debut with a superb 4-2 win.

The Men's game started the same as the Ladiea with two defeats following a win before Josh Symons (20.97) and veteran Dave Copplestone (24.49) got the wheels back on track with 4-1 victories.

Greg Hambly (22.75) then won a topsy-turvy battle to further extend his side's advantage to 8-4 overall.

However, this spurred on the away side with Lincolnshire pulling it back to 8-7 with three straight sets; also giving them a Men's B lead of 5-4.

Paul Ellis (23.07) then stepped up to get his first win of the new season by the odd leg in seven before Richard Craddock (20.86) gave the home side their tenth point of the day with a 4-2 success.

It was a disastrous start to day two as the Ladies A slumped to a 5-1 defeat against a star-studded Lincolnshire ladies cast.

Cornwall's only point coming from pocket rocket Teresa Brookshaw (20.44) who was victorious over the ten times World Champion, Trina Gulliver.

More Cornish misery ensued at the start of the Men's game with Lincolnshire winning the first three sets to stretch their day two lead to 8-1; an overall advantage of 16-11.

Finally in the fourth Men's set, Simon Knowles (27.34) got the Duchy's second point of the day with a 4-2 win before namesake Matt Knowles (31.31) showed his undoubted class with a 4-0 win in 15,15,17,17.

A Rob Ruberry (31.81) 4-1 masterclass, in which he checked out a "big fish" 170 for the man of the match award, was sandwiched between two more defeats for Cornwall.

Incidentally, Ruberry's feat was only beaten by 0.05 points by PDC Tour Card holder Jamie Hughes for Warwickshire who took the man of the weekend across the whole Premiership.

With the Cornish side now perilously poised close to defeat at 18-14 down, Neil Meneer (26.81) stepped up to the plate with a 4-2 victory before Neil Dudbridge (20.79) gave the Duchy continued hope with his 4-1 win.

Despite the match still on a knife edge, Dennis Bryant (28.23) looked the coolest man in the venue; winning legs in 17,15,18,21 for a 4-0 triumph to give Cornwall a chance at the draw.

And despite treating spectators to a game which ebbed and flowed, Welsh International, Gareth Griffiths (25.16) did not disappoint taking his set 4-3 with a 16 dart last leg to give Cornwall an admirable draw.