DARTS

Willington Cottles threw the championship wide open again when they won the top of the table battle at Byers Green Royal Oak by three points. This result leaves Cottles ten points behind the Royal Oak but with a match in hand, whilst Willington Lion and Unicorn, who also have a match in hand over the Royal Oak, are only four points adrift of Cottles.

The Royal Oak had singles wins from Trevor Kerr, Alan Sheldon and Ray Scott with Mark Kidman and John Allinson adding a doubles point. Cottles went to this vital victory with singles points from Jason Bone, John Barron and Kenny Louth with Michael Richardson with John Barron and Brian Vayro with Jason Bone adding doubles points before they completed their victory by winning the team game.

Results: Willington New Inn 3 Willington Burn 8; Willington Lion and Unicorn 9 Hunwick Joiners Arms 2; Willington Black Horse Tavern 4 Willington Brewer's Droop 7; Willington Club 10 Sunnybrow Brown Trout B 1; Prospect Club 8 Willington Black Horse Inn 3; Sunnybrow Brown Trout A 7 Victoria Club 4; Byers Green Royal Oak 4 Willington Cottles 7.

Crook Ladies League

Margaret Stewart and Marion Hesp of Crook Queen's Head won the League Pairs Championship after they beat Jean Vitty and Barbara Smith of Crook Cricket Club 2-0 in the final played at Crook Olde Horse Shoe.

The early rounds of the competition had been played at four venues with the winners from each coming to the Olde Horse Shoe for the semi-finals and final. In the semi-finals, Julie Nelson and Yvonne Pybourne from Crook Jelly's Bar won the qualfier from Billy Row Green but lost 2-1 in the semi final to Stewart and Hesp, who had won the qualifier at Tow Law Station. Wendy Reid and Brenda Robinson for the Victoria Club, who qualified from the Olde Horse Shoe, lost to Jean Vitty and Barbara Smith, who qualified from Crook Jelly's Bar.

Crook League

George Smith Memorial Trophy Preliminary round: Golden Fleece B 0 Travellers Rest 2; Mill House 1 Cricket Club 2; Green Tree 0 Market 2; Joiners Arms 2 White Swan 1; Sunnydene Lodge 2 Old Horseshoe 0; Coach and Horses 2 Surtees B 0; Earl Derby 1 Royal George 2.

CIU Individual Championship

First round draw: G. Stephenson (Stanley Empire) v K. Seymour (New Kyo); C. Cullen (Consett Victoria) v A. Leach (South Moor Excelsior); G. Burlison (Grange Villa) v E. Rutherford (Murton Victoria); G. Taylor (Ferryhill) v R. Cook (Stanley Empire); T. W. Clark (Sherburn Village) v N. Mitcheson (New Kyo); F. Carr (Shotton Comrades) v G. Bell (Shotton Comrades); E. Ashman (Ferryhill) v J. Ashett (New Hesledon); S. Valelly (Ouston) v D. Hinnigan (Burnhope Ivy Leaf); N. Anderson (New Hesledon) v P. Lenagh (Coxhoe); A. Bilclough (Winlaton) v D. Crawley (Consett Victoria); J. Treweeke (New Hesledon) v T. Nixon (Ferryhill); B. Hall (Ouston) v A. Dawson (Stanley Central); D. Young (Grange Villa) v B. Ironside (New Kyo); R. Foreman (Leadgate) v M. Carty (Easington Lane); D. Booth (South Moor Excelsior) v P. Hope (Shotton Comrades); P. Telford (Stanley Central) v S. Johnson (Crowtrees); J. Todd (South Moor Excelsior) v P. Borthwick (Consett Victoria); T. Crowder (Stanley Empire) v T. Warren (South Moor Excelsior); A. Swift (Ouston) v K. Mawhinney (New Hesledon); J. Hall (South Moor Excelsior) v K. Readman (Crowtrees); R. Young (Grange Villa) v N. Burnett (New Brancepeth); G. Curry (Relton Terrace) v A. Oakes (Ouston); D. Young (Easington Lane) v K. Elliott (New Hesledon); J. Tyson (Trimdon Colliery & Deaf Hill) v D. Dodds (Stanley Central); B. Chapman (South Moor Excelsior) v D. Harrison (Trimdon Colliery & Deaf Hill); J. Richardson (Ouston) v G. Grieve (Grange Villa); R. Brown (Ferryhill) v C. Whittaker (Stanley Empire); P. Nixon (Ferryhill) v G. Miller (Stanley Empire); D. Hughes (Burnhope Ivy Leaf) v M. Lumley (Relton Terrace); J. Robinson (Trimdon Colliery & Deaf Hill) v J. Hancock (Shotton Comrades); D. Williamson (Ouston) v S.Errington (Stanley Empire). G. Hill (Relton Terrace) receives a bye. Results must be into the Branch Office by 8 May.

CIU Pairs Championship

First round draw: T. Bradshaw & F. Carr (Shotton Comrades) v R. Foreman & C. Dominney (Leadgate); G. Hardy & D. Gutteridge (Alberta) v S. Irland & G. Galloway (Crowtrees); P. Borthwick & C. Boyle (Consett Victoria) v T. Brown & T. Nixon (Ferryhill); D. Dodds & P.Telford (Stanley Central) v P. Lenagh & P. Knighton (Coxhoe); T. Clark & G. Wallace (Sherburn Village) v T. Crowder & G. Burlinson (Stanley Empire); C. Barron & R. Usher (Crowtrees) v J. Hepton & C. Walker (North Biddick); L. Teasdale & B. Hauxwell (Greenside) v A. McCarthy & R. Young (Alberta); A. Jackson & A. Chalmers (Alberta) v D. Gardner & K. Clarey (Cockfield); G. Curry & M. Lumley (Relton Terrace) v B. Hall & D. Williamson (Ouston); G. Grieve & D. Young (Grange Villa) v R. Young & A. Morrison (Grange Villa); G. Taylor & P. Nixon (Ferryhill) v C. Cullen & D. Cullen (Consett Victoria); A. Oakes & J. Richardson (Ouston) v R. Gray & B. Dobbinson (Stanley Central); R. Cook & S. Errington (Stanley Empire) v B. Chapman & C. Cossey (South Moor Excelsior); G. Hill & J. Lamb (Relton Terrace) v E. Ives & W. Telford (Alberta); D. Booth & J. Todd (South Moor Excelsior) v E. Ashman & L. Richardson (Ferryhill); E. Brown & T. McKinley (North Biddick) v K. Elliott & J. Ashett (New Hesledon). Results must be into the Branch Office by May 8.

Newcastle Breweries Thursday Night Invitation League

Pairs knockout to be played April 15, best of three legs one winner from each heat. 8.30 start.

Venue 1 Buck Inn: S Metcalfe/R Elstob v S Tunstall/S Oykes; D Sinfield/J Rowland v J Lawley/M Aldworth.

Venue 2 Slaters: P Galloway/J Parkinson v R Rees/D Halliday; J Thompson/M Williamson v R Swainston/G Donald.

Venue 3 Railway Tavern: C Bromfield/C Cooper v S Mertcalfe/M Harle; S Morley/A Blair v C Francis/n Embleton.

Venue 4 Darlington CC: S Lindsay/K Hewson v K Moody/P Taylor; M Bean/P Fisher v P Jones/M Hyslop.

Venue 5 Fire Station: P Atherton/C Muir v G Moorhouse/J Caine; L Linley/M Bell v B Khan/P Mitchell.

Venue 6 JUC: I Hunter/S Cadman v P Gregg/M Lethbridge; W Hill/R Ackers v B Mossley/B Hird.

Venue 7 Falchion: P Metcalfe/McRedmond v C Smith/P Eastman; S Findlater/M Morley v C Thirkell/J Thirkell.

Venue 8 Quaker B: P Atkinson/F West v A Hird/J Geddess; L Nicholson/F F Tennant/K Pratt/I Cruickshank.

Darlington Friday Night League

P I P B P

DSRM 6 10 8 5 15 38

Havelock 6 11 7 6 13 37

Builders 6 11 6 4 15 36

Harrowgate 6 10 5 7 10 32

Fire Station 6 8 6 6 10 30

Victoria 6 4 4 7 6 21

Magnet Ladies

Singles

P W D L Pts

Victoria Club 23 17 2 4 36

RA 22 12 4 6 28

Sarahs 23 11 5 7 26

Three Crowns 22 8 9 5 25

Morgans 22 9 7 6 25

Hope Inn 23 10 3 10 23

Hogans 23 9 5 9 20

Jack Horner 22 6 8 8 20

Hopetown A 23 8 4 11 20

Grey Horse 22 7 4 11 18

Hopetown B 22 7 3 12 16

Railway Tav 23 5 6 12 16

Builders 22 5 4 13 14

Pairs

P W D L Pts

Hope Inn 23 14 5 4 57

Victoria Club 23 11 7 5 53

RA 22 8 7 7 47

Hogans 23 7 10 6 48

Builders 22 11 5 6 47

Grey Horse 22 9 5 8 46

Three Crowns 22 6 10 6 45

Sarahs 23 7 8 8 44

Railway Tav 23 6 8 9 42

Hopetown A 23 8 4 1 41

Hopetown B 22 6 8 8 41

Jack Horner 22 5 8 9 41

Morgans 22 3 7 12 36

Tow Law Coors

The Annual General Meeting will be held at Newhouse Club on Monday, May 10. There are vacancies in the league for any teams interested in playing in the league, which plays normal league matches and adds a singles championship, a doubles championship, a trebles championship and a team knock out.

Any team from licensed premises interested in joining can obtain advance information from the league secretary, John Parkin at 44, High Street, Tow Law, Bishop Auckland DL13 4DH or be telephoning him on 01388 731116.

Wear Valley Ladies League

Crook Golden Fleece look near certainties to land the Championship after they whitewashed their hosts at Crook Bar 56 as they now hold a 25-point lead with a match in hand.

Leading individual scorers were Jackie Hutchinson 140 for the Mill House, Betty Chapman 140 for the Golden Fleece, Abigail Hodgson 134 and 121 for the Royal Oak, Freda Brown 133 and Beverley Brown 132 for Willington Cricket Club, Sophie Brockwell 131 for the Royal Sun, Sue Graham 126 and Joan Hall 121 for the Olde Horse Shoe, Yvonne Richardson 121 for the White Swan, Pamela Wright and Lesley Holloway 121 each for the Surtees and Margaret Storey 120 for the Coach and Horses.

There was a major upset in the final qualifier in the League's four-a-side tournament for lowly Crook White Swan beat the run-a-way leaders, Crook Golden Fleece to join Crook Mill House, Byers Green Club and Crook Bar 56 in the semi-finals.

Results: Crook White Swan 6 Crook Coach and Horses 3; Byers Green Club 7 Crook Olde Horse Shoe 2; Crook Bar 56 0 Crook Golden Fleece 9; Willington Cricket Club 3 Crook Mill House 6; Crook Royal Sun 6 Howden Sunnydene Lodge 3; Crook Surtees 3 Byers Green Royal Oak 6. No result: Willington Brewer's Droop v Tow Law Dan's Castle.

P W L Pts

Crook Golden Fleece 22 20 2 147

Crook Royal Sun 23 17 6 122

Crook Olde Horse Shoe 23 12 11 110

Byers Green Club 23 14 9 109

Will. Brewer's Droop 22 13 9 109

Sunnydene Lodge 23 12 11 105

Crook Mill House 23 13 10 103

Crook Coach & Horses 23 10 13 103

Crook Bar 56 23 12 11 101

Willington Cricket Club 23 14 9 98

Tow Law Dan's Castle 22 7 15 91

Byers Green Royal Oak 22 7 15 81

Crook White Swan 23 6 17 77

Crook Surtees 23 2 21 75