Newhouse Club slipped further behind in the Championship stakes despite beating the visiting Tow Law Cattle Mart by three points.

The leading Tow Law New Market A went 13 points ahead with a match in hand after they only dropped two points at home to Esh McKennas. Hamilton Row Black Horse closed the gap on Newhouse Club to just four points after they only dropped two points to the visiting Tow Law Rose and Crown.

Newhouse Club and the Cattle Mart shared the trebles, with the home side taking singles points through Dave Thornton, Bill Aitkin, Keith Liddle and Tom McQuillan, whilst Colin Boughey and Malcolm Boughey replied. Newhouse took two of the three doubles to complete the victory but then lost the captain's game when Colin Boughey beat Dave Thornton to knock them from the top of the Captain's Table.

The leading individual scorers were D. Metcalfe of McKennas and K. Robson of the Stag's Head 180 each, Lee Cullinan three 140's and Lol Cullinan 140 for the Moss Inn, A. Atkinson two 140's for the New Market A, W. Anderson and L. Sanders 140 each for the Earl Derby, G. Hope 140 for the Station, B. Bailes 140 for the Royal Oak and D.Metcalfe 140 for McKennas. Wayne Anderson hit the best finish of the week with 156 in a fifteen darts check out for the Earl Derby.

Results: Sunniside Moss Inn 4 Esh McKennas 7; Esh Stag's Head 6 Tow Law New Market B 5; Hamilton Row Black Horse 9 Tow Law Rose and Crown 2; Tow Law Station 6 Cornsay Royal Oak 5; Stanley Earl Derby 6 Sunniside Moss Inn 5; Tow Law Dan's Castle 2 Sunniside Comedian 9; Newhouse Club 7 Tow Law Cattle Mart 4; Tow Law New Market A 9 Esh McKennas 2.

Willington League

Willington Black Horse Tavern won a top of the table clash at Hunwick Joiners Arms by three points to move one ahead of Willington Club, who now lead the Joiners by five points but the Hunwick team have a match in hand. The singles were shared when Ian Richardson, Kevin Dunnett and Kenny Peers won for the Joiners, whilst Paul Allchurch, Dave Hawkins and Kevin Bake replied for the Tavern. The father and son team of Ian Richardson senior and junior put the Joiners ahead by winning the first doubles but Harold Farrer and Joe Davies put the visitors level again. The last three points went to the Tavern when Aynsley Rainbow and Kevin Bake took the final doubles and then the visitors took the double points team game.

Results: Willington Lion and Unicorn 1 Willington Cottles 10; Willington Club 6 Hunwick Quarry Burn 5; Willington Brewer's Droop 5 Willington Burn 6; Victoria Club 9 Willington Commercial 2; Prospect Club 8 Willington Black Horse Inn 3; Hunwick Joiners Arms 4 Willington Black Horse Tavern 7.

Crook Ladies League

Crook Queen's Head A showed no mercy on their B team as they raced through to a whitewash success to move 35 points clear at the top of the table. Tow Law New Market B are in second place, nine points ahead of Crook Travellers Rest, who are one point ahead of Crook Jelly's Bar B.

The leading individual scorers were Heidi Moses with 174 and Gail Abbott with 124 for the Queen's Head A, Christine Marley and Joan Charlton 140 and Jacqueline Baker 123 for the New Market B, Jackie Clark and June Barron 140 each for Jelly's Bar B, Linda Blackett 140 for Crook Belle Vue, Lesley Leighton 138 for the Olde Horse Shoe, Sue Brown 137 for the Royal George, Alison Brennan 133 and Shirley Hind 125 for Tow Law Black Horse, Dorothy Storey 132 for the Travellers Rest, Barbara Tutin 132 for the Commercial and Julie Platten 125 for Willington Black Horse.

Results: Billy Row Royal George 5 Crook Travellers Rest 6; Howden Green Tree 7 Billy Row Green 4; Willington Black Horse 5 Crook Belle Vue 6; Willington Commercial 2 Victoria Club 9; Tow Law New Market B 10 Crook Jelly's Bar A 1; Crook Olde Horse Shoe 2 Tow Law North Point 9; Tow Law Black Horse 9 Crook Cricket Club 2; Crook Queen's Head B 0 Crook Queen's Head A 11; Crook Jelly's Bar B 8 Tow Law New Market A 3; Tow Law Cattle Mart 2 Tow Law Station 9.

Crook League

Old Horseshoe lead division one after a big win at Royal George whilst Cricket Club consolidated their position at the top of division two.

Results - Division One: Sunnydene Lodge 3 (3) Golden Fleece A 8 (2); Market 7 (0) Mill House 4 (5); Royal George 3 (1) Old Horseshoe 8 (4); Belle Vue WMC 7 (2) Royal Sun Inn 4 (3); White Swan 4 (3) Travellers Rest 7 (2); Blue Bells 5 (0) RAFA 6 (5).

Division Two: Golden Fleece B 3 (3) Queens Head 8 (2); Coach and Horses 6 (3) Jelly's Bar A 5 (2); Cricket Club 7 (3) Farrers Arms 4 (2); Kings Head 4 (2) Green Tree 7 (3); Australian 7 (2) The Green 4 (3); Dominoes results in brackets.

180s: Shaun Brennan (Royal Sun Inn).

Top places - Darts: Division One: Old Horseshoe 47; Belle Vue and Fleece A 46.

Division Two: Cricket Club 47; Coach and Horses 40; Queens Head 37.

Weardale Ladies League

A big win at home to Black Lion B leaves Mill Race in top spot.

Results: St Johns Chapel Golden Lion A 6 Rookhope A 3; St Johns Chapel Blue Bell B 8 Eastgate Cross Keys 1; Rookhope WMC 7 St Johns Chapel Golden Lion B 2; Wolsingham WMC 4 Stanhope Pack Horse 5; Wolsingham Black Lion A 7 Stanhope Grey Bull 2; Blanchland Sports Club 6 Stanhope Bonny Moor Hen 3; Wolsingham Mill Race 8 Wolsingham Black Lion B 1; Stanhope Queens Head 6 Wolsingham Black Bull 3; Westgate Hare and Hounds 3 St Johns Chapel Blue Bell A 6.

Top scores: Kath Nattrass 171 (Hare and Hounds); June Barron 140; Joan Kellett 138 (Blue Bell B); Norma Parkin 100 x 2; 140 (Mill Race); Wendy Maguire 124;120 (Golden Lion A).

Top places: Mill Race 53; Blue Bell B 52; Queens Head 43; Hare and Hounds and Blue Bell A 42.

Wear Valley Ladies League

Crook Bar 56 moved to the top of the table when they won their re-arranged match against the visiting Crook Royal Sun by three points to move one point clear at the top of the table. Hunwick Quarry Burn and Crook Mill House share second place, two points clear of the Golden Fleece, Coach and Horses and the Royal Sun.

The Team Pairs Knock Out was played at two venues with one team from each qualifying for the final on Finals Night at the end of the season.

Results from Coach and Horses: Royal Sun Inn 2 Three Blue Bells 1; Byers Green Club 2 Bar 56 1; Sunnydene Lodge 2 Croft Social Club 1.

Second round: Royal Sun Inn 2 Surtees 1; Sunnydene Lodge 2 Byers Green Club 1.

Final qualifier: Sunnydene Lodge 2 Royal Sun Inn 1.

Results from Golden Fleece: Brewer's Droop 2 White Swan 1; Mill House 2 Quarry Burn 1; Oakenshaw 2 Golden Fleece 0.

Second round: Coach and Horses 2 Brewer's Droop 0; Mill House 2 Oakenshaw 1.

Final qualifier: Coach and Horses 2 Mill House 1.

The leading individual scorers were Margaret Storey 140 for the Coach and Horses, Kim Pritchard 133 and Stephanie Pinkney 132 for the Mill House, Sophie Brockwell 125 for the Royal Sun Inn, Sheila Moore 124 for the White Swan, Kay Slater 120 for Byers Green and Leslie Bolam 120 for the Quarry Burn.

Jonathan Ward

Team Darts

Second preliminary round results: Burnhope Ivy Leaf lost to Stanley Empire A and Murton Victoria A lost to Stormont Main. There were byes for Alberta Social, Southmoor Excelsior, Crowtrees, West Auckland, Ryton, Blaydon, Coxhoe B, Ferryhill, Murton Victoria B, Relton Terrace, Coxhoe, Stanley Empire B, New Hesledon and Burnhope Ivy Leaf B.