With only two matches left in the league stages of the cup, the competition for places in the knock out stages is still very tight.

The teams are not only fighting for a place but also to top their league so that they will receive a home tie in the first round of the knock out.

In League A Willington Commercial made up ground on the leaders, Sunnybrow Brown Trout after beating them by four points. This cuts the Trout's lead at the top to only two points with third placed Willington Cottles only four points behind the Commercial but have a match in hand.

Willington Black Horse Inn beat the visiting Willington Club by four points to move one ahead at the top o the table. In third place Willington Market have a match in hand and trail the Club by nine points.

There was a fitting result in League C when the joint leaders met at Willington Brewer's Droop, where the Willington Lion and Unicorn forced a draw. The third placed Willington Burn have a match in hand but are 11 points adrift.

CIU League

The darts doubles qualifying competitions were held at two venues with two pairs qualifying for the Finals Night. At the Prospect Club the qualifiers came when Jeff Sneath and Doug McCarthy (Crook Belle Vue) beat Alan Clarkson and Malcolm Hughes (Byers Green) and Paul Knighton and Pip Samson (Crook Belle Vue) beat Kevin Whitehead and Peter Boucher (Newfield). During these matches Alan Clarkson of Byers Green hit four maximums, whilst Doug McCarthy (Crook Belle Vue), Gary Taylor (Ferryhill) and Malcolm Hughes (Byers Green) hit one each.

In the other qualifier at Willington, Kevin Spensley and Colin Kitchen (Cockton Hill) beat John Denham and Tommy Bell (Cockton Hill) and John Ward and Micky Trotter (Crook Belle Vue) beat Roy Brown and Tony Nixon (Ferryhill). During these matches Tony Nixon hit a maximum and Kevin Spensley checked out on 170.

* The League's Double Dominoes qualifying rounds will take place at Byers Green on Tuesday, July 30.