Tow Law Bass

Newhouse Club shook off the challenge of Tow Law New Market A to land the Championship in their first season. Newhouse. Newhouse went into their final game at Sunniside Moss Inn needing nine points to be certain of the title and they achieved their target when only Gerrard Beveridge and Lol Cullinan managed to take points for the home side. Newhouse took both trebles points, all three doubles and singles from Steve Turner, Bill Atkin, Kevin Liddle and Tom McQuillan.

Tow Law New Market A pulled out all the stops to try to overtake Newhouse when they only dropped one point to the visiting Sunniside Comedian, who had a singles point from Jim Smythe. The home side had wins in the two trebles, three doubles and singles from Kenneth Atkinson, Colin Hopwcroft, John Parkin, Bobby Gray and Mattie Seaton. The only maximum of the week came from Dave Thornton of Newhouse Club.

Results: Esh McKennas 7 Hamilton Row Black Horse 4; Tow Law Station 5 Esh Football Club 6; Tow Law Cattle Mart 9 Cornsay Royal Oak 2; Tow Law Rose and Crown 2 Esh Stag's Head 9; Tow Law New Market A 10 Sunniside Comedian 1; Sunniside Moss Inn 2 Newhouse Club 9.

Willington League

Sunnybrow Brown Trout made their first win of the season in their 22nd match when they beat their hosts at Willington Commercial by two points. The Commercial made a good start by taking four of the singles through Mark Plaskett, Pat Swain, Mary Walton and Lenny Glasper, whilst the trout had wins from Robert Corner and Chris Brown. The Commercial increased their lead with doubles points from Mark Plaskett with Des Ayre and Mike Buckham with Freddy Whitfield.

At that point the Trout took over with John Whitfield and John Latcham taking the final doubles. The Trout then won the team game and completed their victory when Freddy Whitfield beat Lenny Glasper.

The Prospect Club lead the table by twenty points from Willington Black Horse Tavern, who have a match in hand. The Hunwick Joiners Arms are two points behind the Tavern, also with a game in hand. However the Victoria Club are level with the Joiners Arms, but have two games in hand over the Prospect.

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

Crook Ladies League

Crook Jelly's Bar produced the only surprise in the First Round of the League Knock Out Cup when they visited Tow Law Rose and Crown, who had finished almost fifty points ahead of them in the final table, but edged through to win by the odd point.

The leading individual scorers were June Barron and Jackie Clark 140 each for the Queen's Head, Angela Armstrong 140 for the Rose and Crown, Joan Charlton 140 and Christine Marley 120 for the New Market B, Linda Hope 140 and Mo Wilson 120 for the Station, Mary Jane Walton 133 and Val Readman 121 for the Victoria, Dorothy Taylor 132 for the Travellers Rest, Barbara Tutin 127 and Elaine Cant 124 for the Commercial and Adele Divers 126 for the Cattle Mart.

Results: Crook Olde Horse Shoe 6 Billy Row Royal George 5; Crook Queen's Head 9 Crook Belle Vue 2; Crook Travellers Rest 9 Billy Row Green 2; Willington Commercial 1 Crook Coach and Horses 10; Tow Law Rose and Crown 5 Crook Jelly's Bar 6; Tow Law New Market B 8 Tow Law Cattle Mart 3; Tow Law Station 4 Tow Law Black Horse 7; Victoria Club 8 Tow Law New Market A 3.

Crook Cricket Ladies

Crook Cricket Club are staging a Ladies Darts Pairs competition with an entry fee of £2 per pair. All the entry money will be paid out in prizes with more added. The qualifying competitions will be held on consecutive Fridays, 12th and 19th of April with the Finals night on Friday 26th April. The qualifying matches will be the best of three legs of 501, with the finals night matches the best of five legs of 501. Anyone wanting further information or wishing to enter should telephone 01388 764375 and talk to the organiser, Betty Chapman or telephone 01388 7620003 to get the information from the Crook Cricket Club.

Crook League

Results: Division One: Golden Fleece A 10 (1) Queens Head 1 (4); RAFA 9 (3) Sunnydene Lodge 2 (2); Travellers Rest 2 (2) Old Horseshoe 9 (3); Belle Vue WMC 9 (2) Blue Bells 2 (3); White Swan 1 (2) Market 10 (3).

Division Two: Farrers Arms 1 (1) Mill House 10 (4); Croft A 8 (4) Kings Head 3 (1); Cricket Club 6 (3) Jelly's A 5 (2); Green Tree 8 (4) Golden Fleece B 3 (1); Jelly's B 0 (3) Royal George 11 (2); Dominoes results in brackets.

180's: Jason Byrne (Market); Bob Slater (Royal George).

Weardale Ladies Dart League

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

Top scores: Joyce Harrison 120 finish;133;106;100 (Blue Bell A); Tracey Hetherington 135 (Wolsingham WMC); Susan Vayro 133; Norma Parkin 132 (Mill Race); Jackie Green 138 (Bonny Moor Hen).

British Inter County Darts Championships

After last month's hard fought away win at Leicestershire, Durham started a sequence of two home games and first up for Durham was the visit of Norfolk. Things started the same as Durham's last home game with the B team ladies finding themselves 5-1 down with the lady of the match being E Graham 16.92 av winning a hard game 3-2. This meant the B team men had to dig deep to turn things round and they did. First up for Durham was Paul Knighton on his comeback for Durham. Paul's looking fantastic after losing six stone. He was straight back in the swing of things winning 3-1 with a 27-61 av and the man of the match. More wins came with Gary Taylor 3-1 win 23.23 av and Gary Storey 3-1 win 25.51 av. John Comerford 3-1 win 27-03 av. Dave Blenkarne 3-1, 25.92 av, Paul Bamborough 3+1 36.64 av, George Davison 3-2 23.14 av, Ray Scott 3-1, 24.20 av, and Timmy Richardson 3-2, 19.24 av and Durham an overnight score of 10-8. So into Sunday and the A team games. Durham Ladies A were 3-0 down in no time before Nancy Richardson stopped the rot with a 3-1 win 18.19 av. Then came the lady of the match Sharon Haywood with a 3-0 win 22.10 av and the last ladies game going to Norfolk and the A team ladies loosing 4-2, the score standing at 12-12. It was up to Durham's A team men and straight in for Durham was John Dixon 3-1, 24.99 av then the visitors took the next four games, but Durham didn't look too bothered with their big guns still to come and the men delivered taking six of the last seven games with wins for Jeff Sneath 3-0 25.05, Jimmy Ashett 3-1, 28.37 av, Dave Prins 3-2 24.63 av Paddy Lenagh 3-1, 26.94 av, Doug McCarthy 3-2, 25.0 0av and last but not least man of the match Phil Nixon with a 3-0 win 33.40 av and a win for Durham of 19-17. Next game is home to Gwent on April 6 and 7.

Wear Valley

Ladies League

Crook Coach and Horses moved up to third place following their best win of the season, They entertained Crook King's head and only dropped one point. The league leaders, Crook Golden Fleece had a similar big win at Croft Social Club to go fifteen points clear at the top of the table. Crook Mill House are in second place, five points ahead of the Coach and Horses.

The leading individual scorers were Irene Clark 148 and Margaret Storey 134 for the Coach and Horses, Nadine Maddison 138 for Sunnydene Lodge, Tracey Thjompson 134 and Jackie Ramage 125 for the Royal Sun and Michelle Lowe 133 for the Three Blue Bells.

Results: Croft Social Club 1 Crook Golden Fleece 8; Howden Sunnydene Lodge 5 Crook Royal Sun 4; Crook Coach and Horses 8 Crook King's Head 1; Crook Bar 56 4 Crook Mill House 5; Crook Three Blue Bells 5 Crook Queen's Head 4. Re-arranged: Crook Three Blue Bells 4 Howden Sunnydene Lodge 5.