Willington League - Keith Nicholson of Willington Cottles put in the highest checkout to date in a remarkable doubles win at home against the leaders, the Prospect Club.

Playing with Andrew Robinson the Cottles pair trailed badly, needing 274 while the Prospect were within easy finishing range. However Robinson put in 140 and Nicholson finished on 134 to score an unexpected win. The prospect did win the match by two points to stay five ahead at the top of the table.

The Victoria Club made a good home win over Willington Burn with singles wins from Colin Pratt, Bobby Hall, Ian Mavin and Alan Richardson, whilst Colin Davison and Stuart Wayman replied for the Burn. The home side then took all three doubles but the Burn fought back to take the team game before they lost the captain's game, where Ian Mavin beat Colin Davison.

There were two maximums from Ian Mavin of the Victoria Club and one each for Arthur Goldsborough of Willington Club and Colin Davison of the Burn.

Willington Black Horse Tavern recorded the first whitewash of the season when they never dropped a point at Sunnybrow Brown Trout. This moved them up to third place, two points behind Hunwick Joiners Arms, who jumped up to second following their big win over the neighbouring Quarry Burn.

Results: Hunwick Joiners Arms 10 Hunwick Quarry Burn 2; Willington Cottles 5 Prospect Club 7; Willington Commercial 3 Willington Brewer's Droop 9; Victoria Club 8 Willington Burn 4; Willington Club 6 Willington Lion and Unicorn 6; Sunnybrow Brown Trout 0 Willington Black Horse Tavern 12.

CIU Finals

The Finals of both the Singles and Doubles Championships were held at Murton Victoria with a very high standard of throwing shown throughout the matches. The Singles Championship went to Davey Young of Glendale Social Club after he beat Jeff Sneath of Crook Belle Vue in the Final. In the semi-finals Young beat Gary Curry of Relton Terrace, whilst Sneath beat Jimmy Asheet of New Hesledon.

Phil Nixon and Gary Taylor of Ferryhill took the Doubles Championship with a victory in the Final over Mickey Lumley and Gary Curry of Relton Terrace. In the semi-finals Nixon and Taylor beat Doug McCarthy and Jeff Sneath of Crook Belle Vue, whilst Lumley and Curry beat John Hepton and Dave Moulding of North Biddick.

Doug McCarthy of Crook Belle Vue and Phil Nixon have both qualified for the Preliminary Rounds of the Embassy World Darts Championship to be held at the Frimley Green Lakeside.

Crook Ladies League

Tow Law New Market B edged one point ahead of Crook Queen's Head in the race for the runners up spot after the Market only dropped one point against Crook Jelly's Bar, whilst the Queen's were dropping two against the Royal George. However, neither team have any chance of catching the leading Crook Coach and Horses, who are unbeaten and 50 points ahead of the chasing pair.

Leading individual scorers: Gail Abbott 180 (Coach and Horses), Yvonne Pybourne 156 (Jelly's Bar), Barbara Smith 135 (Cricket Club), Kay Henry 134 (Cattle Mart), Dorothy Mowbray 134 (Rose and Crown), Diane Mullinger 133 (Olde Horse Shoe), Doris Elsbury 133, 124 (New Market B), Ann Ward 132, Maureen Wilson 121 (Station), Sue Hocking 126 (Royal George), Norma Parkin 123 (Queen's Head), Val Morante 121 (Billy Row), Rachel Heppell 120 (Rose and Crown).

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

Wear Valley Ladies

The Team Pairs Knock-out Cup qualifying stage took place at two venues with two teams moving forward to Finals Night from each venue.

Crook Golden Fleece: Crook White Swan 2 Howden Sunnydene Lodge 0; Crook Three Blue Bells 2 Crook King's Head 0; Crook Golden Fleece 2 Crook Mill House 1; Crook Queen's Head 2 Crook White Swan 1; Crook Golden Fleece 2 Crook Three Blue Bells 1. Crook Golden Fleece and Crook Queen's Head go through to the finals.

Crook King's Head: Crook Royal Sun 2 Oakenshaw 0; Crook Coach and Horses 2 Crook Bar 56 0; Croft Social Club 2 Crook Crown 0; Crook Royal Sun 2 Crook Coach and Horses 1. Croft Social Club and Crook Royal Sun go into the finals.

Leading individual scorers: Tracey Thompson two 140s, Rachel Anderson 138, Sophie Brockwell 123 (Royal Sun), Irene Clark 140, Margaret Stewart 123, Claire Stewart 109, a 109 finish (Coach and Horses), Joan Mills 140 (Golden Fleece); Gillian Thompson 135, Donna Bibby 121 (Mill House), Joan Hall 133, 131, Doreen Pounder 133 (Three Blue Bells), Gillian Marshall 120 (Bar 56).

Crook League

Market took maximum points against Royal Sun Inn to extend their lead over second side Belle Vue to four points.

Results - Division One: Golden Fleece A 5 (4) Sunnydene Lodge 6 (1); RAFA 3 (2) Old Horseshoe 8 (3); Belle Vue 9 (3) Queens Head 2 (2); White Swan 3 (2) Blue Bells 8 (3); Royal Sun Inn 0 (2) Market 11 (3).

Division Two: Farrers Arms 8 (3) Kings Head 3 (2); Croft 4 (3) Jelly's Bar A 7 (2); Green Tree 6 (2) Coach and Horses 5 (3); Jelly's Bar B 6 (2) Golden Fleece B 5 (3); Cricket Club 6 (2) Royal George 5 (3).

180s: Brian Nesbitt twice (Belle Vue); Jeff Hodgson (Old Horseshoe); Margaret Stewart (Queens Head).

Tow Law Bass

The visiting Tow Law New Market B took Esh Stag's Head, joint leaders, to the decider before the home side edged to victory. After the trebles were shared the Stag's went three up in the singles through Keith Robson, David Platt and Alan Maughan only to see the visitors level with wins from Shaun McGrath, Wayne Anderson and Phil Spencer. The first two doubles were shared to take the match to the decider where the Stag's Head, John Hodgson and Brian March beat Phil Spencer and Wayne Anderson.

This odd point win lifts the Stag's Head up to share top spot with Newhouse Club, whilst Tow Law Cattle Mart slipped three points adrift after their shock five points defeat at Sunniside Comedian in match where Mally Henry hit a maximum for the Mart and Jim Smythe hit a 160 start including the double.

Results: Tow Law New Market A 9 Tow Law Station 2; Sunniside Comedian 8 Tow Law Cattle Mart 3; Hamilton Row Black Horse 7 Sunniside Moss Inn 4; Esh Football Club 6 Tow Law Rose and Crown 5; Esh Stag's Head 6 Tow Law New Market B 5. No result from Cornsay Royal Oak v Newhouse Club.

Richmond and

District League

The Crown (Brompton) 4, Half Moon (Barton) 4; Croft WMC 4, Comrades Club A 4; Comrades Club B 2, The Crown (Manfield) 6; The Board Inn 3, Cricket Club 5; King William (Barton) 2, King William (Brompton) 6.

P W D L Pts

King William (Brompton) 12 9 2 1 20

The Crown (Manfield) 12 8 4 0 20

Croft WMC 12 5 6 1 16

Comrades Club B 12 6 2 4 14

The Board Inn 12 4 4 4 12

Comrades Club A 12 3 6 3 12

Half Moon (Barton) 12 3 5 4 11

Cricket Club 12 3 4 5 10

The Black Bull (Melsonby) 11 4 1 6 9

The Crown (Brompton) 12 1 5 6 7

King William (Barton) 12 1 4 7 6

The Ship 11 2 1 8 5