Darts

Durham gained a morale-boosting 19-17 overall match win over Suffolk at Ipswich, receiving three bonus points for reaching 19 sets in their British Inter-Counties Championship, Division Two match.

Durham's ladies got off to a flying start with a comprehensive 5-1 win in the B match.

Shirley Bowden (15.85) started the ball rolling and further points came from Dawn Hamer (15.89), Margaret Stewart (14.41), Anita Dawson (18.13) and lady of the match Nancy Dobinson (20.37).

The men's B team also started well, opening a 4-2 lead by the half-way mark.

Doug McCarthy made an early claim for man of the match with a 27.83 average, winning 3-0 in 20, 19 and 15 darts and hitting six 100 plus scores.

Gary Storey (25.49) and 12 100 plus scores, Phil Borthwick (23.86) and Keith Elmore (22.92) were the other early winners.

Suffolk fought back and restricted Durham to only one more set. Dave Blenkarne was the remaining point scorer with a 24.72 average. The match ended 7-5 in Suffolk's favour.

The ladies A team were unable to match their B team colleagues and were beaten 5-1.

Clare Stewart continued to justify her A team selection with a 3-0 win even though she struggled with the doubles. This was reflected in her 14.74 average.

Sharon Haywood and Doreen Fenwick were both unlucky to lose their sets which went to five legs. Lady of the match was Claire Stewart.

Durham men's A team were determined not to let a good chance of a victory slip away but at the half-way mark it was 3-3.

Tony Eccles (24.64) started the scoring and Kevin Elliott (22.43) added to it. Man of the match, Phil Clements(29.47) won in straight legs in 18, 12 and 21 darts hitting five 100 plus scores including a maximum.

In the second half of the match Durham surged to victory, winning five out of the last six matches.

The points came from Jimmy Ashett (26.09) and ten 100 plus scores, Roy Brown (25.47) including a 102 out-shot, Phil Nixon (26.76) and nine 100 plus scores including a maximum and a 116 out-shot, John Comerford (19.78), and Shaun Galloway (22.77). The match result was 8-4 to Durham.

The next fixture is at Peterlee Leisure Centre on February 10 and 11 against the West Midlands. Doors will open at 11am and entry is £2.00 by programme only.

Tow Law Bass League

The Sunniside derby produced an exciting finsh with the Moss Inn beating the visiting Comedian by the odd point following a good recovery, where they took the last two doubles points.

The Comedian started well when they took both trebles points but were only able to add two singles through Carl Wilcockson and John Smythe. The Moss had singles wins from John Neil, Gerrard Beveridge, Paul Moore and Ray Walker. After Carl Wilcockson and Harold Bowes took the first doubles for the Comedian, the Moss Inn took the last two through John Neil with Ray Walker and Gerrard Beveridge with Billy McClay.

Billy Row Club now lead the table by a massive twenty-two points with Esh Stag's Head eight points ahead of the third placed, Tow Law New Market A.

Results: Cornsay Royal Oak 4 Tow Law North Point 7; Sunniside Moss Inn 6 Sunniside Comedian 5; Tow Law Rose and Crown 1 Billy Row Club 10; Esh McKennas 4 Tow Law Cattle Mart 7; Tow Law Station 2 Tow Law New Market A 9; Tow Law New Market B 5 Esh Football Club 6.

Willington League

The league ran the first round of the eight man knock-out cup with the most unfortunate player being Trevor Bourne of the Prospect Club. He hit two maximums but his team still went down by two points at home to Hunwick Joiners Arms.

The only other maximum came from Paul Hutchinson of Willington Black Horse Inn and he saw his team beat the visiting Willington Lion and Unicorn.

Results: Willington Black Horse Inn 3 Willington Lion and Unicorn 1; Hunwick Quarry Burn 0 Willington Burn 3; Oakenshaw Club 3 Willington Brewer's Droop 0; Prospect Club 1 Hunwick Joiners Arms 3; Willington Black Horse Tavern 3 Willington Cottles 1. Willington Commercial, the Victoria Club and Willington Club had byes.

Wear Valley Ladies League

The league's Open Pairs Championship was held at two venues, with the winners from each going forward to play off on finals night.

The results from the Crook White Swan were:

Linda Heathcoat and Leanne Scrivens 2 Margaret Moore and Sheila Moore 1; Joan Hall and Doreen Pounder 2 Jackie Ramage and Rachel Anderson 1; Alison Archer and Kim Pritchard 2 Gwen Varley and Denise Taylor 1; Sue Graham and Pat Davies 2 Michelle Lowe and Vanessa Newton 0; Linda Heathcoat and Leanne Scrivens 2 Pam Staples and Lisa Thexton 1.

Semi-finals: Alison Archer and Kim Pritchard 2 Joan Hall and Doreen Pounder 1; Sue Graham and Pat Davies 2 Linda Heathcoat and Leanne Scrivens 0. In the final, Alison Archer and Kim Pritchard beat Sue Graham and Pat Davies 2-1.

The results from Crook Crown Hotel were:

Gillian Thompson and Kirsty Dixon 2 Wendy Cranston and Emma Bell 1; Angela Rudkin and Joan Hodgson 2 Michelle Cox and Diane Green 0; Carol Haygarth and Tracey Thompson 2 Carol Coote and Kath Reynolds 0; Irene Clark and Angela Gallagher 2 Shirley Brown and June Heslop 0; Gillian Thompson and Kirsty Dixon 2 Gail Hamilton and Paula Stephenson 1.

Semi-finals: Carol Haygarth and Tracey Thompson 2 Angela Rudkin and Joan Hodgson 0; Gillian Thompson and Kirsty Dixon 2 Irene Clark and Angela Gallagher 0. In the final, Carol Haygarth and Tracey Thompson beat Gillian Thompson and Kirsty Dixon 2-0.

The leading individual scorers were:

Kim Pritchard 125; Jackie Ramage 121; Carol Haygarth 121; Joan Hall 117; Gwen varley 116; Diane Green 115.

Newton Aycliffe Ladies League

Sing Doub Capt

British Legion B 76 31 10

British Legion A 76 40 8

Horndale 72 33 11

Navy Club 71 39 12

Southerne Club 69 36 10

Oak Tree 63 25 9

RAFA 57 33 4

Turbinia 48 16 3

Crook Ladies Darts League

Crook Coach and Horses maintained their long unbeaten run when the visiting Crook Cricket Club could only take three points. Tow Law New Market B strenghtened their hopes of landing the runners-up spot after dropping one point to the visiting Crook Jelly's Bar.

The leading individual scorers were Carol Moses 140, Dorothy Storey 134 and Ann Varley 122 for the Travellers Rest, Margaret Muse 125 for Dan's Castle, Betty Chapman 125 for the Coach and Horses, Marie Spence 120 for the Victoria and Marion Harwood 120 for Crook Belle Vue.

Crook King's Head have resigned from the league.

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

Crook League

First Division leaders, Willington Market lost for only the second time when they went down at home to second placed, Belle Vue WMC.

Results

Division One: Market 3 (2) Belle Vue WMC 8 (3); Queen's Head 6 (3) Old Horseshoe 5 (2); Royal Sun Inn 5 (2) Blue Bells 6 (3).

Division Two: Golden Fleece B 4 (3) Coach and Horses 7 (2); Surtees 6 (2) Jelly's Bar 5 (3); King's Head 2 (2) White Swan 9 (3); farrers Arms 6 (3) Mill House 5 (2); Royal George 4 (1) Croft A 7 (4). Dominoes results in brackets.

Top places: Darts - Division One: Market 93; Belle Vue 78; Blue Bells 69; RAFA 67.

Division Two: White Swan 106; Surtees 90; Mill House 82; Croft A 81.

Dominoes - Division One: Blue Bells 34; RAFA 31; Queen's Head 30; Olde Horseshoe, Market and Sunnydene Lodge 29.

Division Two: Jelly's Bar 42; Mill House 37; Croft B 36; Coach and Horses 32.