Darts: John Bristow secures promotion (From Gazette & Herald)

Darts: John Bristow secures promotion

7:30am Wednesday 16th January 2013 in Sport

JOHN BRISTOW has secured promotion back to the ‘A’ division in the Pickering Recreation Club Individual League after another triumphant night.

Heading the table since week two, Bristow has never looked in danger of losing the title.

He confirmed his success by beating both Dan Simpson and Arthur Gibson 5-0 and Johnny Smith 4-1 in his latest contests last Friday.

The remaining promotion place is up for grabs between Alan Dawson and Cameron Spiller.

The two players met last Friday and it was youngster Spiller who edged a fine match 3-2.

Dawson has two matches to play and will need a couple of top performances to grab second spot.

In the ‘A’ league, Billy Hague saw his challenge for top spot evaporate as he lost 3-2 to Roger Dawson, leaving first place to Phil Bointon, who won his only match of the night.

The battle is still on for the remaining two play-off places, with Steve Taylor, Geoff Atkinson and Andy Wall, who has games in hand, in the running.

Taylor had 3-2 wins over Atkinson and brother Phil, while Atkinson also lost 4-1 to Hague.

It will be all to play for in the final two rounds this week.

At the bottom, a relegation decider between Steve Dawson and Jon Rule saw Rule prevail 4-1 to send Dawson down and give himself hope of staying up.

Meanwhile, Moors League leaders White Swan turned in a fine performance to start the second half of the season as they beat Blacksmiths ‘B’ Lastingham 8-2.

Swan’s Mark Eddon starred as he recorded four 100s and a 112 checkout in his 27-dart leg, while team-mate Tim Nichols supported well with 140 and 100. Luke Walton and Paul Miers grabbed the ’Smiths consolation points.

Josh Greenlay was on great form for Buck Inn ‘A’ as he hit 180 and two 100s before finishing on 120 against Moors Inn’s Paddy Meade (140). Further wins by Pop Ellerby, Darren Marsh, Mike Phillips and Mark Haines and success in the three-a-side earned Buck a 6-4 victory.

Col Ward set Buck Inn ‘B’ on the way to a 6-4 win at Appletree Inn as he scored two 140s and finished smartly on 70, while Colin Pepler (3x100) and Dick Bell put up the main resistance for the hosts.

New Inn edged Blacksmiths Hartoft 6-4 after Mike Hodgson (3x100) put them ahead against Shaun Doughty (2x100). Ady Cook also chipped in with a 140.

Sun Inn’s Ian Robson (100, 80 finish) and Neil Robson (135,100) set their team up for a 6-4 victory at Coach House with only Jimmy Porter and Laura Thompson winning singles legs for the hosts with tidy 60 and 52 checkouts.

Crown Inn’s Vicki Cheney, Ken Hornby, Patrick Bernstein (135) and Pete Dowsland (2x100) helped their side to a 6-4 success in a see-saw match at Blacksmiths ‘A’ Lastingham for whom Richard Sellars with three 100s was the best performer.