FESTIVE cheer did not go The Star’s way as they lost 5-3 at East and West Ardsley in the Yorkshire Superleague.

The Cayton side, featuring several ace marksmen from Ryedale, travelled to Wakefield hoping to bounce back from a disappointing home draw in their previous match.

But the home side started strongly, racing into a decisive 4-0 lead before The Star’s team spirit could come to the fore.

Malton’s Toddy Oldfield gave a rare poor performance and lost 4-1 to Danny Walker.

Simmy Cass, also from Malton, was then involved in a tight tussle with Tony Wort.

Cass battled hard against his experienced opponent but, with the scores locked a 2-2, he missed doubles in the fifth leg and again in the sixth and lost 4-2.

John Spoors, another Malton man, started strongly against Peter Armitage with a tidy 18-darter but he too became haunted by missed doubles as he fell 4-1.

Scarborough’s Jim Gordon was then seen off 4-0 by Jonathon Hewitt, who produced a man-of-the-match 85.89 average. Gordon still had first shot at the double in legs two and four – but missed.

Graham Elvidge got The Star on the board in fine fashion as he whitewashed East and West’s star man, Jaron Esteve.

Elvidge took the first leg with a 112 finish for an 18-darter and won the second with a sensational 11-darter. After replying to Esteve’s 180 with a maximum of his own to leave 98, the Scarborough man hit treble 20 and double 18.

Pickering’s Billy Hague produced a gritty performance against top player Daz Twist – despite struggling to find top form. In only his third outing at this level, Hague was only edged out 4-3.

The Star then came out fighting as Rillington’s Paul Bulmer and Pickering’s Phil Bointon produced awesome darts to earn two points.

Bulmer defeated the dangerous Rich Winpenny 4-2, the pair trading 24 scores of 100 or more. A 109 finish in the second leg and a 103 in the last were highlights – both with Winpenny sat on a double.

Bointon produced arguably his best performance in Superleague as he registered an average of 85 as he destroyed Bob Birkenshaw 4-0.

He impressed on the doubles, too, with four successful attempts from five. A 94 finish in two darts for a lethal 14-darter sealed the point.

Gordon, Hague, Elvidge, Bulmer and Bointon all recorded maximums.