THREE players secured their places in the top-four play-offs in the Pickering Rec Club Individual League after the penultimate round of fixtures.

Phil Bointon, Alan Dawson and Simmy Cass have all qualified, with three others - Billy Hague, Steve Taylor and Geoff Atkinson - chasing the last place.

The night saw plenty of top-class darts thrown - mainly by the in-form Simmy Cass, who beat Jon Rule 4-1, Roger Dawson 5-0 and, in a match which would have graced the final, Steve Taylor 4-1.

Taylor took the first leg before Cass reeled off the next four in 16, 16, 21 and 18 darts. Both players hit two maximums and shared 14 100-plus scores. Cass had a three-match average of just over 71.

Billy Hague had another mixed night, beating Jon Rule 3-2 but losing by the same score to Phil Bointon, who still holds top spot despite going down 3-2 to second-placed Alan Dawson.

Dawson could have won 5-0 having hit 13 100-plus scores including three 140s against Bointon’s three, but the latter’s experience kept him in the match and gained a vital point.

Bointon had the chance of a bonus point against Hague but missed double-top for a 14-darter.

Geoff Atkinson still holds an outside chance of clinching fourth place as he beat Rule 3-2 before going down 3-2 to Taylor.

In the ‘B’ league, Steve Dawson bounced back to pick up two vital wins and hold onto top spot from Liam Dawson, who suffered a surprise 3-2 defeat to Jon Bointon.

Ryan Taylor had two wins and is improving every week. Graham Love had two costly defeats and is now looking over his shoulder as both Jonny Smith and Dave Twaddle are looking for his play-off place.

Meanwhile, Moors League leaders Moors Inn took on their closest challengers, New Inn, and quickly built a solid lead through Andrew Tock (171), Keith Dickson (140, 100), Mick Barnes (125, 123) and Sam Dickson (82 finish).

Dave Wray, Al Hodgson and Nie Monkman got New Inn on the scoresheet but Moors took both pairs legs to edge home 6-4.

White Swan took their chance to close in on the leaders, sweeping up all seven individual legs against Buck Inn ‘A’, with Keith Eddon (5x100) and Steve Cass (140, 125) starring. Buck took both pairs and the three-a-side to make the scoreline respectable at 7-3.

Sun Inn went 5-0 up at Coach House before Jimmy Porter and Bri Cook put the brakes on. Sun’s pairing of Bob Sellars and Neil Robson (2x100) got an important pairs win to see their team home 6-4.

Crown Inn led 5-2 after the singles at home to Blacksmith’s Arms thanks to Mark Little (140), Pete Dowsland (3x100), Norman Tinsley, Jon Dowson and Darren Sunley.

Andy Biggins (140) and Rich Sellars (116 finish) replied for Blacksmith’s, who then took both pairs legs to make it 5-4 but the Tinsley, Dowson, Sunley trio held their nerve to seal the match 6-4 for Crown.

Taylor was in blistering form for Recreation Club in the Pickering League, hitting three 100s, a 121, a 125, a 137 and an 85 finish for legs of 14 and 16 darts - averaging more than 100.

Phil Bointon followed with legs of 16 and 22 as Rec Club built a 3-0 lead over Black Swan. Rob Umpleby started the recovery for Swan but they lost 4-3.

Horseshoe ‘A’ edged table-toppers WMC 4-3.

Graham Steel got them off to a winning start with a 24-dart deciding leg, but John Bristow replied with four 100s and a 94 finish in a 21-dart leg. Shoe’s Hague then got the better of Cameron Spiller with two 22-darters, Spiller replying with a 21-dart leg checking out on 106.

Royal Oak had a 5-2 victory over Bay Horse with Martin Cook throwing a 23-dart leg and Prod Fenwick hitting three 140s.

Bar 4 took the first six points against Horseshoe ‘B’, who only stopped the whitewash in the three-a-side.