Match Report For Chetwynd Arms V Greyhound 10 March

It must be some 30 years since I went into the Chetwynd Arms at Longdon for a game of darts and I didn’t remember it at all, but on entering I saw a very bright, smart, pub with a large separate dining area that kept the drinkers and darters from interfering with the diners. This meant that the Landlord could have the best of both worlds and he certainly seemed to be encouraging everyone with his friendly staff and pleasant manner. I walked up to the bar to make myself known to Jim Chambers, the Landlord and offered him a box of chalk as a friendly introduction to the league. He laughed warmly and said we don’t use it pointing to the electric scoreboard by the darts. At least it made his night, but I felt a twit as usual!

While getting my darts out I glanced around and saw a large TV with sports on for those that wanted it, but I must point out that it was well away from the darts in an alcove at the opposite end of the bar. There was only one thing to spoil this as a darts venue and that was that the dart board was not in the best of places with drinkers having to cross it to go out for a smoke and the toilets. However, Jim is very keen on his darts and hopes to have alterations done in the near future that will move the board. He is, or was a very good darts player, who has not played much in recent years and says at one time he was also a pro snooker player ranked 40^th in the world. Jim is no slouch on the dartboard now as his games and achievements show. He says he wants to get back into darts more and put a team into the Rugeley Monday League next season if possible.

In the first doubles Jim showed his skill early on by hitting a 180 as well as a few near misses. It might be unkind to his partner, but if he had had a better partner they would have slaughtered John and myself, but as it was we won 2-1.

Dai and Sinaed were up against Jim’s son Joe and Neil Hutchins. Joe threw a few useful darts in his game as well as his dad had earlier, but it was a bit of a marathon on finishing and Dai had a beautiful 109 finish on 32, for us, but unfortunately he wanted 93 and should have hit the double 8 instead! We lost that one 2-0.

The singles saw Jim Chambers against Dai and an early break, followed by a nice 140 for Jim, left Dai standing. Dai was with him on the second for a while, but was outclassed during the leg and a very nice 138 from Jim, to leave 26, sealed Dai’s fate.

John V Jim Ashby had a couple of close games with some good scores from both players, but John had the edge from many years of experience, giving us a 2-0 victory.

Jim’s son, Joe played our young lady Sinaed, but playing a lady didn’t put him off and an early break of 72 gave him an easy leg. Unfortunately it wasn’t Sinaed’s night, because although she has won several important legs for us recently, putting the gate up only a week or two ago, the second leg ended as a brush, even though Joe had double trouble.

The last game of the night might have given us a point for a draw, or them 3 points for a win and it was myself against Neil. As usual I threw erratically with two of my three starts on double 5 instead of tops, although one of them was a rather nice break of 130 and the one leg I did start on tops, was also a very nice 101 break. The 3^rd leg was the decider and Neil simply lost his way in it making it a disappointing draw, (for the Chetwynd) but a very welcome extra point for us.