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ANDOVER INVITATION DARTS
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Nillson Pritchard with John Murray of JB
Motors & West Portway MOT Centre |
Johnny
Woodman Classic Ranking Singles
Johnny Woodman Classic 2007 Album HERE
Southampton's Nillson Pritchard
produced a master-class in finishing in defeating
the reigning Transplus Classic Champion Dennis Smith
5-0 for the Johnny Woodman Classic Ranking Singles
title.
On the stage at the Entertainer
Pritchard included out shots of 91, 95, 101 and
56 before wrapping up the title on stage with a 15
dart winning leg.
The Hampshire county star averaged
30.93 in collecting the £200 and trophy on Saturday
against Smith's 29.73 in arguably the best Classic
ranking tournament to date.
The competition sponsored by JB
Motors & West Portway MOT Centre welcomed players
from seven counties and local players performed with
ability and tenacity in a high quality field.
The continued emergence of the town’s
youngsters is a testament the Andover’s steady rise
in the darting world with 22 year old Dennis Simpson
(25.16) reaching his first semi final where he was
never in awe of the vastly experienced Smith
(26.37). Arron Monk though never reaching top form
played with real maturity in reaching the last eight
before bowing out to the eventual winner and Sean
White who just failed with a remarkable comeback
suffered a rare off day.
There were encouraging performances
from 13 year old Billy Day, Karl Brooks, Daniel
Barnes, James Daley and Stuart Eaton with Dale
Headech taking two legs off Berkshire’s Dan
Woodcraft who was to lose to Smiffy in the last
eight.
Of the more senior players, Darren
Barnes who was another victim of Smiffy won a
titanic first round tie against current Order of
Merit leader Mark Thorne and John Gaffney averaged
over 30 per dart against the England International.
There were other good wins for Tom Stewart and Gary
Penwarden, Ivor Andrews, Richie Ford and Mick
Raynsford who continues his return to form. Phil
Morden, Andy Harvey and Ali MacDonald who was
unlucky to lose a last leg thriller all made the
last 16 with sterling performances against in form
opponents.
Last month’s winner Johnny Haines hit
the day's top finish of 160 in reaching the semi
final with Martin Richell and Dave Parker making the
last 8.
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Winner: |
Nillson Pritchard £200 + trophy |
| Runner
Up: |
Dennis
Smith £100 |
| 3/4: |
Dennis
Simpson & Johnny Haines £50 |
| 5/8: |
Arron
Monk, Martin Richell, Dave Parker, Dan
Woodcraft £20 |
| Best
Academy: |
Arron
Monk £10 |
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Furthest Lady: |
Karen
Spanswick £15 |
Unicorn Darts Youth Academy
The youngsters continue to amaze in
their dedication and development none more so that
an incident in the junior singles last Wednesday. In
bulling up for a game Luke Baird hit the bulls-eye
and left it there only for Lennox Watts to put one
in alongside it! Captain Molly Dawkins produced the
fastest leg on the night a very respectable 23 dart
leg.
MORE
Hampshire Super League
Wins from Jeff White, Sean White, Arron Monk, Dennis
Simpson, Vince Tipple, Ian Nicholson and Darren
Barnes got the town’s super league back to winning
ways last week with an excellent 7-2 win over
Bishopstoke.
Unicorn Darts Youth Academy
President Colin Monk enjoyed a superb run
in the Irish PDC Blue square championships last Sunday.
Battling through five rounds, including
victories over Dennis Priestley and Colin Lloyd he
finally succumbed to eventual winner Van Barneveld in
the semi finals.
 
Back home at the Academy, in the ladies
section Chelsea Newman (above right) had the fastest leg
of the night whilst Becky Chilton (above left) remained
unbeaten.
MORE
Invitation Summer League
The Boro Martins suffered more
disappointment last week after losing the Team Knock Out
final in a sudden-death 1001 shoot out. Having tied the
league on the same number of points as Wolves but losing
out on count-back, Martins rallied to draw 13-all after
Andy Deavall won the final singles 4-1. With the pairs
being drawn three-all, the singles swung one way then
the other as Mark Thorne then Paul Reidy each won by the
odd leg in five to tie the scores again. Ian Nicholson
then looked to have wrapped up the result with a 4-1 win
only for Froggy Deavall to emulate the feat to send the
match into overtime.
The resulting tie break was won in an
excellent 31 darts to give the Wolves a summer double.
Hampshire Super League
Andover’s recent good form suffered a set
back last Friday losing 3-6 to Basingstoke. Matters
weren’t helped as they travelled South with only eight
players then suffered more disappointment as doubles and
opportunities to win went begging. The town’s three
successes came from father and son duo Jeff and Sean
White who won 3-0 in 25.5 and 3-1 in 23.5 respectively
with a top showing from Darren Barnes who won 3-0 with a
26 plus average.
Draught Bass Holsten Pils
With prize money exceeding a five figure
sum, the Entertainer Barbarians travel to the midlands
on the 27th of this month for the national finals aiming
to better last year’s runners up achievement. The
Leicester-bound coach is now full.
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Invitation Summer League
 Jeff Hewison and Vince Tipple produced a
resolute performance to take the blind pairs summer
league title last Tuesday from some very strong
pairings. The two relative newcomers to the league
overcame Ivor Andrews and Jeff White in the final with
Arron Monk and Glen Kynaston, Tom Stewart and Dennis
Simpson (left) making the semis. With the Team KO Final being
contested this week the league concludes with the
presentation evening at the Borough Arms on Tuesday
night. The Winter League which is played around the pubs
and clubs on Tuesday nights, will kick-start the
evenings proceedings with its A.G.M. at 7.30pm. All
teams new and old are invited to attend.
North Hants Super League
 The Academy’s Gary Thorne
(right) produced a
mature performance for Andover as the ‘B’ side beat a
strong Basingstoke 5-4 last Sunday. 16 year-old Thorne
checked out on 105 in the fifth and deciding leg to
clinch victory. Other singles winners were Darren Barnes
and Phil Morden both 3-1, John Gaffney 3-2 and another
promising performance from Adam Major.
The ‘A’ team contains another three
Academy players and they travelled to Overton and came
away victorious by the same margin. 2-1 up in the pairs,
wins Jamie Kelling and Dennis Simpson both 3-2 and Sean
White (3-0) ensured another excellent result with
Simpson man of the match with a 26 plus average.
Classic Ranking Competition
 Entries are now being taken for the
October classic ranking Johnny Woodman singles sponsored
by JB Motors and West Portway MOT Centre. The event
honours one of Andover’s favourite darting characters
who for over three decades was a top player around the
local leagues. Andover Invitation Darts wish to thank
sponsor John Murray (pictured right), a keen darts player himself, for
his continued support of Andover darts.
The competition takes place at the
Entertainer Saturday 13th October, entry fee is £5 per
person with a closing date of the 10th October.
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