Away v County Durham - Saturday 3rd / Sunday 4th October 2015
Week ending Saturday 3rd and Sunday the 4th saw the Dorset County darts team make the 330 Mille trip to Willington Working Men's Club the home venue of Durham County Darts.
Most of the players and supporters travelled up on the Friday just as well with all the road works, Motorway speed restrictions etc, the trip for me took over 7 hours. So how did the green army as Dorset are known get on.
We didn't have the best of starts with the women losing 2-4, our only winners Katie Mitchell and Peri Yarrow who both took their matches to a fifth and deciding leg, Peri was our Lady of the match with a 20.34 average.
We have always had a strong Men's B side and they didn't let us down. A lot of the matches could have gone either way they were that close and it's all about hitting that winning double. Up 1st The Big Show Dale Masterman who won 3-2 with a 25.60 average. Next and one of the games of the weekend for me a young 14 year old boy Daniel Perry (going to be playing for the England squad this month) who played Paul Clark, Paul went into a 2-0 lead but Daniel fought back to take the next 3 legs and the win with a 24.46 average, class and only 14 years old if he keeps playing like this who knows maybe Dorset could have ANOTHER World Champion on their hands.
Next was Graham Inniss making his debut for Dorset, Graham hit a 24.51 average (not bad for his 1st game) but lost 1-3. Then wins for Alan Ayres and Matty Woodhouse put the Men's B into a 4-1 lead. Next up John Clark who lost 2-3 but then wins for Richard Gomm and Robby Morris put us 6-2 up. Bryan Pearson lost 2-3 then another player also making his debut Dan Walker banged in a 26.11 average hardly missing a winning double to win 3-1 now that's how everyone would love to start in a County side. Matt Yarrow who loves it up on stage had his match go to a nail biting final leg which Matt won hitting a 26.81 average and was our man of the match, his good lady wife having won the lady of the match for the women's B. Up last Terry Gowans who did little wrong banging in a 24.64 average but P Dinning hit all the winning doubles and Terry lost 1-3 so the men won convincingly 8-4.
So going into Sunday we had a 2 game advantage the match standing at DURHAM 8 DORSET 10.
Up 1st Julie Boggust who lost 1-3 then a win for Suzy Trickett followed by a loss for Trina Perry, an epic battle between Cheryl Adamson (County Durham) and Claire Rogers (Dorset) Claire missed doubles in the 1st two legs Cheryl didn't and went into a 2-0 lead then the fight back began and when Claire hit the double in the 3rd leg her confidence and belief grew, she went on to win 3-2 with a 17.96 average. Match now standing at 2-2 and up for us Sarah Chick who despite hitting a 19.74 average lost 1-3 to Linda Ithurralde who hit a massive 23.67 and was Durham's lady of the weekend, not missing much. Up last for us Julie Frampton won 3-1 and was our lady of the match with a 21.69 average. So the women's game 3-3 it was up to our mens A to get us a win.
1st up Ryan Gowans hitting a 27.47 and won 4-2 so a great start. But then losses for Lee Turle and our world champion Scott Mitchell who hit a 27.13 but lost to Kevin Naunton 3-4. Another youngster Lee Edwardson won 4-2 with a 27.75 average and was our Man of the Match so the Men's A was standing at 2-2. Mark Grimes whose last game dished out a winning 30 average this time he was on the receiving end as Robert Douthwaite beat Mark 4-1 with a 30.82 average and was player of the weekend. Steve Penney next for us and got a 4-2 win so match all even again at 3-3. Kevin Smith lost 3-4 but a another youngster Thomas Chant won 4-2 with a 24.48 average. Men's A was poised at 4-4 with 4 games to play.
Dorset overall still TWO games up from Saturday so one game for a draw two for a win sounds easy doesn't it, yes I thought so too but the next three games ended in losses for Robbie Martin, Matt Mooster Read and Nigel Lamb (despite hitting a 28.38 average he lost to Craig Anderson who hit a 30.48 average to beat Nigel 4-1, with a name like Anderson I should of known).
That left it all up to Mark Porter who went on last to hopefully get us a draw, Mark went into a 3-0 lead then got the Can't hit the winning double bug, he had chances but the double just wouldn't go in (we've all been there) and David Gill kept his nerve and hit that winning double, GUTTED but a great weekend a draw would of been a fair result but we must not dwell on the past but look forward to our next game. Away again this time to Nottinghamshire on week ending 31st October / 1st November. When you look at Dorset's squad we have a lot of talented youngsters Katie Mitchell, Daniel Perry, Ryan Gowans, Lee Edwardson and Thomas Chant who all won this weekend, so the future's bright the future's Green, GREEN ARMY marching on to Nottingham.
RESULT
County Durham 19 - 17 Dorset
Women's B Lost 2-4 // Mens B Won 8-4
Women's A Drew 3-3 // Mens A Lost 4-8
John CLARK
