WITH most teams having three matches remaining in the Crewe Oddies Club Open League, Raven from Division Two Darts are the first team to ensure a top-two place, and very likely as champions.

Premier Division Darts season-long pacemakers faced an uphill struggle when third-placed visitors Pioneers Club A took a 4-1 lead, but recovered and won the last three games to force a draw.

Main rivals Cosey Club also drew with visitors Amalgamated B, who must be well satisfied with their first season on the top flight.

Eight Farmers A took an early 3-0 lead against fourth-placed Willaston Club, mainly thanks to 15 & 19 darters and a 108 finish from John Speed and 17 & 19 darters and a brace of 180’s from Tony Richardson, but a spirited response from Willaston saw them force a draw.

Simon Phillips (Horse Shoe) staved off a whitewash for his team at the Oddies.

Top arrows came from Patrick Lynskey (LMR B) and Pete Boughey (Pioneers A) who fired respective 12 and 13 dart legs, and Carl Dennel (Cosey) who won with 13 & 17 darters and also bombed a 180.

Ross Gilder Jnr (Cosey) and Robbie Arrowsmith (Vine A) chucked 18 darters and Steve Tizard (Vine A) a 19-dart leg.

More 180’s were bombed by Clive Lucking (Pioneers A), Howard Bateman (Vine A) Dave Coyne (Oddies) and Farmers A duo Tom Kelly and Aaron Russell.

Division One Darts toppers Broughton Arms were beaten 5-3 by Cheshire Cheese, who move up to third place one point behind the Express, who won 5-3 at Nantwich Road A and level points with Hop Pole A, who became the ninth victims of Amalgamated A’s drawing expertise.

Dan Downey’s win prevented complete humiliation for Pioneers Club A by visitors Rising Sun B, while Bridge A’s 3-1 lead was quickly overturned by bottom placed White Lion who won the last for games for their second win of the season.

Stuart Gilligan (Broughton) hit a 14 dart leg and Darren Cooper (Express) a 17 darter.

Cheese pair Craig Jepson and Barry Cooper fired 18 darters and respective 106 & 101 checkouts, and Steve Austin (White Lion) won with 18 & 19 darters.

Chris Owens (Pole A) and Ron Threadgold (Amals A) registered maximum 180’s.

Division Two Darts runaway leaders Raven were held to a draw by fourth placed Coppenhall Club, but distant challengers Bridge C fared even worse by losing 5-3 to bottom placed Brunel Arms B.

This means third placed Hawk’s 6-2 win at Dishers Club B reduced their point’s deficit on Bridge C to six, and on paper they have the easier run-in. Dougie Lightfoot (Lady A), Stuart Eastwood (Woodside) and Martin Patrick (Raven) hit 20 darters. Martin Heathcote (Dishers B), Anthony O’Reilly (Coppenhall Club) and young Josh Challinor (Bridge C) fired respective 148, 126 and 120 checkouts, Heathcote and Challinor in 21-dart legs.

Division Three Darts has new leaders in Swan & Chequers, who trounced hosts Flying Lady B 7-1, with Andrew Fisher staving off the whitewash.

Duke of Bridgewater B are level on points with the Swan after a 5-3 win at Sydney Arms, but second on match results.

Alberts Corner's bye week demoted them to third, two points further back, so a very keen contest is on the cards for the top two places.

Division Four Darts also has new leaders with Cheese Hall’s 7-1 walloping of Coach & Horses putting them one point ahead of Dishers Club A and Nags Head B, with a last game decider won by Trevor Moss and Kevin Hallows to prevent the whitewash.

Nag B and Dishers A ended 4-4 so they have identical records on all three parameters, although Nag B have a match in hand.

Carl Beardmore (Farmers B) chucked a 19 dart leg and Bill Armstrong (Nag B) won with 20 & 21 darters.

Premier Division Dominoes runaway pacemakers West End LMR B enhanced their points lead with a 6-2 defeat of Pioneers A, one of five teams who all changed positions in a general reshuffle in their quest for runners-up berth.

Division One Dominoes returned a complete set of 5-3 victories, with Amalgamated A still top by two points after beating Hop Pole A.

Cheshire Cheese are up to second after winning at Broughton Arms, demoted to fourth as a result of Bridge A’s win at White Lion.

Division Two Dominoes leaders Dishers Club B beat fourth placed Hawk 5-3 and now lead by six points from Woodside who beat Flying Lady A 6-2. Raven remain third but no nine points off the pace after drawing with Coppenhall Club.

Division Three Dominoes toppers Sydney Arms beat Duke of Bridgewater B 6-2 to move ten points clear of Brunel Arms C, 5-3 victors over West End Band A.

Deposed leaders Alberts Corner drop to third as a result of their bye week.

Division Four Dominoes side Dishers Club A returned to top spot despite losing 5-3 at fourth placed Nags Head B.

Cheese Hall drop to second after losing 6-2 to visitors Coach & Horses, now only four points behind them.