Duke on the money as Taxpayer crash again

Jolly Taxpayer B are still searching for their first points of the season in Portsmouth Men's Winter League division B after Duke of Devonshire A beat them 5-4, writes Lee Todd.
Lee Cook of Phoenix North End BLee Cook of Phoenix North End B
Lee Cook of Phoenix North End B

Harry Rogers and Trevor Rogers gave Duke a 2-0 lead but David Gough and Seamus Gordon were on hand to pull their rivals level.

Duke wasted no further time in bagging the points as Ian Rogers, Paul Simmonds and John Elverson gave them an insurmountable lead.

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David Clarke and George Davis took late consolations for Taxpayer.

Clarence Gardens remained second in division C after coming from behind to dispatch Oyster House A 6-3.

Oyster went 2-0 up through James Bedden and Toby George before Clarence rattled off five wins on the trot courtesy of James Miller, Aaron Shambrook, Dan Shambrook, Leigh Rawlings and Craig Mason.

Clarence’s sixth leg came as a walkover for Tony Bell and Alex Hood won the final tie for Oyster.

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Barley Mow took advantage of a depleted Mermaid B side as they triumphed 5-4 to pull level on points with them in division D.

Steve Hansford drew first blood but it was immediately cancelled out as Mow were awarded a walkover for Derek Lendrum.

Rae Lawson edged Mow ahead only for Mike Ralph to strike for Mermaid and make it 2-2.

David Parsons, Pete Roberts and Adam Plater won the next three to guarantee victory for Mow.

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Mermaid made the scoreline more respectable with late wins from Dean Underdown and Paul Boden.

Lord Chichester B kept the pressure on division A’s frontrunners with a 6-3 victory over Eastfield.

Neil Hewson and Paul Garland gave Eastfield a 2-1 advantage with sets either side of a Chichester win from Frankie Howard.

Ross Hughes pulled Chichester level but Kevin Wilson soon re-established Eastfield’s lead.

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However it was one-way traffic from there on as Mike Feaver, Kevin Gilchrist (18-dart leg), Justin Hughes (102 finish) and Jack Seymour were all in winning ways for Chichester.

Chichester are also chasing honours in the Challenge Cup where a 7-2 win against Jolly Taxpayer C booked them a place in the final.

Justin Hughes, Frankie Howard, Darren Barnes and Dean Jones propelled Chichester into a 4-0 lead before Andy Newcombe and Paul La Roche – with an 18-dart leg – halved Taxpayer’s deficit.

But it was to no avail as Kevin Gilchrist – with an 18-dart leg, John Madgwick Jnr and Ross Hughes completed a convincing win for Chichester.

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Phoenix North End B will be their opponents in the final after they beat Stag A 7-2 in their semi-final.

Lee Todd, Steve Todd and Lee Smith put Phoenix in the driving seat before Andy Dunn got Stag off the mark.

Wins from Les Rance and Lee Cook secured Phoenix’s progress.

Aaron Thomas then added a consolation for Stag before Dan Eade and John Garratt completed the win.

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Division D’s Mermaid B dispatched higher-league opponents in the Challenge Plate – beating George & Dragon A 5-4 to reach the final.

Mermaid went 3-0 up thanks to Doogie Ralph, Ryan Ralph and Mike Ralph before the next leg was awarded to George’s Robbie Brooks as a walkover.

John Sismur put Mermaid within a leg of victory but Jonathan Wyatt and Anthony Plummer were on hand to keep George in the match and make it 4-3.

Mermaid’s Mark Pearce ended it as a contest as he won the penultimate tie before Les Weston took a consolation for George.

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Division C leaders Meon will be looking for a league and cup double as they beat Lawrence Arms 7-2 to move into the final.

Jason Appleton, Brad Sanders and Luke Smith put Meon 3-1 up with only Gordon Smith providing any early resistance.

John Benham pulled a leg back for Lawrence but that was all they could manage with Jim Scammell, Bob Osborn, Keith Elford and Mark Standen taking the remaining games for Meon.

Liam O’Driscoll (Admiral Drake C), Dan Eade (Phoenix North End B), Paul La Roche (Jolly Taxpayer C), Michael Neat (Rose in June B) and Liam Jafkins (Rose in June C) all threw 18-darters.

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Lee O’Donovan (Jolly Taxpayer C) hit a 130 game-shot and Donal Cronin (Newcome Arms B) notched a 101 check-out.

Steve Ockendon (Jolly Taxpayer C), Chris Harradine (Rose in June B), Ron Jafkins (Rose in June C) and Michael Chandler (King Street Tavern) all fired in maximums, while Cliff Martin (Fawcett B) scored 160.

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