Pelham Arms flex their muscles with powerful start to season against Artillery

Newly-promoted Pelham Arms made a winning start to life in the Portsmouth Men’s Summer League top flight with a 5-4 victory over Artillery Arms.
Ian Bates earned a win for Baffins. Pictures: Ian Hargreaves  (113011-2)Ian Bates earned a win for Baffins. Pictures: Ian Hargreaves  (113011-2)
Ian Bates earned a win for Baffins. Pictures: Ian Hargreaves (113011-2)

Pelham took a 3-1 lead through Craig McCutcheon, Pete Huntley and Neil Munro, with only Jon Cooper able to provide an early response from Artillery, writes Lee Todd.

Barry Lennard, Darrell Manchip and Peter Simpson made it 4-3 to Artillery but that was all they could muster as Ben Rowley and Steve Greenwood won the two remaining sets to give Pelham the points.

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Fountain saw off a late fightback from Lady Hamilton to beat them 5-4 in division two.

Wins from Ken Dean, Laurie Clark and Kyle McManus, along with a walkover for Colin McKean put Fountain 4-0 up, with Dean hitting a 180 and Clark registering an 18-darter and 120 check out.

But Hamilton refused to roll over with John Fields, Pete Sanger, James Elliott and Jon Davison putting them back on level terms at 4-4 and forcing a deciding set which Steve Todd won for Fountain.

Lawrence Arms clinched a 5-4 triumph over Druids Arms B in division three.

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Rob McDuff opened with a win for Lawrence but Ian Attfield immediately restored parity for Druids.

Lawrence moved 3-1 up through Matt Slade and Tom Robson before Sean Etherington pulled a set back for Druids.

Rob Michie moved Lawrence within a set of victory but Chris Brown and Nigel Coleman were on hand to keep Druids in the match before Frank Wilson bagged the points for Lawrence in the final clash.

Baffins began their division four season in winning ways as they overcame Graham Arms 6-3.

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Mark Morgan took the opener for Graham but they were soon 3-1 down as Vic Wain, Bruce Duff and Dale Stockwell struck for Baffins.

Martin Simmons halved Graham’s deficit only but Brian Breadner immediately restored Baffins’ two-leg advantage.

Graham’s Terry Griffiths won the seventh leg to keep the match open as a contest but Ian Bates and Andy Ellis won the remaining ties for Baffins.

Harvest Home made a near perfect start in division five, demolishing Rose in June A’s 8-1.

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Michael Griffin, Jay Johnson, Phil King, Liam Thomson, Ben Mowett, David Churcher, Dave King and Paul Henty all won for Harvest before Rose’s Dave Lennox won the final leg to prevent a whitewash. Lee O’Donovan (Jolly Taxpayer C), Shane Williams (Rose in June B) and Danny Browne (Stag B) all threw 17-dart legs while John O’Shea (Old House at Home) notched an 18-darter with a 120 finish.

Dave Robinson (Thatchers), Les Rance, Dave Stewart (both Phoenix North End B), Jon McCoubrie (Jolly Taxpayer C) and Dan Legg (Shearer Arms) all fired in maximums.