LAST Friday night the 16 remaining pairs in the doubles competition competed at four venues for the last four places.
The four pairs eventually winning through proved to be Paul Melia & John Kilkenny and Nick Hough & Steve Allan (both Albion), Karl Dand & John Hale (Halfway A) and Dave Gittins & Kev Houghton (Weston Point SC).
Playing at Old Transporter the all Albion first game resulted in a 2/0 win for Paul and John against Nigel Peterson and Jack Peterson.
Staunton Pye and Eddie Whitehead (Lion Doo Waps) then ran out 2/1 winners against Cliff McFarland And Alan Powell (Draymen) with Paul and John then going on to win the board final 2.0 against Staunton and Eddie.
The first game at the RNA Club was an all-Tricorn affair with Peter Langton and Cliff Whalley running out 2/1 winners against Brian McNamara and Paul Lawrenson.
Former champions Nick Hough and Steve Allan then progressed to the board final with a hard fought 2/1 win against Kev Jones and Ian Darlington before Nick and Steve won through with a 2/0 win against Peter and Cliff.
Ian Deakin and Mark Chimes (Navvy) won the opening game 2/1 at the Grapes against Tom Humphries and Ron Taylor (Tranny Lads) with Tom hitting a maximum.
Next Karl Dand and John Hale ran out 2/0 winners against Dave Ocego and Neil Riley (Navigators) with Karl and John then going on to secure a semi final place in the competition with a 2/0 win against Ian and Mark.
Playing at the Navigation, Dave Gittins and Kev Houghton won the opening game 2/1 against Harry Wright and Phil Leather (Roundhouse A) with Graham Ridgway and Paul Illidge (Wanderers) beating John Hillan and Rob Law (Tranny Lads) by the same margin.
The board final resulted in a 2/1 win for Dave and Kev against Graham and Paul.
In the first round of the Town Championship played last Thursday night probably the top match was the one between section one opponents Tricorn and Halfway A.
The match went to four games all with Halfway A's Neil Connor finishing in 18 darts and teammate Steve Worrall hitting a maximum.
In the deciding leg Halfway A's John Hale, the league vice chairman, rolled back the years and produced 1a 17 dart game to steer his team through to the second round.
Halton Marauders' John Bennett hit an 18 dart game but he proved to be his team's only winner as they lost 8/1 to Albion with the latter's Nigel Peterson finishing on 100.
The competition pitted two section champions against each other but it was section three's Dev Superstars who won the day when they beat section two's Dreadnaughts 5/4.
This result however proved to be the only occasion when a team beat higher graded opponents.
In the first round of the Executive competition, section two's Lion pulled off a 6/3 win against section one's Clarry B but once again the losers cause was not helped by a lack of support.
The quickest game of the night came from Royal Oak's John Glover who produced a 14-dart game.
The match also produced a maximum from John's opponent Paul Illidge.
Jolly Brewer's James Murray recorded a 19-dart game in his team's surprise 7/2 win against section one opponents Halfway Gents.
Outcasts' Kev Goodall hit a maximum and Ken Parsonage a 19 dart game in their team's 5/4 win against Prospect Has Beens.
This Thursday, April 14, sees the first of the league's six finals nights.
Play will commence at 8pm prompt with the order of play being drawn on the night.
The two finals played will consist of the Apec Taxis KO Cup final between Halfway A and Albion and the section four stage of the Committee Challenge Cup between Quayside and Halfway Mixed.
These finals will be staged at the RNA Club.
This Friday night, April 15, the RNA Club will once again be the setting for the final of the Chairman's Challenge Cup between Albion and Navvy and the section three stage of the Committee Challenge Cup between Weston Point SC and Dev Superstars.
Once again all teams are reminded to be present for an 8pm start.
Next Thursday night, April 21, the second rounds of both the Town Championship and Executive competition will take place and this will be followed next Friday night at the War Memorial Club with the final of the Todger Jones VC Cup between Albion and Tricorn and the section two final of the Committee Challenge Cup between Royal Oak and Halton Marauders.
Results for April 7: End of Season Play-Offs: First Round: Town Championship: Navigators 2 Lion Doo Waps 7; Dreadnaughts 4 Dev Superstars 5; RAOB Buffs 6 Total Confusion 3; Fiddlers III 7 Lion Stonecutters 2; Tricorn 4 Halfway A 5; Albion 8 Halton Marauders 1; Halfway Mixed 4 Weston Point SC 5; The Burma 2 Navvy 7.
Executive Competition: Royal Oak 4 Wanderers 5; Jolly Brewer 7 Halfway Gents 2; Outcasts 5 Prospect Has Beens 4; Clarry B 3 Lion 6; RNA 8 Pavilions A 1; The Tup 4 Roundhouse A 5; Castle 5 Quayside 4; Likely Lads, bye.
April 21: End of Season Play Offs: Second Round: At Navigation: Lion Doo Waps v Dev Superstars.
At Runcorn Sports Club: Navvy v Weston Point SC.
At Devonshire: RAOB Buffs v Albion.
At RNA: Halfway A v Fiddlers III.
Executive Competition: At Old Transporter: At Old Transporter: Likely Lads v Castle.
At War Memorial Club: Wanderers v Outcasts.
At Halfway: Jolly Brewer v RNA.
At Weston Point SC: Roundhouse A v Lion.
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