Champs Pioneers make it five on the spin

Darts honours seem straightforward with three Champions already crowned, but that is not the case in the Dominoes sections and promotion and relegation issues where most will hopefully be decided in the last week's matches.

Premier Darts Champions for the fifth consecutive time are Pioneers Club, who clinched the title in style by trouncing Dishers 7-1.

The Pies lost the first game, but were then unstoppable with skipper Pete Boughey hitting a 17 darter and a 180, Rob Clarke winning in 18 and 20 darts, John Speed in 17 and 18 and John Cooper and Ricky Busteed hitting respective 18 and 17 dart legs.

Pete and John then put the icing on the cake with a 33 dart pairs win at over 30 per dart average that was concluded by the skippers 117 checkout.

Chris Hardern (Dishers) hit a consolation 177.

Delamere Arms and Commercial lost 5-3 to Amalgamated B and Flying Lady A, so runners-up place will be decided by the pairs final match meeting.

Dave Bickerton starred for the Mals, winning in 17 and darts and also hitting a 180 while Colin Wilkinson hit a 19 dart leg.

Pete Galloway (Hawk) won with 16 and 20 darters and brother Rob, together with Keith Capper (Kings A), hit 180's. Barry Stockton (Lady A) hit a 108 checkout.

Vine A beat Leisure A 5-3 with Tony Hanks hitting a 118 checkout.

Top prospect Adele Probin won in 18 and 21 darts for Leisure.

The top four in Division One Darts met, Rockwood clinching the Champions tag by walloping third placed hosts ASLEF Leisure 7-1.

Second placed Raven A recovered from 3-1 down to draw with visitors Crown and need one more point to be runners-up.

Rockwood pair Fraser Cooper and Paul Sheehan hit respective 19 and 20 dart legs and Chris Watwood (Crown) a 114 finish and a 180.

Graham Heeps (Woodside) and Cliff Davison (ASLEF) also hit 180's.

British Lion B clinched a second successive Division Two Darts title by hammering bottom placed visitors Cross Keys A 7-1.

Second and third placed LMR Sports and Belle Vue are split by one point after wins over respective hosts Coppenhall Leighton and North Ward A.

This pair are the only teams in the contest for runners-up, so both need to be on top form for the visits of Hop Pole and Flying Lady B.

North Ward A's Wilbert (Sugar) Grant hit a 180, but unfortunately lost his game.

Division Three Darts trophy places are still wide open, with a probable two from four situation.

Leaders Sydney Arms B were 4-0 down to visitors Vine C, but recovered to snatch a draw.

Sydney Arms A move up to second after winning a cliffhanger at Kings Arms B, who drop to fourth.

The Kings have a match in hand which is host to Last Orders Inn whose 5-3 victory at Bridge C lifted them to third, level on points with Sydney A.

Andrew Pitt (Sydney A) won in 19 darts and Mick Stanley (Kings B) hit a 180.

Division Four Darts pacemakers Cheshire Cheese whitewashed hosts North Ward B to go seven points clear of Horse Shoe.

The Shoe contested a keen draw with third placed Queens Park G.C, who may just miss out on a trophy place as Cheshire Cheese need two points from their last match clash with the Cheese to be Champions.

Potential runners-up Horse Shoe visit bottom team North Ward B who they hammered first time around.

Chris Ayers (Cross Keys B) won with a 109 checkout.

Division Five Darts top two are newcomers Polish and Cosey Clubs, whose 6-2 wins over Crosville Club and Lion & Swan means they should finish in the trophy places.

Polish lead by five points, so Cosey need to win their last match clash 7-1 overtake them.

Third places Grand Junction recovered from 4-1 down to scramble a draw at Liberal C and have a match in hand on the top two, but their chances of challenging for a trophy place are minimal.

Darren Louth (Lion & Swan) won in 20 darts.

In Premier Dominoes the League allocated 4-4 scorelines for the Vine A v Dishers match have been deleted as current domino places mean the match must be played.

Dishers beat Pioneers 5-3 to lead the section by a point from Lady A who thrashed hosts Commercial 7-1.

Long time leaders Kings A may miss out on a top two place after a 6-2 defeat at the Hawk.

Vine A beat Leisure A 6-2 so their match in hand could lift them to a trophy place.

Division One Dominoes top two Nantwich Road Club and Raven A had 5-3 victories over George and Crown to leave an unchanged position with Crown dropping one point further back to third.

Trophy places should be filled to two of the current top trio.

Division Two Dominoes toppers Nags Head B enhanced their title chances by going three points clear after a 5-3 win over closest rivals Flying Lady B.

The clash between third and fourth placed Hop Pole and British Lion B was won 5-3 by the Lion, who return to trophy contention along with the trio above them.

Four teams are actively involved in the quest for Division Three Dominoes trophy spots.

Leaders Kings Arms B struggled to draw with Sydney Arms A so Bridge C draw level on points after beating Last Orders 5-3, but the Kings have a match in hand.

Vine C and Brunel are joint third, two points off the pace, and meet in their final match.

The draw between Division Four Dominoes top two Horse Shoe and Queens Park G.C makes the pair favourites for the trophy places.

Fourth placed Cheshire Cheese need a 7-1 win at Golf Club to overtake them.

Wins by Division Five Dominoes top two Cosey and Polish Clubs will give the first season pair double trophy places, this time Polish need to win 7-1 to overtake the leaders.

Premier Division cash awards will go to Delamere Arms and Pioneers Club, dependent on finishing order.

After one season in the top flight Leisure Club A are relegated with probably Kings Arms A.

Division One top duo Raven A and Rockwood meet last match but are odds on making a swift return to the top flight.

The George are relegated to Division Two and Nags Head A need a miracle not to join them.

Division Two toppers British Lion B need one point for promotion and try the best of three darts game.

The meeting of second and third placed Belle Vue and Flying Lady B, currently separated by four points, should provide the second promotion team.

Cross Keys A are relegated to Division Three, probably along with North Ward A.

Division Three has Kings Arms B to the fore with their match in hand more or less guaranteeing their promotion to Division Two.

Any one of a quartet of chasing teams will also go up and one of the current bottom four will be relegated to Division Four.

Two of Cheshire Cheese, Horse Shoe and Queens Park G.C should gain promotion to Division Three and Polish and Cosey Clubs, the outstanding Division Five teams of the season, are definitely promoted.

The third Division Five promotion place is still to be decided.

To rectify current Divisional inbalances the League Management Committee have ruled promotions will be two from Divisions One to Four and three from Division Five.

Relegations will be one from the nine-team Division Three and none from the eight-team Division Four.

Due to the demise of the Licensed Houses League, there are sufficient applications to fill all vacancies.

In accordance with League Rules all new teams will enter at Division Five level.