darts By Stan Launder

Last updated 13:38, Friday, 11 July 2008

THERE is a lot of Cumbrian interest at this year’s Gold Cup at The Lakeside this weekend.

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Gary Heaney: Star performance at Ellenborough

Centrally we are interested in Andrew Foster, who has to face Warwickshireman Trevor Frost in the first round. Having had a superb win over England player Darryl Fitton last weekend our lad should be high on confidence.

Pecker and Big Steve face up to chaps called Shadwell and Heath in the first round of the pairs with high hopes.

Heather Draper will take on Gladys Davies from Clwydd in her first round and may get the chance to avenge her defeat by Dee Bateman (a peripheral Cumbrian interest) of last weekend in the Welsh Classic.

Teaming up with Pam Hind, Heather will play Yorkshire pair Simmonds and Haigh in the first round of the pairs – they have to be a good pair having won through the Yorkshire heats – but then our two lasses are a good pair too.

Pam and Heather could play the holders at a later stage as Barbara Lee (another peripheral interest) and Sandra Greatbatch are in their group.

Last other Cumbrian at the Lakeside is long time Cumbria favourite Garry Simpson who faces a ‘Man of Sussex’ first time in and is in the same group as ante post favourite Gary Anderson.

Best of luck to all the Cumbrian contingent, central or peripheral.

n Welsh classic: I have mentioned that Andrew Foster had a great scalp at the Welsh Open when he trimmed Cheshire and England player Darryl Fitton. He also had wins over seasoned players Steve Horton, Andy Wright and Glenn Moody (remember him at the World Championships?) then lost to Willie Van de Weil in the last 16.

Steve Bonnett won a group match, Mick Connerton did not, while in the ladies, Anita Ward’s ability to pick her opponents did not take a turn for the better.

Having pulled Trina recently she pulled Tricia Wright this time. Tricia lost in the semi-final to former Cumbria player Dee Bateman who, in turn, lost to Frances Hoenselaar in the final.

n Ellenborough Social Club: Now this is very nice. A new competition venue, and one with £1,000 on offer. First heat was last Thursday and there are six more to go (this Thursday just gone was heat two).

The first heat winner is nice to report on too with Gary Heaney, so often the ‘nearly’ man getting through at the expense of John Madine whom Gary beat twice on the night. They both had 180s, as did Mark Sloan, and John also had a class 140 finish. A good tournament to support.

n West Street Social Club: This was week seven so last night was week eight and the play offs are on Friday. With just 16 players there for the finals it will be the lowest entry of the other eight. Again there were 28 entries and again there were some top darts.

Just three 180s – one each from Stuart Dinnell, Gary Heaney and Stefan Service with Stuart also starring with a 112 off and a 112 finish. Keith Clark had a 142 out - wow! and George Studholme went out on 102.

Mark Storey was the man of the night with a powerful display in which he never lost a game. He beat Darren Armstrong in one half final and Stuart in the other leaving the pair of them to play off for the other qualifying place – a game which Darren won. Losing at one stage earlier were Alan McNaughton and Gary Heaney, who managed to lose twice! Another nearly.

n Bounty hunters last chance: This was the last heat of eight at The Bounty with the “Duffers” play off tomorrow night and the big money to be played for next week.

The final of the top half of the draw featured Steven Maguire, who had beaten Des Halbert in the semi final, and Mike Sowerby who had put out the most consistent nearly man at the Bounty Mike Reed. Mike Sowers won that to go through to the last pair of the heats.

In the bottom half, Scanner Bone also beat Mike Reed in the last four with the aid of a 78 finish while Des got his other entry to this final when he beat Mark Sloan 2-1.

Des, who claims to have had a few weeks off the darts, beat Scanner 2-0 in that half final to go on and win the last spot in the eight man line up for the Bounty title with a 2-1 win over Mike, who, like Mike Reed, has been almost through several times.

Scanner had a hat-trick of 180s and a 117 finish, Mike Reed had a pair of maximums and there were singles from Graeme Minto, Tex Houghton, Mike Sowerby (and a 177) and Des who had no fewer than three legs in 13 darts. Des mate I wouldn’t touch the darts again till a week tomorrow.

n Bounty Mixed Pairs: Well into the second half of the heats now and this was a week to remember for Craig and Kerry Wilkinson who won both halves of the draw and went through to the finals unopposed – Kerry having a pair of maximums in the night’s play.

In one final they beat Spider Sewell and Angela Stott and in the other they did for Alec and Pauls Hall. Losing semi-finalists were John Madine and Dawn Stevenson – going out to the winners in the best game of the night – Gary and Lesley Heaney, despite Gary having a very, very classy 164 finish. Rob McCoubrey with Kelly Whitehead and Andrew Cartwright with Denise Bowe.

n Royal George Blind Pairs: There was another big entry but only the two maximums by Andrew Foster and Brett Lowden. Neil Linford partnered Brett to a win in the top half with a 2-1 victory over Andrew with Alan Feckie. Scanner Bone and Alan Johnston won the bottom half – a 2-0 over ‘Sox’ and Eddie Waugh but Neil and Brett won a seemingly one sided final in three straight legs. Next heat on Wednesday.

n Just champion Rob: My e-mail from Sas said: “who needs Sky TV when you can come to the Station in Maryport and watch darts like this for free?!!!!”

This was the final play off and in the first round Mark Sloan put out John Madine 3-1; Mark Steel had a bye because Andrew Foster was at the Welsh Classic; Rob McCoubrey beat Mike Sowerby 3-1 and Darren Southwell completed the semi-final line-up when he defeated Paul Tuck 3-1.

Mark Steel won a tight five legger at Mark Sloan’s expense in a super game and Rob put out Darren 3-1.

Rob won the final 4-1 and was a most worthy champion – he had a 160 finish and twice finished on the bull. 180s came from John Madine, Mark Steel and Rob with Mark Sloan having a 120 out in a 15-darter. Well done too to The Station for staging a very good competition.

n Ukrainian Club Singles League: Progressing nicely here with Paul Scott topping the table with four straight wins but there are games to be caught up with.

Trevor Watters had the best game this week with a 25.47 average while Alan McNaughton had 14 and 15 dart legs and finishes of 104 and 100. Other three figure outs were notched by Derek Foster, 106 Lee Dunlop 117 and the best of the week a very classy 148 by Mike English. Hope to have a table next week.

n Harrington RBL: One leg of 1001 with best of three for the final here and from week three Steven Hodgson went through after beating Mike Sowerby in the final. Martin Rothery made it to the latter stages and the only 180 came from Paul Tuck. We will catch up with the next two weeks later because of holidays.

n Jocky Goulding Blind Pairs Memorial: The semi- finals last Friday featured the same two partnerships with Mark Sloan and Paul Morris winning one and John Blaney with Dave Mellon winning the other. Mark and Paul won the resulting final 3-2 in a tight match. Heat six is on Thursday.

n Castle Whitehaven: Paul Morris got both of his entries to the last pair in each half of the draw where first he beat Joe Batty 2-0 but then lost 2-1 to Alan Scanner Bone who had the only 180 of the night.

Scanner won the final 3-1 but spare a thought for the numerically dyslectic player who, wanting 90, hit treble 1, treble 19 and double top to bust his score. And three top darts too!

n Tam O Shanter: There were only eight players there for the second of the eight heats but there were some first class darts.

Graham Metcalfe got through from one half of the draw with a win at Barry Irving's expense who also lost in the last four in the other half – this one to Mike Dykie Blair who went on to beat Bello in the final. We could do with a few more there next Wednesday!

n And finally: A reminder that the Catholic Club at Egremont start their four week tournament on July 18 with other heats on 25th, August 1 and 8 and the play off on 22nd. There is £50 added to the prize money and the entry is only £1.50 for a life in each half.