West Midlands sit top of the early table
The West Midlands' darters are top of the BDO British Inter-Counties Championship Division Two after opening their campaign with two wins.
After victory away to Staffordshire, the county's throwers followed up with a 23-13 result at home against Somerset,
Their base of Gilberts Bar in Willenhall, Wolverhampton, proved a happy hunting ground as they hosted their first fixture of the new campaign.
They could afford to squander the ladies 'B' match, where they let a 3-0 lead slide to finish all square, despite the best efforts of Sophie Singh.
She averaged 22.84 in a spirited 3-1 vanquishing of Barbara Dyke, who was just shaded with 21.47. Somerset's aptly-named Sally Dart scored 18.79 in a 3-0 whitewash of Wendy Waine.
The West Midlands started to take command in the men's 'B' affair, prevailing 8-4 and holding firm after building up a 6-2 lead.
Matthew Tedstone's 27.83 was the pick of the victor's darts in a 3-0 landslide over Terry Hayes. Craig Paines notched 27.03 beating Jack Routledge (27.04) 3-1 in the last game.
The ladies 'A' side then helped them to extend their lead with a 4-2 win, where they took the lead and never looked back.
Lisa Astbury clocked up 21.47 in a 3-0 success over Marie Geaney, while Somerset's Kay Bisset got 20.63 in downing Katherine Jenkins (19.59) 3-1.
The West Midlands closed out their dominance in the men's 'A' match where they, again, never relinquished the lead after striking first blood.
Opener and country stalwart Ian 'Whippet' Jones gleaned from a 4-1 victory over Matt Williams, but Micky Baker's 29.43 wasn't enough to prevent a 4-2 defeat to name-sake Dean Baker (28.95).
The table-toppers, with one extra for each match taken, collected 26 points to go four clear in the early standings, with London in second place.
The West Midlands now travel to Sussex on the weekend beginning Saturday October 31, to toe the oche at the Club Cue Leisure in Worthing.
