Express & Star

Staffordshire defeated but go up a place

Staffordshire have climbed a place in the BDO British Inter-Counties Championship Division Two despite losing away from home.

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The county darters were pipped to the post at Northumberland but still went up one position to eighth in the 10-strong table,

writes Craig Birch.

Their fourth match defeat in five outings - with a home win over Worcestershire their solitary success - leaves them needing to bounce back.

They remained in the reckoning at Northumberland until the dying embers of play, though, and were only two games away from their matching their hosts.

The respective women's B teams were first to the oche, where the visitors went behind after falling to a 4-2 defeat.

Jemma Reay top scored for the home side, with an average of 16.27 in a 3-2 last leg battle against Julie Robinson (16.96).

Reay was upstaged by Staffordshire's Debbie Hollins, though, who got 18.33 in a 3-0 whitewash of Casey Stephenson (15.22).

Staffordshire made it competitive as they battled to arrest the slide in the men's B clashes, but were left as they were after a 6-6 draw.

More deciding leg tussles produced the best darts, with Northumberland's Jimmy Blakey prevailing 3-2 with 27.56 from his meeting with Barry Young (25.78).

Ben Hilditch restored parity for Staffordshire with another 3-2 result in the last game, with 24.96 in a 3-2 success over Gary Reed (22.63).

The away side levelled up the match with the women's A ties, where they recorded their own 4-2 verdict to leave the score all square.

Sarah Cope and Claire Stainsby opened proceedings, where Staffordshire's Cope came out on top 3-2 with 19.95 to her opponent's 21.09.

Ann Marie Potts mustered the best reply for the home side, with 17.86 as she emerged with a 3-1 result over Susan Sherratt (17.08).

It was all riding on the men's A finale, where Staffordshire got themselves into a 3-0 lead but let it slide to go down 7-5. Play was upgraded to a best-of-seven format.

Martin Wheawall excelled among their victors with 29.03 in a 4-1 win over John Young (23.40), but would not finish with the highest average of the weekend.

That went to Micky Lynn, who started to turn the tide for the hosts when he notched 29.47 in a 4-2 result over Callum Matthews (26.30).

Northumberland got over the line 19-17, earning three extra points as the winning county. Berkshire slipped to second bottom, though, after losing at basement boys Derbyshire.

Staffordshire now host Berkshire at their base, the White Eagle club in Riverway, Stafford, on February 11-12.

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