Finals Night 2013

Tony Middleton became the Premier Leagues singles champion as the CRF UK Limited Shrewsbury Premier Darts League held its annual finals night in front of a packed out Harlescott Social Club. Middleton was up against former SDO Champion, the Mytton’s Lawrence Colley. Middleton had a tough route to the final beating upcoming star Matt Price in the last 16, then victory over fellow team mate Kieran Walker who claimed the most improved player award for the season in the quarter finals. Then saving his best performance of the season in the semi-finals beating player of the year, Glyn Thomas to claim his place in the final.

In the final itself Middleton was in no mood to let his opportunity slip racing into a 2 leg to nil lead. Colley had an opportunity to reduce the deficit in the third leg but didn’t take his chance as Middleton fought back to check out on double eight at his second attempt to claim the title.

Other winners on the night were the Belvidere’s Matt Elsey and Vaughan Owens who beat Steve O’Callaghan and Kev Evans to win the doubles title. In the consolation events the Woodman’s Jon Guntrip beat Matt Elsey 3-1 to win the singles competition, followed by a superb team performance from the Belvidere’s Joe Wildblood and Dave Maddams over the Compasses Bayston Hill’s Duncan Morris and James Carter. The Belvidere pair raced into a 2-0 lead then in the third leg they went up another gear with Maddams starting with a 140 matched by Wildblood who hit his own 140 with his next throw giving them the platform to seal the victory in an impressive 16 darts.

In the team events, the Compasses Bayston Hill were in superb form beating rivals the Belvidere 5-2, earlier in the season the Belvidere won their match to seal their place at the top of the table. But the team from Bayston Hill made sure there was no repeat performance with wins for Paul Ashworth, Nik Bloor who checked out 120 to beat Jim Elsey, Andy Williams and the impressive Shane Knight to give them a 4-2 lead after the singles, in the first doubles it was left James Carter and Michael Gray to claim the victory and the championship in beating Vaughan Owens and Matt Elsey 2-0.

In the Consolation final it was a real titanic battle as the Crown Abbey Foregate and Admiral Duncan A went to the final game of their match. It was left to the Crown’s Darren Lane and Ian Evans to settle the match with Lane hitting double top to beat Welsh International Scott Docherty and his partner John Davies in an epic tussle.

Teenage sensation Matt Price led his team to victory in the plate final in some style, playing for the Red Castle against a spirited Royal Oak team. He checked out in his singles finishing on the bull, then in the deciding doubles game hitting an 86 checkout, again hitting the bullseye, to win his team’s first trophy in the Premier League.

Teenage sensation Matt Price led his team to victory in the plate final in some style, playing for the Red Castle against a spirited Royal Oak team. He checked out in his singles finishing on the bull, then in the deciding doubles game hitting an 86 checkout, again hitting the bullseye, to win his team’s first trophy in the Premier League.