-----Division 1-----
Saigon United 8-4 over Thao Dien Raiders @ TJ’s Bar
Saigon stormed to yet another convincing win at home to the team they leapfrogged into second place last season. United were 2-0 up after the initial doubles before being clawed back by in-form pair Paul/Cabby who romped home 3-0. However Saigon, for the 4th time already this season, dominated singles play.
The opener was a very tight affair and could have gone either way, but Khang took it 3-2 over Squancy. Duy then polished off Tom (3-0) giving Saigon the edge. Raiders then managed to sandwich in two big W’s through Paul (3-1 over Guppy) and Eric (3-0 over Nhan) - bringing the overall score back to only 4-3 in the hosts favour. Up stepped Pawel and then Kevin who both took comfortable wins over Josh and débutante Jordan. 6-3 Saigon.
Needing only one win to take the 3 points, Saigon quickly gained it, with both opening pairs of Duy/Thoan & Guppy/Pawel penning victories - with a consolation win for the successful doubles duo of Paul/Cabby (3-0 over Kevin/Khang).
Raiders’ Paul continues to ride high in the stats and Tuesday was no exception when he finished with 16 tons, 8 checks and a high check of 126. Eric claimed 7&4, Squancy 7&3 and Jordan 3&1. Saigon saw Khang smash a 180 as well as two high checks (88 & 86) to be one of their stand-out players. However, in a predictably strong team performance, Pawel was ‘on check’ taking out 9/9 doubles and scoring well with 7 tons.
Man of the match: Pawel Bandlow (Saigon) - 3 wins, 7 tons & 9 checks
Those Guys 6-6 Alayah @ Malt South
TG picked up their first point of the season in an exciting and entertaining match in Saigon’s District 7 - battling it out with fellow promoted side Alayah in a topsy-turvy tungsten treat! For the second time this season TG came out of the opening doubles round 2-1 to the good. In what’s turning into a deadly combination, Peter & Dan, teamed up with Matt & Leon to take their two wins. Kieran & Guru taking Alayah’s.
Dan and Peter then used some more devastating darts to destruct Eric and Alan from Alayah in the singles round, both chalking up scores of 3-1. This pushed the home team further in front to lead 4-1. Alayah had to stop the rot, they did just that - in great style - taking the remaining four singles through Ryan, Guru, Shea & Kieran, to lead 5-4 with only doubles to play.
Peter & Dan were selected together again and didn’t disappoint making light work of Alan & Guru, including a 16 dart leg and eventually won 3-0, match all square. Meanwhile a darting battle was under way between Matt & Leon and Shea & Ryan. This battle went the distance and the TG duo guaranteed a point for the home side with a 3-2 result. The final doubles was crucial and was won by Eric & Kieran (3-1) to rescue a point for the travelling Alayah. All in all a feast of tasty darts between two hungry sides.
There was no stopping Shea hunting for maximums, killing the treble 20 bed twice with deadly arrows. His next prey? Fast checks. Devouring a 19 dart leg in his singles. Kieran’s taste buds were craving wins and he was fully satisfied with 3 from 3 and a 92 high check. Guru wanted dessert and he chose wisely, leaving it until last, to take out 6 delicious doubles. On the other side of the table: Peter’s main course was 13 tons and he sprinkled 8 checks over the top. Pat, Dan and Matt shared snacks - taking 5 tons a piece with Leon stealing some for later sneaking 5 checks.
Man of the Match: Peter Knight (Those Guys) - 3 wins, 13 tons, 8 checks, high check (80)
BNB 8-4 over Wizards @ Hangover Bar
Wizards put the pressure on the home team from the start taking the first doubles round 2-1 with wins for Cris/Topper and Allain/Raymond. BNB didn’t like that very much and they returned with strength in the singles taking the opening three games seeing victories for Michael, Bong and Mariel. Back came Wizards with consecutive 3-1 wins for Topper and Raymond - following on from their good work in the doubles and tying the overall score at 4-4. Arnold (BNB) faced up against Ron (Wizards) in the final singles and he put BNB into the lead with a convincing 3-1 win.
In a somewhat anti-climax (for all the neutrals) BNB really rallied at the end and took all of the doubles with only Cris & Allan pushing their opponents in a 3-2 defeat to Mariel & Bong. BNB therefore taking the match 8-4.
Mariel had an excellent night on the board for BNB hitting 15 tons, a 180 and 5 checks, g’darts! Mark was next best on the tons with 6. Arnold and Michael both took 6 checks but BNB had 6 players checking 3+ times. For Wizards Allan claimed 8 tons, Cris 6 and Raymond with 5. Cris and Raymond were their top checkers with 7 & 6 respectively. The win sees BNB in 4th place while Wizards are still hunting for their first points of the season.
Man of the Match: Mariel Mercado (BNB) - 2 wins, 15 tons, 180 & 5 checks
Nomads 10-2 over Shooters @ Shooters Bar
Shooters Bar welcomed both its teams ‘home’ but it was the official home team and current champions who reigned supreme over their co-hosts. Shooters were left to rue a disastrous set of doubles rounds losing every single game. There was some chinks of light in the singles round but Nomads marched on and into second place in the league.
The singles round was opened by Cuong v Hiro and Adrian v Kabel. In the first Hiro rushed into a 2-0 lead and Cuong looked on the ropes - not for the first time Cuong came out punching with a flurry of power scoring and doubling precision - to steal a 3-2 win from the Shooters’ darts poster boy. Meanwhile in the other, Adrian had to battle all the way to take a 3-1 victory over Alex ‘sleeveless’ Kabel.
Things had to change for Shooters and Alan claimed a 3-0 over Bill to reduce the arrears to 5-1 Nomads. Minh stretched their lead again with his own 3-0 over Bailey and Chad was similarly effective in taking down Dave 3-1. Nomads now found themselves 7-1 to the good, a win in the bag, with one singles remaining. Jamie secured another point for Shooters with a 3-1 win over Melvin. 7-2 Nomads.
As alluded to previously, Nomads went onto win all three remaining doubles to romp home in a 10-2 triumph. Cuong looked deadly all night and chalked up 17 tons & 7 checks. Chad was also pitching well with 14 tons & 6 checks - as well as a high check of 98. Melvin again showed consistency over the night and took 8&4. Shooters had a poor night - for recent standards - but Hiro still recorded 11&4, Jamie 6&3 and Alan 5&4.
Man of the Match: Cuong (Nomads) - 3 wins, 17 tons & 7 checks
-----Division 2------
Last week -- when Division 2 witnessed 3 identical even matches -- was capital Q Quirk. So what do we make of this week? Yep, all three matches again finished with the same score; just less drama this time! Let's look at things in a bit more detail...
Pinoy Patriots 8-4 over DTwo Dartaholics @DTwo Sports Pub
Pinoy Patriots maintains their status near the top of the table with a balanced team effort on the road.
They took the lead early in the first doubles pairings, through Joren / Jan Ray and Freddie / Ozzy securing victories to put the Patriots ahead 2-1. In the subsequent six singles matches, the Patriots continued to dominate at the same pace, with wins from Freddie, Jan Ray, Ozzy, and Khen. To open and close the Singles, Dartaholics managed to win the first and last matches of the round, thanks to Geordie and Jess. But at that point, the Patriots had a comfortable 6-3 lead with three more doubles matches left to play, needing only to win one more to secure the overall victory. Despite a strong showing from Geordie and Travis, who won the first doubles match, Khen and Ozzy managed to secure the win for the Patriots in the following match.
The standout performances of the night came from Ozzy, who had 3 wins, 3 tons, and 4 checks; Freddie, who had 3 tons and 5 checks, one of them a 89 close-out; and Jan Ray and Joren, who both had 5 tons each. On the Dartaholics side, Travis, Jess, and Geordie each had 3 checks apiece.
Men of the Match: Freddie and Ozzy share the spoils!
Madhouse 8-4 over Phatty's @Phatty's
It was a wild night of Phat darts at Phatty's, as Madhouse faced off against Wild Darts in what really should be billed at the "STEVE BOWL".
In the first round of Pairs -- featuring only one Steven -- Derek and Clive of Madhouse battled it out against Lily and Steve Ball of Wild Darts. It was a close match, but in the end, Derek and Clive emerged victorious with a score of 2-1. (Little did they know at the time, but this mathematical correlation would set the tone for the night's competition(s) to come...)
Next partners coming up winners were Markus / Steve Carss (MH), downing Sterling and Stephen Brown (WD) -- the first of 4 battles involving opposing (and frequently variably spelled) STEVEs. Then, Riderking KC and Hien (WD) got a small measure of revenge-- yet again by the score of 2-1. (This match featured only one Stephen; but no doubt, somewhere across in Thao Dien, "Geordie" Stephen's ears were burning!)
The creepy 2/3 ratios were halted -- temporarily -- once the match turned to Singles. Home Captain Colin played an impressive game, winning with a score of 2-0 to start a run of 4 Madhouse wins on the spin, with only Steve Ball (WD) managing to get a check in edgewise. The highlight of evening, at least for those whose names began with double consonants, was the last MH win in that streak: Steve Carss topped Stephen Brown 2 to nil. From there, Wild Darts' ladies finished up the Singles round by pulling back a couple wins for their ledger. Nevertheless, they had it all to do, needing to avoid another loss to get anything from the match.
So with the score 6-3 to Madhouse, Sterling and Riderking KC narrowed the gap with a 2-0 win for the road team, before Derek and Markus clinched the 3 points for Madhouse-- ending their Groundhog Tuesday (3 straight draws to start the season) in positive fashion. Although the final Doubles amounted to an exhibition for opposing STEVEs, I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say-- let's have a Steve & Stephen vs. Steve & Stephen Doubles tangle in the return fixture!
Wild Darts may have lost the points but they fought hard, led by Sterling in tons with 4, Hien in checks (4), and Lily with 2 & 3, respectively. Madhouse showed great teamwork, with everyone pitching in with winning checkouts, and 4 players with at least 3 final arrows.
Man of the Match: Derek (3 wins, 4 tons, 5 checks)
Crazy Hangover 8-4 over LSD @ Capone's
Crazy Hangover maintained their position at the top of the League standings as they emerged victorious with another 8-4 scoreline against LSD in a less-than-thrilling match at Capone's. Both teams limped into the match short of full strength squads, but the desire for competition was hard to extinguish for both sides.
Although it would soon go pear-shaped for the home team, things started on the ups. "Funky Priest" Dan Jones and Rusty Del Tropo got the ball rolling by winning the first Doubles 2-0. However, "M n M" Michael Mahoney and Mark were not as fortunate and suffered a 0-2 defeat against Hung and new player Lily Pham of CH. Yet Poul Henrik-Worm and guest player Michel took the last Pairs vs. a couple "clone" players: recycled CH members tasked with playing out the leg in place of absent teammates.
With the score 2-1 to LSD entering the Singles, the home side's optimism soon met an impasse, with CH taking 4 of the 6 middle matches through Kiet, Hung and twice victorious, the newly ambidextrous darter Eric (once as a 'clone'). LSD got a couple wins from Michel and Dan the "Funky Priest". Nevertheless, with backs against the wall, LSD couldn't muster a comeback. The 4 traveling CH members swept away the opposition in Final Doubles to make that familiar 8-4 scoreline, yet again.
Among the LSD players, "Funky Priest" Capt. Dan stood out as the bright spot, scoring 3 Triples and 5 checkouts throughout the night. On the other hand, in addition to great play from Kiet, the aforementioned Eric and nice League debut from Lily.
Hung Trac Bang of Crazy Hangover was the star performer, scoring 5 tons and six checkouts, earning Man of the Match.
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