Willington Black Horse Inn left it late before they edged through to beat the visiting Willington Commercial by the odd point when they won the double points team game.

The home side had singles wins from Ian Mavin, Lee Bradshaw and Chris Brown with Mavin and Brown adding a doubles point. The Commercial replied with singles wins from Lenny Glasper, Pat Swain and Dessie Ayre. The visitors then went ahead with doubles wins from Mary Walton with Lenny Glasper and Jean Swain with Dessie Ayre only to see the hosts snatch their late victory.

There were 180s from Micky Kidman of the Royal Oak, Alan Beck of the Victoria, John Barron of Cottles and John Bolam of the Lion and Unicorn.

The Prospect Club are the early league leaders with a three points advantage over Willington Cottles, who are one ahead of the Commercial and Brown Trout A.

Results: Prospect 10 Willington Black Horse Tavern 1; Willington Burn 3 Victoria Club 8; Sunnybrow Brown Trout B 4 Sunnybrow Brown Trout A 7; Willington Black Horse Inn 6 Willington Commercial 5; Willington Brewer's Droop 1 Willington Lion and Unicorn 10; Willington Cottles 6 Hunwick Joiners Arms 5; Hunwick Quarry 4 Byers Green Royal Oak 7.

Crook Ladies League

The Victoria Club took advantage of the fact that Crook Jelly's Bar B had a bye to jump into second place after they won at Tow Law New Market A by three points. This put the Victoria two points ahead of Jelly's B, who have a match in hand. Crook Queen's Head A lead the table by seven points with the same number of games played as Jelly's B.

The leading individual scorers last week were Dawn Harrison 140 and Marian Hesp 125 for the Queen's Head A, Val Readman 134 and 133 for the Victoria, Karen Moses 130 for the Travellers Rest, Mary Crossling 125 for Belle Vue Club, Jean Vitty 121 for the Cricket Club and Mary Paling 121 for Billy Row Green A.

Results: Crook Olde Horse Shoe 8 Tow Law New Market B 3; Crook Queen's Head A 9 Crook Cricket Club 2; Billy Row Green B 6 Crook Belle Vue 5; Crook Travellers Rest 8 Billy Row Green A 3; Crook Jelly's Bar A 5 Tow Law Station 6; Tow Law New Market A 4 Victoria Club 7; Billy Row Royal George 5 Tow Law North Point 6. Tow Law Black Horse v Crook Queen's Head B postponed.

Wear Valley Ladies

Carl Haygarth of Crook Olde Horse Shoe set off the new season with a bang when she hit a maximum at Crook Bar 56 but still saw her team go down by the odd point. The other leading scorers in the first week of the new season were Nadine Maddison of Sunnydene Lodge with 140, Freda Brown 131 and Beverley Brown 120 for Willington Cricket Club, Diane Miller 125 for Byers Green Club, Diane Moore 124 for the Royal Sun and Jackie Hutchinson 121 for the Mill House.

The league's newcomers did not have a good baptism for Tow Law Dan's Castle, Byers Green Royal Oak and Willington Cricket Club all lost their first match.

Results: Crook Mill House 4 Crook Royal Sun 5; Crook Golden Fleece 7 Byers Green Royal Oak 2; Tow Law Dan's Castle 4 Howden Sunnydene Lodge 5; Crook Coach and Horses 5 Crook Surtees 4; Willington Brewer's Droop 4 Crook White Swan 5; Byers Green Club 7 Willington Cricket Club 2; Crook Bar 56 5 Crook Olde Horse Shoe 4.

Tow Law Coors

Tow Law New Market A went down to their first defeat of the season when they entertained Newhouse Club in a top of the table clash. There was never anything to choose between the teams with the visitors' edging through to victory in the deciding doubles.

After the trebles were shared the home side had singles wins from David Dixon and Bob McFadden whilst Newhouse went ahead with wins from Steve Turner, Bill Aitkin, Tom McQuillan and Dave Thornton. The new Market levelled when they took the first two doubles but in the decider the Newhouse pair of Brian Jones and Bill Atkin beat Darren Yeoman and Ray Houghton.

The leading individual scorers were G. Blakey 180 and 140 and W. Jobson 140 for Billy Row, M. Wightman and K. Robson 140 each for the Stag's Head and D. Walton 140 for the Comedian.

Results: Hamsteels Inn 7 Tow Law Rose and Crown 4; Tow Law Station 2 Tow Law New Market B 9; Esh Stag's Head 10 Tow Law Dan's Castle 1; Esh McKennas 3 Cornsay Royal Oak 8; Sunniside Comedian 1 Billy Row Club 10; Tow Law New Market A 5 Newhouse Club 6.

Table at the halfway stage:

P W L D Pts

New Market A 11 10 1 9 93

Newhouse Club 11 9 2 7 87

Billy Row Club 11 7 4 8 78

New Market B 11 8 3 5 76

Esh Stag's Head 11 8 3 6 74

S'side Comedian 11 6 5 4 60

Hamsteels Inn 11 6 5 3 59

Tow Law Station 11 5 6 7 48

Esh McKennas 11 2 9 8 46

Royal Oak 11 3 8 6 46

Dan's Castle 11 1 10 1 33

Rose and Crown 11 1 10 2 26

Crook 4Ds League

Darts

P W L F A

Golden Fleece 8 6 2 61 27

Coach & Horses B 8 7 1 60 28

Crook Royal Sun 8 5 3 46 42

Coach & Horses A 8 2 6 29 59

Brewer's Droop 8 0 8 24 64

Dominoes

P W L F A

Coach & Horses A 8 4 4 46 34

Coach & Horses B 8 6 2 44 36

Crook Royal Sun 8 5 3 44 36

Golden Fleece 8 4 4 38 42

Brewer's Droop 8 1 7 28 52

Richmond and

District League

The season will not now start with the Eric Harrison Trophy, which is to be played at the end of the season. League games start on September 5, and the first round of fixtures is as follows:

Half Moon (Barton) v Black Horse (Kirkby Fleetham), The Ship Inn v Croft WMC, King William (Brompton) v Black Bull (Melsonby), Bay Horse (Middleton Tyas) v Comrades B, Cricket Club v Crown (Brompton), Comrades A v Board Inn.

Darlington Friday

Night League

P In Pr Pts

Caledonian 15 76 36 112

Builders 16 76 34 110

Havelock 15 61 36 97

Buck Inn 17 65 27 92

DSRM B 16 56 33 89

DSRM A 17 43 26 69

Grey Horse BT 17 39 24 63

JUC 17 42 19 61

Highland Laddie 17 42 18 60

Three Crowns 17 40 20 60

Jack Horner 16 38 22 60

Victoria SC 16 35 19 54

Brown Trout 15 34 14 48

Fire Station 15 29 14 43