Tow Law Coors: Tow Law New Market A held on to their eight points lead at the top of the table after they beat the visiting fourth placed Billy Row Club by three points.

After the two trebles points were shared the home side had singles wins from Dave Dixon, Bob McFadden, John Parkin and Colin Perry, whilst Billy Row had wins from George Blakey and Billy Jobson. The Market completed their victory by taking two of the three doubles.

Tow Law Dan's Castle entertained Cornsay Royal Oak with both sides looking for their second win of the season. The trebles were shared and Ian Johnson put the home side ahead by taking the first singles. However the visitor's took the remaining singles through Brian Bayles, Ray Young, Simon Witherspoon, John Close and Chris Close. The Castle managed two of the three doubles.

The leading individual scorers were S. Wilkie and B. Jones 180 each for Newhouse, B. Railton 174 for the Comedian, R. McFadden five 140's for the New Market A, J. Close 140 for the Royal Oak and A. Hird 140 for Dan's Castle. The best starts on the double came from B. Railton of the Comedian with 160 and J. McCorquedale with 152 for Billy Row.

Results: Esh McKennas 3 Tow Law New Market B 8; Sunniside Comedian 11 Tow Law Rose and Crown 0; Tow Law Station 1 Hamsteels Inn 10; Newhouse Club 7 Esh Stag's Head 4; Tow Law Dan's Castle 4 Cornsay Royal Oak 7; Tow Law New Market A 7 Billy Row Club 4.

Crook Ladies League

Crook Jelly's Bar A brought off the shock of the season when they beat the league leaders, their B team by the odd point. The A team took the singles at 5-1 and then clinched certain victory by taking one of the three doubles. This defeat for Jelly's B knocked from the top perch and allowed the unbeaten Crook Queen's Head A to take over with a two points advantage, whilst Jelly's B lead the Victoria Club by three points.

The leading individual scorers were Donna Jackson with 140 for the New Market A, Shirley Hind 131 for the Black Horse, Julie nelson 130 and Sam Hennessey 125 for Jelly's A, June Barron 129 for Jelly's B, Heidi Moses 125 for the Queen's Head A, Brenda Robinson 125 for the Victoria, and Lesley Leighton 121 for the Olde Horse Shoe.

Results: Billy Row Royal George 5 Crook Queen's Head B 6; Crook Jelly's Bar A 6 Crook Jelly's Bar B 5; Crook Belle Vue 4 Victoria Club 7; Crook Queen's Head A 11 Tow Law North Point 0; Billy Row Green A 7 Crook Cricket Club 4; Tow Law New Market A 6 Tow Law Station 5; Crook Travellers Rest 5 Crook Olde Horse Shoe 6; Tow Law Black Horse 8 Billy Row Green B 3.

Crook 4Ds League

The teams played for double points last week and this proved very valuable for Crook Coach and Horses B for they managed to take over the top spot in both the darts and dominoes sections with victories over their rivals at Crook Royal Sun. The Coach B lead Crook Golden Fleece by two points in the darts section and by four points in the dominoes section with only one match remaining.

Stephen Hayton of Crook Golden Fleece hit a maximum and two 140's for the Golden Fleece with Paul Knighton putting in a maximum for the Royal Sun, whilst Tommy proud hit two 140's for the Golden Fleece.

Results: Crook Golden Fleece 18 (12) Willington Brewer's Droop 4 (8); Crook Royal Sun 4 (8) Crook Coach and Horses B 18 (12).

Thomas Bailey Memorial Doubles

Doug McCarthy and Jeff Sneath of Crook Belle Vue Club kept up their winning sequence in major doubles competitions when they won the Thomas Bailey trophy at Chilton when they beat Robert Douthwaite and Tommy Ward of Cockton Hill Club in the final.

Quarter final results: Jason Bone and Joe Blakey (Willington Club) lost to Chris Kitch and Billy Steele (Cockton Hill Club); Lee Richardson and Eddie Ashurst (Ferryhill Club) lost to Doug McCarthy and Jeff Sneath (Crook Belle Vue Club); Robert Douthwaite and Tommy Ward (Cockton Hill Club) beat John Heathcoat and John Ward (Crook Belle Vue Club); Paul Knighton and Dave Byrne (Crook Belle Vue Club) beat Gordon Dodds and Paul Wellings (Crook Belle Vue Club).

Semi-finals: Robert Douthwaite and Tommy Ward (Cockton Hill Club) beat Chris Kitch and Billy Steele (Cockton Hill Club), whilst Doug McCarthy and Jeff Sneath (Crook Belle Vue Club) beat Paul Knighton and Dave Byrne (Crook Belle Vue Club).

During the course of the competition there were two maximums from Paul Knighton of Crook Belle Vue and one each from Doug McCarthy, Jeff Sneath and Gordon Dodds of Crook Belle Vue, Wayne Harland of Willington, Chris Kitch of Cockton Hill and Phil Nixon of Ferryhill.

Newfit Services Willington Darts

The league meeting accepted a late entry from Sunnybrow Brown Trout B team, resulting in a change of fixtures for the first week.

The new list reads: Hunwick Joiners Arms v Willington Burn; Willington Lion and Unicorn v Willington Cottles; Sunnybrow Brown Trout A v Willington Brewer's Droop; Willington Commercial v Sunnybrow Brown Trout B; Byers Green Royal Oak v Willington Black Horse Inn; Willington Black Horse Inn v Hunwick Quarry; Willington Club v Prospect Club. The Victoria Club have a bye.

Doreen and Ken Johnson Memorial Ladies Darts

This Ladies four-a-side competition to be played at Crook Spitfire Club is open to teams from anywhere. The qualifying rounds will be held on Tuesday, 16 September and 23 September with the final on Tuesday, 30 September. The closing date for entry is Friday, 29 August.

Entry fee is £4 per team and can be made to Betty Chapman on 01388 764375 or to the Spitfire Club, North Road, Crook. The match format is a team game, two doubles and two singles. The competition is held in memory of Doreen Johnson, a County darts player and regular local league player, and her husband, Ken, who was also a great darts enthusiast.

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); Croft WMC v The Ship Inn; King William (Brompton) v Black Bull (Melsonby); Bay Horse (Middleton Tyas) v Comrades B; Cricket Club v Crown (Brompton); Comrades A v Board Inn.

Documentation (fixtures, rules, etc.) will be sent out the week beginning August 25 to those teams who have paid their subs. Other teams will be sent theirs on payment of subs, which must be paid before the start of the season.