The most solid line up we have had this year turned out to face Rileys at their place.
Joe kindly offered to chauffer us and Emma down to London Road for our last game of the Summer season.
Were the emotions of the finale going to get to either side? Who knows! They are pushing for a place in the knockout stage and we were playing for pride and to ensure we are not the worst team in all 4 groups (on leg difference obviously).
Well as we arrived and posed for a few team photos (to be added in due course) we got on the practice boards at about 9pm.
On the oche for the first game was Mark and John aka Jimmy Neutron and Sid (as the were named later in the night):
Mark / John: Mark got us underway with some average scoring of 41, a flukey 52 and a 37 and John kicked off with 11 but steadied the ship with 60 (including a flukey T18) followed by 2 conventional 81's - Good darts. They kicked off with 100. Mark, rocked by a solid 85 from the opposition came up trumps with a 72. As the leg got down to the wire they hit their lowest score of 65 to leave 5 (a miscount?) and Mark hit T4 with 30 left and ending up leaving 13 after hitting single 5 instead of D9. John would tidy that up but he didn't get a chance as they finished on D1. 1-0 down
Longy / Gaz / Joff: Some great scoring here saw us shoot in front in the leg - Joff hit 41 and 94, Gaz hit an 85 and Longy coming in with T20 / T20 and what looked to be 3 in a bed (that was to come at the pub later if Longy played his card right) but it was T5 = 135. Longy was close to his first 180 EVER. They replied with, yep you guessed it, a 180 and the poked their noses in front even though they made no sound at all. If we hit one we will go beserk! We bombed out after that as we lost our rhythm as Joff hit 2 (in 3 fucking darts) and Longy came in with an 11. 2-0 down
Mark / John / Joe: Joe was scoring solidly when aiming for the bull 41 and 59 (should he have stayed there?), John hit a 74, 85 and a solid 60 and Mark (seemingly under par in this leg) hit 36, 40 and 26. It wasn't enough and we lost 3 in a row. 3-0 down
Longy / Gaz: Longy kicks off with a 43 followed by his Gaz's usual - 26 ha ha. Gazza weighed in with a ton to start as the opposition offered 40 in 9 darts. Surely this was the chance to get back in the game! Gazza hits 80 and Longy backs him up with an 85 (the 'Dream Team' back in business). Gaz pings 50 to leave Longy with 74. Woudl it be T18 & D10??? No, he naused it up and left 46. Gazza scores a meesley 16 to leave 30 while the opposition have 3 darts at D14 to take the game. They missed so Longy was in. 0 / 0 / Single 10 = PONY! They messed up their chance of a win when they missed 3 more darts D14. Gaz hits 0 / 0 / Single 10! He just wants to be like me. They miss 3 more darts at D14 and Longy pings the D5 on his last dart. 3-1 down
Team games done and Longy chooses Joe in the singles.
Joe: Starting with 20 and 22 before his trusty switch to the Bull led him to hit 42. The opponent started with a 140 and Joe had to write this leg off to experience as Mr League Secretary took out D9. Joe, with much improved scores in the 2nd leg of 76, 45 and 53 was unlucky as he got to a double but the opponent checked out D8. 4-1 down
Mark: Jimmy Neutron continued his indifferent start to the nights processdings with a 52 / 24 / 37 and 26. Opposition was pretty much the same but Valdus weighed in with 70 and 43 to leave 149 but it was all over when he hit 6 and 37 after the good work and then went out. Coming back with 52, steady 60 and what looked like a 135 was actually 100 followed by an 81 left him 32 to draw level. They had 108 left and tidied up to leave 40. Mark missed 6 darts at D16. They missed out on D20 6 darts leaving 10. Mark took out 32 by hitting 8, 12 and D6 to level. Deciding leg and Mark hits 45, 125 & 70. They follow in with 2 tons. But Jimmy, as cool as you like hit T20, T20 and T20.... We burst into a chorus of one huuuunnddreeedddddd and eeiiiigggghhhhttttyyyyyyyy. Great darts to turn the leg and the match into out favour. Mark with 36 left took out 36 with 1 dart (D18 for those that can't count). Great shooting and a great win.... 4-2 down
John: Looking for his first singles win and to put us right back in, 'Sid' steps up to the 7ft 9 1/4" mark kicks off with 60 and 85. Steady thereon in and shot out 56 to go 1 up. Banging in a 20, 1 and a saving T20 for 81 and then followed by 53. John ending up on 48 hits T8 and takes out D12. What a way to win your first singles game. 4-3 down
Gazza: On a good run of form, looking to draw us level Gaz steps up. They hit high score including kicking off with a 125. Gazza hit nothing over 50 and was rushing up to the board. They took out D1 for the 1st leg. Gazza to throw first, game on....... 45 and 41 followed by a great ton put the pressure on and they were on 101 wigh Gaz on 100 left. Gazz hits T20, 0 and what a D20 for the 1st 100+ check out of the season. Great darts to pull level son! They hit 140 to start the decider and Gaz can only come back with 60 and 81. Scoring from both players was below 50 through the game but they had the nerve to take out 24 with D12 to kill our comeback off. 5-3 down
Longy: Last again in the singles, becoming a habit. Kicking off with 81 and 81 Longy is looking good. We are neck and neck as Longy leaves 38 (miscalculation) and the other guy then takes out 36 with 1 dart. Opposition starts 121 and 60 and Longy is under pressure. Scoring was pony and they took out 25 to see off El Capitan. Our best score of the season eluded us here! 6-3 down
A solid performance and some great scoring lads.
Good to have John back and playing so well.
The nicknames proved to be a good crack too!
Their food was shit, although I ate a lot of it!
Going back to the Mill in the Team Bus was the best ride I had (until I got back there ha ha).
For what turned out to be a great night of darts it ended on a sour note with Longy losing his wallet with a shit loud of cash in it!
A good season lads, really enjoyed it! Looking forward to the Portslade Winter League!
C'mon The Mill!
Signing off for the Summer season!
Longy aka Gaffa aka Alan Carr aka Shorty
