GET YA DARTS OUT!!!!!!A new season and a new team, made up mainly of brand new dart players with an average age of 15 (only upped by Capitano Wally). The first game saw us drawn away against the Ex-Servicemen 'B' (probably best so the club's regular's couldn't take the juice out of us all-night!). There was an air of nervous tension and aprehension ahead of the teams 'first ever match', with most players down the club practising at 5 o'clock (unheard of in the winter, let alone the summer league!) Spirits were raised by the un-expected appearance's of past darting star Pete Baker and partner in crime Cess. The team were now optimistic that they could win at least 2 legs and BillyHills had an 11v3 defeat favourite at 4/9.
With a minimum of 8 players required for the match Belle's Coaches were surprised to get a booking for the Pot Black of a 56-seater to take the team to the Ex-Servies. On arrival the team were informed of the B-Team fines system, whereby any score of 26 or under would see you reaching for 10p and anyone scoring 101 or more would see the whole team delving for 10p. With this news on-hip most players jumped to the bar for a bag of 10's!!! (and not because they thought the team would be throwing tons for fun)
Aaron christened the team with a solid throw of 41 in the opening 4's match and to everyone's surprise 78 dart's later Baker lived up to his reputation and checked out 62 to see the Pot Black 1v0 up (yes winning!!!) Just what the team needed, they now could start believeing. The next few legs were shared and after the 4's and doubles were completed the score stood at 3v3.
Incredible, but now to the singles, no-one to hold your hand anymore, just your own legs to stand on and own ability (or lack of it) to rely on! Adam 'James Wade Birdy' Bird was up first and by this stage (several pints later) every throw was cheered, whether it be 60 or 3 the team were so pleased to be involved it didn't matter. After umpteen darts at double 1 Pot Blacks first singles win was in the bag!!
With another win coming from the club's 2nd left-hander Jason 'Shaggy' Russell the score was 5v4 to the Pot Black with wild-card, banker to win Bakes up next..... could we go 6v4 up, sniffing for the win??? the answer... NO. Baker became the subject of most of the night's mickey taking by losing his leg when supposidly being the only capable dart player on the team. Butch restored the lead only for Wally to lose to leave the game all square at 6v6 with 2 to play.
Next up Ready (Me) with all three results still possible. Usual form followed with plenty of 10p scores mixed in with a 121. The leg ebbed and flowed until both players were left on a double, The B-Team had everything crossed hoping for me to hit a double to secure the draw..... 45 darts at a double later and the roar of Wally's W**kers could be heard ringing around the Ex-Servies as I cooly (shaking like a leaf) planted double 1 (classy finish)
Daaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrren 'Lawsy' Laws on for the win then. Bragging all night about how good he was and that he was the man to anchor the team. With this in mind we really believed that the unthinkable could happen... a WIN! Oh what a disappointment. With what only can be described as an 'AWFUL PERFORMANCE' (Captain's words) and £2.50 in fines later and Daaaaaarrrren secured the draw.
All in all a result the team could only dream of to start with and a thoroughly enjoyable night with laughs aplenty.... what it's all about!!!!
