BOB HALL + JIM MITCHELL COMPLETED THEIR PAIRS MATCH AT THE 7 OAKS WITH GAMES FINISHED IN 17+21 DARTS.ALSO ON SONG WERE JOHN KIRK+GEORDIE DRYBOURGH WITH AN 18 DART LEG IN THEIR PAIRS MATCH.THE FINAL SCORE IN THIS CRACKER OF A GAME WAS 7 OAKS 4 MCMILLANS 5.VERY LITTLE BETWEEN THESE SIDES AS IT WAS ALL SQUARE AFTER THE SINGLES WITH WINS FOR CHRIS FORSYTH, IAIN  MCLEAN AND JOHN GRANT FOR THE 7 OAKS.  BOB HALL ,JOHN KIRK  AND JIM MITCHELL FOR THE MCMILLANS TEAM   

SAD NEWS FOR DART PLAYERS FROM THE DOVEHILL/COMMERCIAL/ 7 OAKS/MCMILLANS. THEY WONT GET TO PLAY IN THE FINALS OF THE WORLD OF DARTS TOURNAMENT AS NO PRIOR WARNING WAS GIVEN TO THEM, I RECIEVED A MESSAGE IN MY GUEST BOOK TO SAY THE FORMS WERE AT THE COMMERCIAL TO BE PICKED UP. AND WHEN I GOT THEM ON SUNDAY IMAGINE MY SHOCK THE EVENT WAS THAT VERY DAY. SOME HOW THE DARTS PLAYERS FROM THE WEST CALDER LEAGUE WERE GIVEN NO WARNING THAT THE FINALS WERE DUE TO BE PLAYED. THE MESSAGE SENT TO ME WAS ON FRIDAY AND I DID NOT OPEN IT UNTIL SUNDAY TWO DAYS NOTICE JUST DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT FOR A COMPETITION RUN BY WORLD OF DARTS PROMOTIONS MAKES YOU WONDER WHY THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING TO THE FINAL?

LEAGUE TRIPLE'S COMPETITION

WELL THE THREE PERSON TEAM WAS AS HOTLY CONTESTED AS I CAN EVER RECALL WITH OVER 100 DART PLAYERS IN ATTENDANCE IT SAW 29 TEAMS ENTERING.

THE FORMAT BEING 1X1001 1X701/ 1X501. A REAL HARD COMPETITION WITH IT BEING THE FIRST TO 2 AND EACH LEG JUST THE BEST OF ONE.

AND THERE WERE SOME SUPERB MATCHES ESPECIALLY WHEN THE LIKES OF THE FIRS A  PLAYED THE FIRS B. COMMERCIAL A AGAINST THE COMMERCIAL B. MCMILLANS1  AGAINST MCMILLANS 2.

THIS RIVALRY MAKES FOR GREAT ENTERTAINMENT  VALUE AND BOY THERE WERE SPARKS FLYING ON ALL BOARDS.  WITH NEXT WEEKS BRAGGING RIGHTS UP FOR GRABS.

WHEN ALL THE STATIC HAD DIED DOWN AND THE SEMI-FINALIST WERE IN PLACE IT SAW ( SCOTTY TELFORDS) MEN.  FINN(COMMITTEE MAN ) DRUMMOND,  GREIG (YOUNG BLOOD) DRYSDALE AND OF COURSE THE MOUTH FROM THE SOUTH BOB (SMACK IT IN GOB) KINNON MAKING UP THE  MCMILLANS 3 TEAM  FROM DEANS. WHO WERE UP AGAINST (PENFOLD DEEGANS) TEAM THE DOVEHILL ARMS FROM UPHALL ON BOARD 3.

THE POLBETH MAFIA ALIAS THE GIRDWOOD GANG ABLY ASSISTED BY BIG DAVIE CLUENESS AND BOWLING GREEN LEGEND CHAMPION OF UPHALL STATION  DERICK MAIRS WERE UP AND READY TO DO BATTLE WITH THE DEANS TEAM OF MCMILLANS 2.

BOTH MATCHES WERE HARD FAUGHT AFFAIRS BUT IN THE END IT SAW THE FIRS AND THE MCMILLANS 3 TEAMS BOW OUT. BUT NOT WITHOUT PUTTING UP A GREAT FIGHT. BOTH THESE TEAMS DESERVED THE RIGHT TO BE IN THE CONTEST AT THE  LAST FOUR STAGE ON AN OTHER NIGHT IT COULD HAVE BEEN THEM IN THE FINAL.

AFTER ALL SAID AND DONE IT SAW BIG GEORDIE DRYBOURGH, JOHN (KIRKY) KIRK AND THE LEAGUES BAD MAN TAKE THE HONOURS OVER MARTIN (PENFOLD ) DEEGAN. COLIN (THE MARSHALL) ROBERTSON AND (ANCHOR MAN) ANDY  REILLY. AN OTHER EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE FROM THE DOVEHILL HIGHWAYMEN WHO HAVE BEEN QUITE SUPERB IN ALL THE LEAGUE COMPETITIONS THIS SEASON  SO FAR. BUT ON THE NIGHT IT SAW THE HONOURS GO TO THE MCMILLANS CHIEF'S FROM OLD DEANS VILLAGE.

CHRISTMAS SINGLES CHAMPION IS NONE OTHER THAN THE BIG MAN HIMSELF GEORDIE DRYBOURGH FROM OLD DEANS VILLAGE FOR THE PAST TWO SEASONS HE HAS BEEN THREATENING TO WIN A MAJOR LEAGUE SINGLES. AND NOW HE HAS DONE IT.  AND IN STYLE THE CHRISTMAS SINGLES IS NO EASY COMPETITION TO WIN BUT GEORDIE DRYBOURGH WAS UP TO THE TASK A TRULY WORTHY WINNER AND WITH OUT A DOUBT ONE OF THE LEAGUES MOST POPULAR WINNERS IN RECENT TIMES.

WEST CALDER LEAGUE PLAYERS IN ACTION FOR THE COUNTY WERE JJ WALKER OF WEST CALDER LOSING 2-3 BUT HITTING THE MAXIMUM TRAIL ALWAYS NICE TO SEE THE BIG SCORES.

BOB HALL ALSO LOSING 2-3 BUT AFTER A TERRIFIC ATTEMPT MISSING DOUBLE 12 FOR A 138 FINISH IT SAW HIS OPPONENT CHECK OUT ON DOUBLE 10 FOR THE MATCH.

JUST GETTING BY WAS THE COMMERCIALS JIM MITCHELL 2-0 DOWN BUT A FIGHT BACK SAW THE MATCH GO JIMS WAY WITH 3-2 WIN AND M.O.M AWARD.

THE FORESTERS AND THE BRIGANDS CONTINUE TO IMPRESS WITH BOTH TEAMS FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS CANT WAIT TO SEE WHO COMES OUT ON TOP WHEN THESE TWO TEAMS BATTLE IT OUT NEXT.

WITH BOTH TEAMS HAVING BIG HITTERS IN THE LIKES OF RAB LEES AND JOHN HANLON ALONG WITH LEE HOLLAND FOR THE TAPSHOP. AND OF COURSE FATHER AND SON DUO OF FRANK AND SCOTT BEGLEY ABLY ASSISTED BY COLIN AND KENNY WHO QUITE SIMPLY ARE A HANDFUL. FOR ANY TEAM TO TRY AND TAKE POINTS OFF. THEY SHOULD BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF THE LEAGUE TITLE THIS YEAR WITH OUT A DOUBT.

THE FIRS HAVE A GREAT FIRST MAN IN STUART RUSSELL ONE OF THE BEST LEFT HANDED PLAYERS I HAVE EVER SEEN PLAYING UP FRONT AND BACKED UP BY BRIAN MAIRS AND GARY FINLAYSON. ALONG WITH A HOST OF CRACKING DART PLAYERS LIKE BIG DAVEY AND  PURSEY. THERE SURE SEEM TO BE A LOT OF GIRDWOODS THERE AS WELL TO BACK THE TEAM UP. THIS GANG WILL CERTAINLY BE UP FOR ANY TEAM IN THE LEAGUE AND THEY ALSO WILL TAKE A BIT OF STOPPING.

AS I SAID BEFIRE I WOULD LIKE TO BE A SPECTATOR THE NIGHT THEY GO HEAD TO HEAD IN THE LEAGUE TITLE RACE. 

BACK FROM HIS SABATICAL ON THE BOWLING GREEN IT HAS SEEN Mr DERICK MAIRS FROM PUMPHERSTON STANDING TOE TO TOE ON THE OCKEY WITH SOME OF THE LEAGUES BEST PLAYERS AND HE HAS LOST NONE OF HIS FINISHING POWER JUST ASK THE PLAYERS HE IS BEATING.

OUTSIDE BET FOR THE LEAGUE SINGLES LETS WAIT AND SEE SHALL WE!!!!

SOME STATISTICS FOR THE NIGHT.

COLIN ROBERTSON  2X14 / 3X18 / 21 /22 DART GAMES

MARTIN DEEGAN 18 /  2X21 / 22 DART GAMES

JIM MITCHELL 14 /15/ 16/ 19 / 2X21 DART GAMES

JAMIE FLEMING 15 DART GAME

JOHN HANLON 18 / 19 / 21 / 2 X 23 DART GAMES

LEE HOLLAND 16 / 18 / 2 X 19  DART GAMES

CRAIG AGNEW  180 SCORE

JIM MITCHELL  2 X 180 SCORES

JOHN HANLON  180 SCORE

BIG CHARLIE 180 SCORE

SANDY COULTER 180 SCORE

JIM PURSE 174 SCORE

SANDY HAMILTON 106 FINISH

COLIN ROBERTSON 127+114 FINISHES

JIM MITCHELL 121 FINISH

CHRIS FORSYTH 96 FINISH

BREAKING NEWS AS YOU KNOW OUR EXHIBITION NIGHTS OVER THE LAST 4 YEARS HAVE MET WITH GREAT SUCCESS.

DUE TO THIS FACT I AM PROUD TO ANOUNCE THAT THE ENGLAND CAPTAIN MARTIN ADAMS WILL BE APPEARING IN THE EAST CALDER PIGEON CLUB IN FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR. THIS IS A MAJOR BOOKING WITH MARTIN BEING ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN DARTERS ON THE CIRCUIT. THIS COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH OUT THE HELP OF ONE DART PLAYER FROM PUMPHERSTON

TAKE A BOW BOB KINNON. 

LOOK OUT FOR A NEW PAGE APPEARING SOON.

I WILL BE INTERVIEWING PLAYERS FROM ALL SECTIONS OF THE LEAGUE ON THEIR VIEWS AND COMMENTS.

FIRST THREE PLAYERS I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE UNDER THE SPOT LIGHT

ARE SEMI- PROFESSIONAL PDC PLAYER CHRIS FORSYTH.

LEAGUE PLAYER HAROLD GIRDWOOD QUITE PROBABLY THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE

BOB HALL WHO MAY BE THE OLDEST PLAYER IN THE LEAGUE BUT WHO IS A CONSIDERABLE FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH ON THE OCHE!

WELL DONE TO COUNTY CAPTAIN SHUG RICE THE WEST LOTHIAN COUNTY TEAM CAPTAIN AND HIS PARTNER JJ WALKER FROM WEST CALDER WHO WON THE FRIDAY NIGHT LEAGUE 301 DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIP A REAL HARD ONE TO WIN THAT ONE WELL DONE AND TAKE YOUR BOW THOSE TITLES DONT COME EASY.

HITTING THE HEADLINES IS (JOHN STRAIGHT UP THE FAIRWAY HANLON) WITH A FABULOUS 158 FINISH IN THE MONDAY NIGHT LEAGUE. ALONG WITH HIS PLAYING PARTNER (MARVELOUS LEE HOLLAND) THEY ARE STARTING TO TURN IN SOME GREAT RESULTS IN THE DOUBLES MATCHES A VERY GOOD PAIRING INDEED.

COLIN ROBERTSON IS FIRING ON ALL CYLANDERS AND TURNING IN SOME SUPERB PERFORMANCES. AND ANSWERING BACK IS JIM MITCHELL WITH SOME VERY GOOD GAMES OF HIS OWN.

COULD BE VERY INTERESTING READING TO SEE WHO CAN RECORD THE MOST SUB 24 DART GAMES THIS SEASON.

THE PACK HAD BETTER GET A MOVE ON THESE TWO GUYS ARE SETTING THE PACE EARLY DOORS.

THE FINALS NIGHT WAS ALL YOU COULD HAVE WISHED FOR AS A SPECTATOR FABULOUS DARTS AND A GREAT ATMOSPHERE WITH  EVERY  PLAYER  GIVING IT THEIR ALL.

THE LOSING SEMI FINALISTS WERE THE TAP-SHOP WHO WENT DOWN  FIGHTING BY A SCORE LINE OF 3-5 TO THE COMMERCIAL B TEAM. BUT WHAT A MATCH WITH BOTH TEAMS TIED AT 3-3 AFTER THE SINGLES IT WAS ALL TO PLAY FOR IN THE DOUBLES. THE COMMERCIAL PLAYERS DID JUST ENOUGH TO TAKE IT IN THE END BY 5-3 THE FINAL SCORE LINE.

BUT BIG FRANK BEGLEY CAN BE VERY VERY PROUD OF HIS TEAM. PLAYER OF THE MATCH BY MY RECKONING HAS TO HAVE BEEN JOHN (STRAIGHT DOWN THE FAIRWAY) HANLON. HE PLAYED SUPERB IN BOTH SINGLES AND DOUBLES. ALSO ON FIRE WITH HARDLY A DART OUT OF THE TWENTY BED  WAS RAB LEE'S AND WITH THE LEGENDARY OR IS THAT LEG-END  LEE HOLLAND  BACK IN THE TEAM THIS TEAM WILL TAKE SOME STOPPING ON LEAGUE NIGHTS MARK MY WORDS WELL.

ON THE OTHER BOARD THE CRAIGSHILL STIRRUP STANE  TEAM WERE GIVING MARTIN DEEGANS DOVEHILL ARMS  A REAL SCARE WITH THE FIRST MATCH GOING THERE WAY BUT BACK CAME THE DOVEHILL. WHAT A MATCH 4-2   AFTER THE SINGLES BUT REAL HARD WORK FOR DOVEHILL PLAYERS  BUT THE FIRST DOUBLE'S MATCH WENT TO THE UPHALL PLAYERS AND THAT WAS THE STIRRUPS DREAM SHATTERED 2-5  T HE FINAL SCORE LINE  BUT THE SCORE DID NOT  TELL THE TRUE STORY  A FABULOUS MATCH BY BOTH TEAMS ANOTHER TEAM CAPTAIN  WHO CAN BE VERY PROUD OF HIS PLAYERS IS BIG FRED HAMILTON THE MAN WITH THE SMILE! FROM CRAIGSHILL.

WHAT A MATCH WITH THE CROWD ABSOLUTELY ENTRANCED IT SAW THE FINAL TWO TEAMS GO HEAD TO HEAD IN THE K.O CUP.

DOVEHILL ARMS V COMMERCIAL B.

COLIN ROBERTSON SET THE STANDARD BY SETTING THE HEATHER ON FIRE WITH A FANTASTIC 23 DART 701 LEG SUPERB SHOOTING FROM THE DOVEHILL PLAYER. BACK AND FORWARD IT WENT JIM MITCHELL EVENING THE SCORE LINE AT 1-1 WITH AN 80 CHECK OUT AGAINST ANDY REILLY WHO WAS WAITING ON A DOUBLE.  GEORGE THORBURN THEN PUT THE DOVEHILL BACK IN FRONT IN A VERY HARD FOUGHT MATCH  AGAINST MALCOLM WATSON 2-1.

BACK CAME THE WEST CALDER DYNAMO TOSS LAMMIE WITH A GREAT GAME NOT A SCORE UNDER 60 FABULOUS SHOOTING AND UNDER PRESSURE FROM MARTIN DEEGAN AT ALL TIMES. SANDY COULTER THEN GAVE THE DOVEHILL THE LEAD AGAIN IN A SEE-SAW OF A MATCH PLAYING DAVID AITKIN. 3-2.  UP LAST WAS BRIAN SPEIRS AGAINST JOHN BRETT THIS MATCH HAD THE TENSION YOU WOULD EXPECT FROM TWO PLAYERS WHO NEW HOW IMPORTANT THIS RESULT WOULD BE. BRIAN HIT THE WINNING DOUBLE 18 TO GIVE THE DOVEHILL THE SLIGHT ADVANTAGE GOING INTO THE DOUBLES.4-2.

THE CAPTAINS OF BOTH TEAMS WERE NOW STARTING TO RUN OUT OF HAIR TO PULL. MARTIN DEEGAN BEING THE EXCEPTION HAVING VERY LITTLE TO START WITH! JOHN BRUTON STILL HAS HAIR WHY!!! WITH A TEAM LIKE HE HAS HE SHOULD'NT HAVE.

IN THE DOUBLES IT SAW COLIN ROBERTSON AND MARTIN DEEGAN SETTING OF LIKE FIRE IN A TIMBER YARD. BUT BACK CAME THE OLD PAIRING OF MALCOLM WATSON AND JIM MITCHELL WHAT A GAME WITH 17 SCORES ABOVE 60 FROM THESE FOUR PLAYERS IM SURE IT WAS FABULOUS MATCH FOR ALL FOUR PLAYERS TO PLAY IN. ( 1 X 180. 2 X 140. 1 X 125. 3 X 100. 10 PLUS 60 SHOTS) 

FIRST PAIR TO THE COMMERCIAL 3-4 DOWN AND ALL TO PLAY FOR. TOSS LAMMIE AND WEST CALDER STAR JAMIE FLEMING WERE UP NEXT AND FOR THE DOVEHILL WERE GEORGE THORBURN AND SANDY COULTER THESE PLAYERS GAVE IT EVERY THING PLAYING WITH THEIR HEARTS ON THEIR SLEEVES IT WAS ELECTRIFYING STUFF. BUT ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END AND SANDY COULTER HITTING THE DOUBLE 10 SAW  A TREMENDOUS SHOUT GO UP FROM THE UPHALL CONTINGENT BUT LIKE TRUE SPORTS MEN BOTH TEAMS SHOOK HANDS AND CONGRATULATED THERE OPPONENTS ON A FABULOUS MATCH.

180 HITTERS ON THE NIGHT WERE . DAVID AITKEN. ANDY REILLY. COLIN ROBERTSON.  AND JIM MITCHELL.

P.D.P.A PLAYER CHRIS FORSYTH HAS BEEN ACROSS THE BIG POND IN NEW YORK.  SO I AM LOOKING FORARD TO FINDING OUT HOW HIS TRIP WAS AND DID HE FIND ANY GOOD GAMES OF DARTS. ALWAYS INTERESTED ABOUT PLAYERS FROM FURTHER AFIELD.

OUT IN FRONT IN THE 180 LEAGUE IS JIM BE-BAD MITCHELL WITH 6 SO FAR THIS SEASON BETTER WATCH OUT BEFORE HE GETS TO FAR AHEAD OF THE PACK.

THIS IS ALWAYS AN EXCITING RACE TO SEE WHO GETS THE HONOURS TO BE TOP AT THE SEASONS END.

TEAM MOVEMENT HAS NOW HAPPENED WITH THE TORPHICAN INN NOW

PLAYING FROM THE 7 OAKS IN PUMPHERSTOUN A GOOD MOVE I THINK MYSEL.F AS THE 7 OAKS HAS A VERY PROUD HISTORY OF DARTS AND WITH PLAYERS IN THE PUB NOT PLAYING IN THE LEAGUE THIS IS A CHANCE TO GET THEM SIGNED AND BACK INTO IT AGAIN. ONE PLAYER WHO SPRINGS TO MIND IS JOHN DRAKE A MIGHTY FINE PLAYER WHO WAS A STALWART OF THE ALL CONQUERING CRAIGSHILL C.I.U TEAM FROM THE 1990'S WHAT AN ACQUISITION HE WOULD BE.

TEAM CAPTAIN GET A MOVE ON PLAYERS LIKE THAT DONT COME ROUND VERY OFTEN!!!