Exeter College Darts

Now then, NOW THEN.

The Sid Simmonds Beer Leg shield was up for grabs Sunday night. There were two groups in the preliminary round, one at Johns and the other at Oriel. Exeter fielded two teams, Exeter II were pitted against Oriel, Annes, Brasenose and Univ, Exeter I against Catz, Hughs and Queens.

Fox couldn't make this one and so Fads took the reins. We hadn't really been practising, Clifford had been playing paintball and Fads cricket. We were in the harder group (we thought) and so weren't too optimistic.

Anyway, to the action. First leg easy start Exeter play Queens. We scored alright until about 200 out when consecutive tons by Damage and Fads turned a 40 deficit into a 100 point lead. Clifford left Barkworth 35, 3,miss,x16, left them stranded on 82 and first blood to us. Barkworth's reaction was worthy of a World Cup winner. Oh we love beating Queens.

Catz think they're good but I think they're random. They only bothered bringing 3 players and so two Queens rejects and our very own Charlotte "Bubbles" Lander made up the six. Catz played Hughs, (who we were expecting to be quite good as they have two Varsity players but they weren't), and amazingly Catz won, sending Hughs to the bar.
Hughs quickly came back and wanted to avenge that defeat against us.

What happened would have made Davis and Balo proud. The 45 dart 1001 even drew comparasions from Damage about the first winning beer leg team who started a leg with 4 tons. The team averaged 67, Fads took out 117 to send Hughs to the bar again. They looked like they had just ordered 6 cheese pizzas. Hughs, who are they, they are no-one and they'll never make it in Division Two let alone Division One, one of their blokes made Jimmy's action look solid and banterless.

Queens played Catz for what was effectively the game for second place. Hughs' Varsity players Laurie and Dorran showed they couldn't score either so the leg was restarted, which was a shame because Catz aided by Bubbles were doing well. However Queens won easily in the end, by over 200 points.

The system of scoring was 2 points for a win, 3 for a over 200 point win. At this stage Exeter had 5, Queens 3 and Catz 2. We saw there might be a chance if Hughs lost to Queens by less than 200 then we might be able to throw the game against Catz and send Queens out (on losing points difference). In the end Queens won by over 200 points and so were through.

The Exeter-Catz game was over when we got under 273 and we were comfortably ahead throughout. Fads left TeeHee on 60; 20, and then a backwards double top for the crowd. The story from Johns was 18 pints, 3 wins, 3 doubles out of 4 darts. Down to Oriel.

At Oriel the second team won their first leg but then lost the other 3 and so went out. Perhaps Stephany might write a report when the Tory leadership race is over. Annes won all their games and were through. Oriel and Brasenose played the last leg and Brasenose won, bringing them level on points with Oriel. The next 10 minutes were spoiled by petty fighting, the Damage actively involved. Westy hadn't written the losing margins down and so there was no points difference criteria available-surely result of direct encounter. And the no. Westy was at one point suggesting all three teams Annes, Brasenose and Oriel should go through to the semis and Exeter and Queens had to play off for a semi-final place or something equally ridiculous. In the end Brasenose left, resolving the problem. Oriel vs Exeter, Queens vs Annes.

Semis. Queens/Annes was a dirty game with a lack of friendship and camaraderie evident. Queens won by about 300 points, and although we wanted Annes to win, it was quite funny hearing Annes whinging about how mean and nasty the Queens boys had been about their mums.

We took the time to have a huddle and focus. Barkworth in particular looked like he could skin a dozen donkeys. Our game against Oriel was alright as their tail started at 2, Wicke-Wicke-Westy wasn't very good and Teehee hit a excellent normal double tops to put us through. We had 80% on the doubles-not bad, not bad.

The final. There was too much shouting to hear any abuse really and I think Queens knew they were facing the best team in the competition. Everyone scored well and we established a two hundred point lead quickly. We were down first Cliff left Barkworth on 48, Queens got to 100. Barkworth 16, miss, miss. Traynor stood up to universal abuse 5,treble 15, leaving the bull. He walked away shook hands with his teammates had some beer and then threw a truly awful dart into big 11.

Stevenson miss, miss, 16. Pete Baker on 39. Treble 7, (double 9) no, no. And now the Damage.

Trainers breed race horses for speed, farmers cows for beef and milk and stuff. If you wanted to breed a beerleg winner then the Damage would have to be your prize bull. Three darts at double 8, miss, miss, yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes,yes.

Now that what should have happened. What actually happened was that Damage missed and Paul Lawson missed the board and then hit double 9.

We lost to Queens, the only other decent team on the night. Fortunately they didn't give us any shit and the bar had already shut. However, they will win the treble which is poor. We were definitely the best team on the night and they knew it. No third beerleg for Damage. There are no words to describe the disappointment of losing in such circumstances.

However, in general this was meant to be a re-building year but coming so close in two competitions is worse in a way than losing by a mile. Still the fours to look forward to, Stevenson still in singles and in doubles with Clifford. And the old boys match soon as well.