Match
Report
Southampton 7 Chester City 4
The last opportunity for Chester to do a “double”
over anybody in the division came at the Royal Star
pub in the form of Southampton. Due to late arriving
saints this match like the previous one did not
begin with the team game – instead it was
the singles that got the night started.
Defeats for Steve M and Robert saw City two down
in the opening minutes. The scores were levelled
when Steve C and Gary registered wins to keep an
interest in the match. Everything was coming up
Chester when Sue and then Rick fired home to send
the Blues 4-2 up after 6 games. The fun stopped
there however.
The re-scheduled team game went to Southampton making
it 4-3 and then all three doubles went to the home
side too – from two ahead to two behind Chester
trailed 4-6 with one to play. There was no glorious
beer leg to write about either as again Chester
could not find a finish and lost 4-7.
With two games to play Chester could well finish
bottom again this year and Southampton were a team
that we really needed to beat. Onwards and upwards
however as the season draws to a conclusion and
we wait with baited breath for next season’s
fixture list!
Steve
Catherall
Match
Report
Chester City 3 Blackpool 8
Chester returned from their hammering in the financial
district looking to notch up some much needed points
against a high flying Blackpool. A late arriving
Blackpool caused a re-jigging of the format as the
team game couldn’t begin the evening, so the
night kicked off with a doubles match.
A frustrating affair that would by the end of the
night result in Steve Catherall throwing away his
darts (and missing)!! began with defeat in the opening
doubles as 42 attempts at double 1 was unfortunately
not enough. Chester levelled the score when Sue
banged in a double 7 and edged in front when Darren
showed he’d been watching the first leg and
buried a dart into the mad house. The team game
then followed the doubles and brought about Blackpool’s
equalising point. On to the singles...
Steve Mansley opened the next session and was pipped
to the double after a good leg of darts, Darren
and Steve C also lost their singles and suddenly
it was 2-5. Steve M throwing twice due to the draw
lost the next and the dismal run continued with
defeat for Sue. A whitewash in the singles then?
Not a bit of it. Robert Evans fired in straight
and true and leapt for joy along with the rest of
the team as he made it 3-7 with the beer leg to
go.
Chester often seem to pick up the beer leg even
in games in which they are clearly 2nd best –
nothing to do with the beer loving nature of the
team I’m sure – but tonight Blackpool
were not in generous mood. A convincing win finally
achieved after closing time. final score 3-8.
Steve Catherall
Match
Report
Scunthrope United 9 Chester City 2
In league 2 Chester away at Scunthorpe would be
a home banker on the coupon, in the darts we would
hope for a more even contest. Chester beat Scunthorpe
earlier this season and arrived at the Arbitrager
pub in the City hoping to complete a first ever
double. 11 games later and the only thoughts of
doubles were of the alcoholic kind needed to drown
our sorrows!
The first team game went to Scunthorpe as Chester
took time to get used to the rather odd set up at
this venue. The dartboard stands no more than 4
and half feet from the floor however the oche is
two steps below this floor making it the correct
height. Knowing that it is at a normal height however
doesn’t always convince the brain and a natural
adjustment takes quite a while to overcome. Chester
managed an equaliser in the first of the doubles
as Steve Catherall hit double 2 following good scoring
from Darren Haydon but it would be a long time before
Chester hands rose in celebration again. Defeat
in the final two doubles legs made it 3-1 to the
hosts going in to the singles.
For the second time this season (the opening match
with Burnley being the other) Chester lost all 6
singles legs. Although difficult to defend a 9-1
scoreline it must be noted that almost every game
saw Chester with a throw at the double and it truly
was a case of the score not reflecting the nature
of the match.
When going in to the final leg so far behind it
really does concentrate the team as it is still
a nice feeling to leave a fixture with a free drink
and Scunthorpe most definitely had the edge taken
off their victory when they had to put their hands
in their pockets to buy the visitors a drink for
the second time this season. Consistent scoring
throughout kept the 801 leg close and Steve Catherall
finished on double top to cheer up the Blues. As
ever with Scunthorpe it was an enjoyable evening
– they are a team that take the darts seriously
enough to offer a good match but not so serious
that they forget the social aspect. They have a
huge pool of players to pick from and are always
a fun team to play against.
Chester return to home territory next week as we
play host to Blackpool. This will be a keenly contested
affair as in two fixtures last season they edged
both matches 6-5. Anybody wishing to come along
and have a throw is more than welcome.Steve
Catherall
Match
Report
Chester City 4 Burnley 7
Saint Patrick’s night in the City Retreat,
Guinness flowing and darts being thrown. Oh to be
a Chester Exiles Dartist! Old Foes Burnley were
the opposition and undoubtedly confident of victory
having beaten the blues 9-2 earlier in the season.
Chester have triumphed over Burnley twice in all
competitions and on the back of last weeks victory
over Southampton could easily make a case for themselves
to be favourites on the night. An unspecified number
of pints later only one team would leave with the
win.
It was another good start for Chester who have a
good record in the opening team leg of 801. Steve
Catherall threw the winning double to put City up
one – nil. This became two nil minutes later
when Gary Owen left Steve Catherall on a double
which he duly finished. Burnley were forced to dig
deep and they showed some classy darts taking the
remaining two legs of doubles to level the match.
An exhibition 501 from Steve Catherall for his third
win of the evening put Chester back in front and
a gutsy finish after some great scoring saw Gary
Owen regain a two point lead as Chester celebrated
four – two. Steve Mansley allowed himself
to fall almost 200 behind in his singles match before
finding some Power-esque darts, he roared back into
the leg but was denied by a good Burnley out-shot,
four – three. Continuing her inspired form
from the Southampton match Sue Choularton was very
unlucky in the next singles as the wire proved a
harsh enemy. Burnley had levelled the match again
and sensed that they were close to getting the upper
hand. Robert Evans’ scoring was fine but he
couldn’t find a double to finish as Burnley
went in front for the first time in the match. So
all eyes turned to Darren Haydon making his debut
and needing to win to keep the game alive. Despite
outscoring his opponent regularly the double proved
elusive and Burnley were two up with one to play.
The fact that the final leg is often called as a
beer leg means that regardless of score there is
something to play for ... namely beer. The losing
team buys a drink for their opposite number, it
can make or break an evening! Burnley were in no
mood to put their hands in their pockets for us
as they sealed victory 7 – 4 following a tough
decision Chester faced on double 13. The resulting
miss into the single bed meant that a finish was
too hard a task.
On current form Chester are able to give anybody
a worthy game and even if the wins aren’t
coming too regularly the general performance is
certainly improving. We were lucky to get two the
last time Burnley were the opposition and now we
felt annoyed with four – how’s that
for progress.
Steve Catherall
Match
Report
Chester City 6 Southampton 5
Already with a win under their belts the Chester
City Exiles darts team are playing with a new level
of confidence and expectancy this season, and it
was largely due to this attitude that Chester edged
a thriller against Southampton at the City Retreat
last night.
The opposition arrived later than planned, which
forced a re-arrangement of the playing order,
but were a jovial bunch and very good company.
The match began with a series of six singles legs
and City got off to a flyer when Steve Catherall
checked out a ‘60’ to give the home
side the early advantage. Good scoring in the
next two legs from Steve Mansley and Robert Evans
unfortunately didn’t yield victories and
Southampton went ahead two – one.
Sue Choularton then blitzed the fourth leg before
hitting double 9 to level the match. Rick Goby
got stuck in the ‘mad house’ of double
one in the fifth leg having double figured attempts
at the elusive bed, this practice would make perfect
later in the night however. Southampton then took
a four two lead after Steve Catherall missed out
on a bullseye finish leaving the blues up against
it in a best of eleven fixture. The first team
game came next and Chester turned round a deficit
of 250 at the halfway stage giving Steve Mansley
the opportunity to chalk up a point, he duly obliged
by hitting double 6 and putting the team just
one behind.
The scores were levelled when Steve Catherall
threw the winning double in the first leg of the
doubles as his maths skills proved quicker than
those of the scorer. Robert Evans got a huge ovation
after powering home a winning double 15 in the
next leg – The Archer putting Chester one
up with two to play. A tense final leg would be
required however as Southampton made it five each
in the final doubles leg.
And so to the eleventh and decisive leg –
a team game of 801. Southampton had the throw
and good scoring saw them throwing for the match
with Chester back in the low one hundreds. Under
the match winning pressure though neither side
could find a player to grab the glory as agonisingly
close misses were the order of the day. Cometh
closing time, cometh the man and Rick Goby the
oft non-playing captain got the biggest cheer
of the night as he closed out the game and the
night with a victory for the blues. His earlier
frustration in the madhouse that is double one
was forgotton as City celebrated an epic victory.
With two wins from four matches Chester have
a real chance of improving on last seasons final
league position and the dream of mid table obscurity
lives on!
Steve Catherall
•
2003/04 Results
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