Darts: Final places in Ridley League Cup decided

CHELMSFORD City FC and Margaretting Black Bull, two clubs with next to no Ridley League Darts Cup history between them, will battle it out for the trophy on May 10.

CHELMSFORD City FC and Margaretting Black Bull, two clubs with next to no Ridley League Darts Cup history between them, will battle it out for the trophy on May 10.

The Bull, whose solitary success came in 2006, scored a terrific semi-final win against reigning champions Little Waltham SC after Gary Atkins had notched the crucial first point. It was tit for tat thereafter, Steve Parkhurst and Mark Chapman winning for Waltham, but Les Atkins and Nigel Chapman keeping the Bull’s nose in front. That forced the holders’ hand, and though they took the first pairs to level, the Bull had just enough puff left to nick the decisive seventh game in the third leg.

It was a similar story at Melbourne, where City’s darters gave a lead to the club’s senior footballers after another nip-and-tuck night against 2008 finalists the Retreat.

Peter Webb’s three-legs victory over Des Vickers wiped out City’s early lead, and Andy Camp (180) kept the visitors in touch as, again, the matches went alternately until Steve Richardson nosed the home side ahead going into the pairs.

Camp and Webb outgunned Richardson and Mick Flaherty, but the City captain’s team manoeuvring left Vickers and Allan Sheldrake available to take the clinching game 2-0 and put the team into their first final.

The league meeting on April 25 at New Barn has been re-scheduled for May 9.