Orcadians in doubles double
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THE 35th Caithness Darts weekend, sponsored by Old Pulteney, got under way last Friday night with a £500 first prize singles in the Francis Street Club in Wick.
Pick of the early matches saw visiting Orcadian Steve Linklater edge out local boy Kevin McGregor in a five leg thriller while young Reece Byrne showed dad Richie how it should be done when he popped in a 133 check-out to end the hopes of pre-match favourite George Smith in another five leg nail-biter.
The quarter-final line up saw no less than five players from Grampian compete but it was only Dave Charnock who prevailed to the last four with a win over team mate Sandy Stephen (Aberdeen) as Steve Mitchell (Inverness) put paid to Chris Woods (Aberdeen) with a 152 finish to win 3-0 while Euan Callander ended the hopes of Jason Hogg and Steve Linklater put paid to PDC hopeful Brian Woods.
First semi was one way traffic as Mitchell blasted into the final by 4-0 over Charnock with Euan Callander faring not much better as he went down 4-1 to Linklater.
In the final, the Inverness man went four legs up before the Orcadian had a chance to reply but it was short-lived as Mitchell made no mistake in the sixth leg to shut the match out 5-1 with a 152 check-out.
Ladies singles saw early success for Nicola Byrne with a good run to the quarters before narrowly losing out to Shona Gray (Orkney). Sandra Bruce (Perth) edged into the last four only to lose out to the ever present Mandy Anderson (Forres).
Mandy’s opponent in the final was team-mate Les Dawson who had to settle for the runner-up spot as Mandy lifted another title in Caithness and a cheque for £100.
Saturday saw a huge crowd converge for the 35th annual darts and local favourites Carol Sutherland & Sandra Nicolson soon had them cheering in the ladies’ competition as they stormed into another semi, as did Thurso duo Ann Wells & Rhona Young.
Perth pair K. Cruikshank & L. Littlejohn made the semi in their first visit to the competition while defending champions Elizabeth Irvine & Cath Clyde (Orkney) also made it through to the penultimate stage.
Wells & Young kept local interest alive with a 3-0 win over the Perth duo but Sutherland & Nicolson failed to make it an all-Caithness final as they succumbed to the defending champions by 3-1. With the visiting Orkney support in full voice, Irvine & Clyde retained their title in a close fought final.
In the men’s competition, Steve Mitchell carried on his rich vein off form as he and partner Derek McLean stormed into another semi with wins over W & G. Crowe 3-0; M. Begg & K. McGregor 3-2; and S. Tait & D. Bain 3-2.
Defending champions Matt Goldie & Sandy Stephen progressed to the last four without dropping a leg with wins over T. Ginnette & K. Thompson; B. Davidson & G.McPhee snr; and T. Mulraine & A. Ross.
Orcadians Kevin Gray & Robbie Stanger survived six matchpoint darts from Nairn duo Derek & Mike McLean but managed to find double 2 for a 3-2 win to reach the semi while Dave Charnock & Brian Woods edged past local pair R. Thain & J. Bain 3-1. Mitchell & McLean retained their form to make the final after a 4-2 win over Charnock & Woods.
In the other semi, Goldie & Stephen saw their title defence crumble after a high-scoring match versus Gray & Stanger.
The nervy finale saw the defending champions squander six attempts at a double out-shot to allow the Orkney duo to slot home double 10.
Mitchell & McLean raced into an early lead in the final only to be pegged back as Gray & Stanger found their rhythm. The match went to the wire with the Orkney duo again riding their luck as they clinched victory.
