High-quality darts grace Elsie Bell contest qualifying heats (From York Press)

High-quality darts grace Elsie Bell contest qualifying heats

10:24am Tuesday 2nd October 2012 in Sport

ROSIE Hattee, of Shepherd ‘A’, and Flag’s Toni Smallwood, plus Michelle Britton (Lions) and Burton’s Jacqui Woods, were the Shepherd heat winners of the Elsie Bell Drawn pairs competition held annually by York John Smith’s Ladies Darts League.

Smallwood-Hattee took out Nicola Johnson (Ox) and Jane Flynn (Flag) in a close-fought match.

Burnholme’s Caroline Whittaker and Emma Barke, of Shepherds, progressed with Whittaker closing double eight, double 16 then Barker sealed victory against Faye Hawksby (Cueball) and Barbara Russell (Leeman).

Walnut’s Babs Harrison joined forces with Leeman’s Sharon Rishworth in a thrilling match against Smallwood and Hattee. The first leg saw Hattee close double nine, but the Walnut-Leeman pair hit back before Smallwood’s double one closure, to progress to the semi-finals.

Britton and Woods were 2-0 winners against Cueball’s Emily Fairclough and Wendy Sullivan (Ox).

In the next round they faced Joan Hunter (Cueball) and Ox’s Sam Stewart, who had disposed of Lynne Clapham (Cueball) and Catherine Higgins (Shepherds) 2-1.

In the heats at Cueball, home player Natalie Farmeary, partnering Ox’s Faye Bradley, and the Burton captain Linda Embleton plus pairs partner Tina Platt of Cueball, progressed.

Ox’s Paula Allen and Lynn Thompson (Lions) won the first leg with a double five shot. Opponents Sharon Neads (Flag) and Laura Toomer (Turpin) hit back closing double 12 before Thompson closed double four.

Their next opponents, Farmeary and Bradley, qualified after beating Jo West (Flag) and Linda Welch (Cueball) 2-1. Farmeary and Bradley came out on top 2-0 against the Ox-Lions duo, with Farmeary snatching victory.

In Platt and Embleton’s side of the draw, they were 2-0 victors against Jane Dobson (Flag) and Turpin’s Alison King, with both legs going to the wire.

Moreland and Barker saw off Lions’ Jill Reed and Maggie Bedingham (Shepherds) 2-1, while Embleton and Platt won 2-0.

The semi-finals night will be on Tuesday, October 9, at Tramways WMC, starting at 8pm.