MARTYN Turner was crowned the Clifton Hotel Darts Competition champion after defeating Chris Thompson with an awesome display.

Thompson took the opener with an 82 finish for 21 after Turner narrowly missed the bull for a 132 checkout. Turner responded with a fine 15-darter, but Thompson edged the third.

The fourth leg saw Thompson turn up the heat as he closed in 17 to open up a two-leg lead. Undaunted, Turner pulled one back in 20 only for Thompson to regain pole position with three tons and a ton finish for 18.

With it all to do, Turner included a 76 finish for 18, followed by a splendid 17 to square the final and send it into a nail-biting decider.

The momentum was now with Turner, who hitting superb scores of 100, 140 and 100 to clinch the title with a brilliant 17 darts.

The champion's route to the title had produced a 3-0 win over Rich Corner, then legs of 14, 15 and 16 to edge out Pip Hair, who had opened with a fine 16, in the quarter-finals. Turner coasted past semi-final opponent Kev O'Hara 4-0 with excellent legs of 17, 21, 14 and 15.

Thompson's road to the final saw him produce tremendous darts of 13, 14 and 15 beat Al Galley 3-1 and then saw off John Smith 3-0 to set up a semi-final against John Quantock.

This was a tougher task with Quantock countering to halve a 2-0 advantage before Thompson went 3-1 up with 18. With Thompson requiring one leg for victory, Quantock hit back with three successive tons to make it 3-2 with 20 darts. More ton plus scores followed as Quantock levelled in 18 and sent the tie into a decider. But a missed the double let Thompson steal in to seal the leg in 22.

Other awards: highest finish - Tom Hair 145; fastest leg - Chris Thompson 13 darts; furthest qualifying woman - Jo Hodges.

Wenlock jumped into pole position in York John Smith's Ladies League division one with captain Dawn Exton hitting a maximum and a 23 from Lynn Thompson in their victory against Tramways, whose Wendy Shortle and Maggie Tottie hit the tons.

Second-placed Clifton 'A' fell to a good all-round team performance by Cueball 'B', Bev Harton and Angie Hields hitting double tons for the club side.

Slip 'A' were 5-4 winners, mother-daughter pairing Mags Bell-Sarah Watkinson sealing their win at Shepherd 'A'.

Division two leaders Cygnet 'B' fell at the final hurdle as Ann Brownbridge-Angela Lancaster secured victory for Jubilee 'A'. Sun 'A' rose into second with a resounding 6-3 win against Slipper.

Division three leaders Leeman 'D' held the upper hand in the singles but Volunteer 'B' hit back, Colette Wilson-Michelle Kelly sealing victory. Severus were 6-3 victors at Tap and Cygnet 'A's Karen Smith 20 guided them to the same score against Jubilee 'B'.

Updated: 10:54 Friday, March 03, 2006