December and January were both record breaking months as the popularity of the Orkney Darts Association Singles League continues to grow.

December

Once again there were ten leagues in December and from the ninety-two scheduled games eighty-nine were played. Most of the leagues were very close with leg difference deciding many of the promotion and relegation places and only Jim Brown, David Henderson, Graham Firth, Elizabeth Irvine and Shona Gray won all their games in their respective leagues. League 6 was the closest with only four legs separating promotion to League 5 for Roy Griffiths and relegation to League 7 for Steven Groat.

A record breaking eighteen matches finished 9-8 with Michael Muir Snr playing 65 legs in the month including three games that finished 9-8. Two matches finished with the dreaded 9-0 scoreline with Shona Gray beating Sarina Skinner 9-0 and Bruce Moar recovering from being whitewashed the previous month to inflict one on Iain Wilkie.

Twenty-one players scored a new record of fifty-six 180s between them with Iain Wilkie being the top scorer for December with seven. Iain had three in his 9-4 win over Robbie Stanger including two in the same leg. Brian Murray also had three in one match in his 7-0 defeat to Michael Bain. Other 180 scorers were Stevie Linklater 5, Leigh Shearer 5, Ross Donaldson 5, Robbie Stanger 4, Brian Murray 4, Brian Moar 4, Bruce Moar 3, David Henderson 3, Ronnie Breck 2, Craig Moar 2, Ray Butcher 2, Ben Hogan 2 and Michael Bain, Graham Firth, Elizabeth Irvine, Diane Rendall, Liam Drever, Colin Ross, Jim Brown and Roy Griffiths all had one each.

Nineteen players recorded thirty ton-plus checkouts with Malcolm Coghill scoring the highest checkout with an elite 142 in his 5-9 defeat against David Henderson. Highest finish from the ladies for the season so far came from Noreen Bain with an excellent 136 in her 8-9 loss to Diane Rendall. Noreen also had a 110 checkout. Robbie Stanger had the most in the month with 120, 117 and 105 checkouts. Others to score big finishes were Ray Butcher 132, 102, Leigh Shearer 119, 114, Brian Moar 118, 110, Brian Murray 109, 103, Gary Wilson 102, 102, Stevie Linklater 101, 100 David Henderson 100, 100, Michael Muir Snr 120, Jim Brown 113, Cammy Scott 112, Shona Gray 111, Colin Ross 110, Ronnie Breck 108, Ross Donaldson 103, Ben Hogan 101 and Michael Bain and Steven Groat both and 100.

January

January was quite simply the most outstanding month the ODA Singles League has had so far. Ninety-nine matches played out of a possible one hundred was the most games there has ever been played in a month and with that many records were equalled or beaten. There was a new record of sixty-four 180s in the month with Stevie Linklater scoring a record equalling ten and there was a new record of thirty-six ton-plus checkouts with Bruce Moar hitting a record equalling six including a 160, January’s highest.

With the season past the mid-way stage now the games are getting closer and there were eighteen matches that finished 9-8 and fifteen that finished 9-7 both equalling the previous best for a month. Graham Firth played his fair share of the games with three 9-8 matches and sixty-seven legs in total for the month to break the previous best of sixty-six.

Stevie Linklater stamped his authority on the rest of the League by winning his four games comfortably in League 1 with the loss of only eleven legs. Most astonishing result of the month was Stevie’s 9-0 win over reigning three time champion Robbie Stanger. Stevie’s hot form also included four 180s and 108, 106 and 101 finishes in his 9-1 win over Leigh Shearer. Robbie recovered to win his remaining games to finish league 1 in second place.

In League 2 Iain Wilkie showed some impressive form to win all his games to finish top of the League and return to League 1 with Bruce Moar. Iain avenged his 0-9 result over Bruce the previous month with a fine 9-7 win which included two 180s, a 177 and 136 and 112 checkouts. Although Bruce went down to Iain he had the consolation of a 9-0 win over Brian Murray, a 12 dart leg in his 9-1 win over Jim Brown and 160 and 145 checkouts in his 9-3 win over Ross Donaldson.

Alan Gray won all his games in League 4 including a convincing 9-1 win over Gary Wilson which included three 180s and a 12 dart leg from Alan. Also in League 4 Robert Gatt had three 180s against Paul firth but still lost 9-7. Paul joins Alan in League 3 in February.

In League 9 Jean Scott had the highest ladies checkout of the season with an excellent 138 in her 9-7 win over Diane Rendall.

Finally a reminder to text or email all results to Bruce Moar after the game so the tables can be updated right away.