Bouncebackability........

Sorry for no pre-match build up & nich blogging for the past several days, but I have been in Dublin & busy working.

I will start with my brief trip to Dublin. Lovely city, nice people, good drinks but quite expensive. The World Grand Prix was attended & it was a little disappointing. We didn't get there early enough to get a decent seat so we were right at the very back. Sky sports did kindly put big screens up all over the place, but we may aswell have watched it on TV. Suppose I should appreciate that I was there to witness that mental darts atmosphere. Anyway another Taylor win. The guy is a trophy machine. I can't knock his achievement & id love to hammer him one day!!

Anyway onto darts played at a much higher level than those see in Dublin.............not!

Three Mariners - 31/10/06 (a)

pic. Three Mariners Pub, Lancaster



Any potential ghostly goings on would be blamed on the fact that we were playing in one of Lancaster's oldest & haunted pubs. A win and a re-coup of the points lost from the hammering last week was needed.

Weve never played the Three Mariners & to be honest I was expecting an easy match. I don't know why, but I was. This is another pub in town that doesn't seem to be of a darting nature. More a tourist pub, because of its history.

We managed to pull a team together & we were all on the rebound. Stuart Lacey kick us off, away for a few weeks & this showed but confident & composed he got us off to a winning start. 16 off, 16 out. Dave Walker took to number 2. Could he gain his first victory? 37 Off & some nice darts, but sadly beaten at the double. Back from absence, Andy Markham was in impressive form. A 49 off followed by 3 tons in succession and a favourite double 16 finish put us back in the lead at 2-1. Pete Kennington's darts improved once again. He threw 2 tons, but couldn't find the double to earn us another point. Mark Rigg was 5th but sadly couldn't take us into the break with a lead.

At the break we were 3-2 down at darts, but cruising 5-1 up at dominoes.

With a severe lack of practice & feeling a little nervous I took to the oche at number 6. Unsure why the nerves were kicking in, possibly because I felt it necessary to have a 5 out of 5 under my belt. Finally on the 12th dart I was off. My next 9 darts were poor, barely getting over the 40 mark. My opponent was also struggling to land an off, but I kept on going. Down to 279 I managed to hit a ton. Needing to land a decent finish for what was hopefully my final 3 I hit a 97. An 82 finish in sight I decided upon Bull, double 16. I won't go on, but I did eventually finish on Mad House! A massive relief as my opponent had nailed it down to a double top finish, but I was fortunate that he couldn't finish.

Pulled back to 3-3 we needed a good second half. Paul Haywood's slight dip in form continued but he eventually got off on double top & like me had a Mad House check. Rob Lancaster picked up an impressive win. The highest out of the night awarded to him, 53. Dave Murby's was form was back on track & with another 60+ off he picked up another point for us win a double 8 finish. Aussie Mick Daly rounded the night off with his first competitive win to make it 5 straight second half's points.

So another good darting performance & with a couple of players out we stand in good position to keep winning & pushing for a high place going into the Christmas break.

Darts: 3-7
Dominoes: 4-8



An overall win of 15-7 & a few points re-couped as hoped from last week.

Personal Performance Indicator (PPI):

My run continues. How?? Im unsure as this was an unconvincing performance coming off the back of a good win last week. I put it down to my lack of practice. I seriously need to start doing some or I may aswell hang up the arrows. My nerves were all over the place. Why?? As mentioned I think it's because ive pressured myself into needing to win. There is a big competition that I have entered coming up on the 25th. There will be good players there & I don't want to show myself up. Performing like this will. Anyway enough slating, 5 out of 5. Enough said.