By Marcus Uhe
A nail-biting win to Warriors over Paky One saw them move to outright second on the table in the South West Gippsland Dart League.
Tied on 52 points coming into the clash, along with Snipers who had the bye, Warriors defeated Paky One 8-7, despite Noel throwing 171 from three darts as the week’s highest score.
The win moves Warriors to 56 points in a significant victory in the context of the competition at large, with just three rounds remaining, but Snipers are lurking on 52 points with one game in hand.
With only the top four qualifying for finals action in four weeks’ time, the jostling for seedings between Warriors, Snipers and Paky One – to avoid a dreaded first-round match up with Just Social – will become all the more important.
Wins to 26ers and Rebels keep them in the hunt for a top-four position, if only mathematically in the case of Rebels, who require a number of results to fall their way for them to sneak into fourth or third spot.
26ers, by contrast, are just one game back of both third and fourth, but their percentage (the lowest among the top six sides) will be a significant stumbling block if they are to close the gap on points.
Dale from 26ers stole the show in their hard-fought win 9-6 win over Fore, throwing a 501 in just 16 darts.
At the top of the ladder, Just Social’s dominant form continues, this week thrashing Gembrook 14-1 in a one-sided contest.
At the other end, Mud Rats thrashed Hoodies 13-2.
Results R19: Just Social 14 v Gembrook 1, 26ers 9 v Fore 6, Warriors 8 v Paky One 7, Mud Rats 13 v Hoodies 2, Rebels 8 v Bullseyes 7.
Ladder: Just Social 60, Warriors 56, Snipers 52, Paky One 52, 26ers 48, Rebels 40, Gembrook 24, Bullseyes 20, Mud Rats 16, Fore 12, Hoodies 0.
Fixture R20: Gembrook (7) v Rebels (6), Paky One (4) v Hoodies (11), Just Social (1) v Fore (10), Mud Rats (9) v Warriors (2), Snipers (3) v Bullseyes (8). 26ers (5) – Bye.