John and Jess Esam have retained the Newark & District Double Board Darts League’s summer mixed pairs title, recovering from 2-0 down to beat Matthew Glover and Mandy Walker 3-2 in the final, the Newark Advertiser reports.
The competition was played on the league’s presentation evening at RHP Sports & Social Club and was the last event of the summer season. The husband-and-wife pairing play their league darts for different Castle & Falcon-based teams, John for Bellies and Bullseyes and Jess for Bull Hitters.
Their defence was rarely comfortable. They opened with a 2-1 win over Kevin Rose and Debbie Walker, then beat Cain Allen and Andi Atherley 2-0 in a rematch of last season’s final. A second 2-1 win, over Paul Gallacher and Linda Gregory, took them through to the final.
Glover, of the Railway Club, and Walker, of the Castle & Falcon Bangers, reached it without dropping more than a leg, beating Geza Pocsik and Marie Stone 2-0, Chris Clawson and Aimee Wood 2-1, and Joe Flanagan and Anita Scott 2-0.
They took the first two legs of the final, both on Glover’s finishing. The Esams then won three in a row, with John checking out each time, including a fourth leg settled on double-1 with both pairs waiting on the same finish. He closed out the decider on a 35 checkout.
Ladies’ winter season
The previous evening the ladies’ winter season reached its second round of fixtures. Bull Hitters, playing for the first time at their new home of the Rutland Arms, went top after a 15-0 whitewash of Railway Club Artists, with Jess Esam among the singles winners.
They lead by a point from Railway Youngers, who beat Wheatsheaf Belles (formerly Caffs Ladies) 10-5. Grove Wanderers are third after a 12-3 win over newcomers The King’s Jesters, of the Kings Arms. Queen of Harts, from the White Hart, remain unbeaten in fourth after a 10-5 victory over Collingham FC MCs, sealed by captain Andi Atherley in the concluding team leg.
Results
Ladies’ Division: Bull Hitters 15-0 Railway Club Artists; Railway Youngers 10-5 Wheatsheaf Belles; Queen of Harts 10-5 Collingham FC MCs; The King’s Jesters 3-12 Grove Wanderers.
Mixed Pairs final: M Glover/M Walker 2-3 J Esam/J Esam.
Semi-finals: J Flanagan/A Scott 0-2 M Glover/M Walker; P Gallacher/L Gregory 1-2 J Esam/J Esam.