The Grange Club 13th December 2007

The dust had now settled and Chris Wilson had been archived to the Tony Scott book of darting folklore. Now just a mere fable to be narrated in the presence of a roaring fire with a plethora of adoring grandchildren and the sweet scent of hand rolled Cuban cigar smoke adding a foggy mystique to the latest darting fairytale.
To others perhaps a soliloquy as they recalled themselves and others suffering such humiliating defeats at the hands of a darting legend.
It was now down to another dashing prince to step forward and awaken the sleeping beauty that is the rose and crown dart team.

The special one himself Jose Mourinho would surely have been salivating at the prospect of delivering the after match press conference in the aftermath of such a show of tactical genius that was so evidently displayed by Rose and Crown sipper Alan Turner last night. Realizing that success is built on solid foundations the skipper resisted the urge of tinkering with with these very foundations and was duly rewarded.

Eyebrows were raised it has to be said as the Sipper went on first partnering "Wavey Davey" Noble then followed by the enigmatic Neil "The Dude" Crosby and Carl Bolding and those same eyebrows were raised even further when both pairs came back from the oche empty handed.
"Big Al" kept his nerve though and cheered on so enthusiastically by Veronica Kent who has established herself within the side with her very own and unique brand of support (more akin to that of the Circus Tavern than to the Rose & Crown it has to be said) he stuck fast with the tried and tested partnership of Tony Scott and Tom Wilson and despite a shaky start the first blow to the visitors had been struck and the Rose & Crown were off the mark. Perhaps though, the most rewarding was the skippers tactical nous not to have given in to temptation and partnered the emerging Paul Mullins with Neil Crosby (a partnership that had payed dividends in the past) and he stuck with the partnership of Paul Mullins and John Goode which continues to be successful.. In fact Paul is playing so well at the moment that all John has to do is "slipstream" him. Once caught up in the undertow of HMS Mullins it's full steam ahead to the winning post! and last night was no exception as the surprise pair of the season yet again chalked up a 2 leg victory which put the sides level going into the interval.

Even Dave Vass had no answer, darting wise or unusually for him verbally to the steamroller that was now hurtling to the tape with victory insight. He was left to mutter such utterings about winning goldfish and other such nonsense (surely a childhood memory, perhaps even that of the last "trophy" he lifted above his head!) as he was humbled into submission by Neil Crosby who put his recent troubles and injuries behind him to put in an all most vintage performance to put the home side ahead for the first time.

The point was secured and the skippers job made to look easy as Tom Wilson mopped up the next in two straight legs the home side had now reeled off four games on the bounce and the disappointment of a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of the Crooked Billet just a fortnight ago now just a distant memory.

"Big Al" then played his final hand and called upon the in form Paul Mullins to seal victory. Paul was happy to oblige and you could hear a pin drop as his final arrow pierced the double five almost like a dagger through the heart and mouth! of the now almost mute Dave Vass and victory was complete far from the whooping and cheering that had been the traits of the away side in those first two encounters of the evening the home side were dignified in their celebrations and you had to listen very intently to hear the whispers around the public bar of "Chris Who?"
This one was for you Chris and all the very best of luck.

The Crooked Billet November 29th

If life it is a vaudeville

And we the crowd it entertains

And the skies they are the set

Then the earth it is the stage

And if time it is the script

And we the willing players

Then hope it be the answer

To all our dreams and prayers.

Hope indeed, The Rose & Crown certainly went into this intriguing encounter with hope in abundance. On the back of an unbeaten five game streak hope was certainly high. Thoughts were even harboured of curtailing a runaway Crooked Billet side who find themselves in the higher echelons of the first division, a position it would have to be said that they are very much unaccustomed to.

But this was a different Crooked Billet side, one that has not been seen in recent years and one that now boasted the mercurial talent that is Bob Williams and the incomparable Linda Searle.

The truth was that on paper this should have been an even match up, reality though is something very different and this was a no contest. Linda Searle weaved her magic and almost single handed dismantled the Rose and Crown as if tearing it down brick by brick, barely leaving the skeletal wooden framework behind.

Chris Wilson on his final competitive match for the Rose and Crown managed just one leg from both his doubles and singles encounters, one more it has to be said than his father Tom who failed to even get off the mark during one leg of his doubles with Tony Scott and then encountered Linda Searle at her brilliant best and was duly dispatched two straight legs in the singles.

So with the usually dependable Wilson's managing just one leg from a possible eight all hopes of a result had long since departed and the Rose only had pride to play for.

Even pride was proving a difficult obstacle to climb though, as Skipper Alan Turner found out as he to fell short. Only John Goode offered any Resistance as once again he put in a solid performance to claim yet another victory by two straight legs but then was cruelly overlooked for a singles slot in favour of the out of sorts Neil Crosby!!!

So with just the one bright spot the Rose went down 7-1, one of their biggest defeats in recent memory and one that they will no doubt be looking to put behind them as they go into the mid season break.