November 1st 2012 Away V White Lion A

The chilly nights have now returned to St. Albans and the smoke being expelled from the various chimney stacks around the town is just visible as it twists and turns its way up into the night sky. The western Christian feast of All Hallows is upon us and the trick or treaters have returned home pockets bulging from their night of legal racketeering. The darker nights have set in now that the clocks have been turned back but how the Rose & Crown must wish that they could turn them back more than just the hour. Perhaps they wish they could turn the clocks all the way back to the AGM that changed rule 8.7. Veteran Skipper Alan Turner hardly had to rely on his wealth of experience to pick the team as with only six players available to him the side picked it’s self, Indeed it was the skipper himself and fellow veteran and Rose & Crown stalwart Dave Noble who got matters underway just after eight thirty. Taking over from the absent Brothers Grimm this was always going to be a tall order for balding pair who at times offered us a glimpse into the distance past with some patches of vintage arrows but these patches sadly were all to fleeting and the duo quickly succumbed 2-0 to leave the Rose trailing by 1-0. Big Ron who surprisingly had not played a doubles all season, partly one suspects due to the absence of Tony Scott and partly due to the change in format found himself partnering the mercurial John Goode. After losing the first leg the pair were quickly away and were soon a hundred in front but a slip up from Big Ron (7) left the door open for their opponents who didn’t need a second invitation and stormed through it leaving the hapless visiting pair to pick up the pieces of a 2-0 defeat which left the Rose now facing an uphill battle if they were to get anything out this encounter. 2-0 quickly became 2-1 as Neil Crosby partnered by Mulls put the disappointment of their only defeat of the season so far against New Greens behind them to register a crucial victory. Indeed the “Dude” discovered some form that has deserted him for large parts of the season to date and possibly went into the first singles of the night as a slight favourite. The favouritism seemed justified as Neil went straight off and followed it up with two consecutive tons leaving his opponent trailing in his wake before finally securing the first leg on double 4. With his opponent seemingly beaten having also the lost the doubles to Neil this was surely Neil’s chance to take what would later prove to be the pivotal match of the evening. But old habits die hard and Neil’s previous failings came back to hit him like the storm surge of hurricane Sandy as it battered New York into submission earlier this week. Needing what almost approximated 33 darts to get off in the 2nd leg Neil had lost the initiative and his opponent took it with glee putting Neil to the sword to level at one a piece. Neil needed a good start and duly got it having a one hundred lead in the early stages but a ton forty by his opponent opened up a gap and despite a late rally hitting one thirty seven the White Lion opened up a 3-1 lead. It was soon 3-2 however as Big Ron, who despite losing the 2nd leg to Steve Herring always looked in control and never looked like losing duly checking out 48 for a 2-1 victory. 3-2 soon became 3-3 and the fight back was on as John Goode who came back after losing the 1st leg and registered a victory with an impressive spell that at one stage saw him hit two straight tons. Skipper Alan Turner was up next but it was always going to be a tall order for possibly the leagues’ longest serving captain as the hosts had a wealth of talent available to them as they restored their lead. Mulls pulled it back to 4-4 to set up the finish but in truth the Rose and Crown’s chance slipped away in the pivotal first singles of the evening and Dave was just fodder for the home side condemning the Rose & Crown to a fourth successive 5-4 defeat.