Oldham team hit the target

SWEPT THE BOARD.: the triumphant Oldham team of Steve Gallimore (back row, left) Dave Rawstron, Carl Sneyd, Mick Kenway, Paul Cartwright, Dave Airey, Ian Walters and Dave Adshead. Mark McGeeney (front, left), Lee Holden, Stan Howe (supporter) and Andy Pearson.

OLDHAM men’s darts team are the best in Britain.

Flying the flag for Lancashire, they lifted the British Champions’ Cup with a nail-biting 5-4 win over Yorkshire. The victory made up for previous disappointments in losing to their Roses rivals in the 2012 and 2014 finals.

It was the first success in the competition’s history for an Oldham team, ending a 14-year wait since Lancashire’s last triumph with Rochdale in 2001.

“It was a fantastic achievement — the players thoroughly deserved it,” said Oldham manager Graham Anderson. “Yorkshire are such a strong side and have a great record in the competition, having won it for the last four years. Full credit to them, they formed a guard of honour and applauded us on to the stage for the trophy presentation.”

Sixty-eight teams gathered at Event City, Trafford Park. Oldham won their group after defeating Hertfordshire 6-3, Northumberland 5-4 and Clwyd 8-1. Facing Gwyneth in the quarter-finals, they extinguished the Welsh dragons’ fire with a 6-3 win, before Staffordshire were swept aside 7-2 in the last four.

The Castle represented Yorkshire in the final, and it proved a gripping contest. At 4-4 in games and three legs apiece, it came down to Mark McGeeney nailing double top for glory.

Mick Kenway, one of Oldham’s reserves, added: “Dave Rawstron was almost in tears, it meant that much to him.”

Oldham earned the right to carry the county’s hopes after winning the 2014-15 Lancashire Super Eights Elite League title, the defence of which will begin against Bury at the end of the month.

The team will parade the trophy at the Oldham Night of Champions darts event at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on December 11.


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