Several shocks as league form counts for nothing
TEAMMATES Adam Gontier and Carl Gauvain needed to be in top form from their first throw in the Herald League pairs knockout at North British Legion.
And they were – thankfully – on a Monday night of several shocks and good darts aplenty.
They came through a series of best-of-five, 701-point contests to book a finals night meeting with the father-son duo of John and Leyton de la Mare.
Meanwhile, the Misfits, the threatening contenders and resounding league favourites, had largely an evening to forget.
Although their Michael Ogier and Adie Exall reached the board-three final, Isle of Man Festival pairs champions Mark Fletcher jnr and Ken Waters were a first-round scalp to fall to Gontier and Gauvain, and another big upset occurred at the board two qualifiers.
It was there that, in the last of five competitive legs, Steve Dowinton fired a 180, 135 and checked out from 96 to eliminate reigning champions Tim Cotterill and Phil Martel. Partner Mick Collenette was also on song.
Board three hosted most of the evening’s thrills, not least an early pressure match between Gontier and Gauvain and the Isle of Man champions.
Gontier threw down a major statement of intent with an opening 180, and they maintained their lead, sealing a leg win via the proven finishing of ‘big fish’ star Gauvain.
Their rivals reeled them in by starting leg two fast and holding on.
But the eventual winners upped their game to seal off a 3-1 victory – garnished by Gauvain’s decisive 121 checkout.
Both pairs of board finalists backed up those early results with straightforward wins, and it was evident that they would take some splitting in their decisive clash.
Come the board final, Herm Classic champion Exall started things nicely but three straight tons from the opposition slashed the deficit and they forged ahead.
Ogier and Exall pinched a tight second leg – and then Gontier and Gauvain let off the fireworks.
An impeccable start, with two tons, a 140 and Gauvain 180, faded through the middle stages before Gauvain slammed a 72 checkout. The end result was a 21-dart leg from 701.
They killed the match 3-1 after another burst of 100-plus throws in the fourth leg.
Gontier, who has reached pairs finals night before but is hungry for that first win, was thankful for his lucky draw of Gauvain.
‘It was the best I have ever played in the pairs and I knew we would be a strong pair together,’ he said.
‘They [Misfits] will win the league, but I am glad I will not see them in the final.’
It was certainly a long night at board two.
Extra preliminaries and many lengthy games thereafter meant the programme drew on, but the de la Mares’ efforts were rewarded as they beat Julie Murphy and Tony Le Patourel 3-1 in the board final.
