THREE players – Jack Nankervis, Ryan Branley and Archie Self – are level on five points at the top of the boys’ Junior Power League after the third round of matches in Coventry.
The three players are also tied on legs difference after three matches – with Nankervis top of the pile based on his average, which is 1.26 points ahead of Branley and 1.7 ahead of Self.
While Branley dropped his first points of the season in a 4-4 draw with Mitchell Lawrie, he remains unbeaten, while Self and Nankervis extended their own unbeaten starts with wins over Jayden Walker and Lewis Cook, respectively.
Rebecca Allen moved to the top of the girls’ table – but it ended up being a bittersweet evening for her with a 4-0 win over Lexi-Jayne Rooksby being followed by a 4-0 defeat against Ruby Grey.
With Paige Pauling unavailable to play, Allen played two matches – and got off to a flyer against previous leader Rooksby, only to fall to a heavy defeat in her second match of the evening.
Boys round-up
Branley posted the highest average of the evening, 88.16, but was unable to find a way to beat Lawrie – and had to keep his cool to take out 56 to clinch a draw with Lawrie waiting on double 9.
As expected, these players produced an excellent match, with Lawrie leading 2-1 before Branley led 3-2. Legs of 15 and 13 put Lawrie 4-3 up – but Branley preserved his unbeaten record in the JPL by taking the last leg.
Nankervis took over at the top of the table with a 5-1 win over Cook. He averaged 88.06 on his way to a comprehensive win, sealing the victory with a stunning 167 checkout.
Self maintained his excellent start with a 5-2 win over Walker, averaging 85.96. The first three legs went with throw, with Walker taking out 100 in between two holds for Self, before Self broke in the fourth leg.
Walker broke straight back in 15 darts, before Self did the same to move 4-2 in front – and then held to claim a second straight win.
Tergel Khurelkhuu claimed his first win of the campaign, beating Jack Johnson 5-3. Tergel averaged 82.69 as he got off the mark with an impressive performance.
He won the first leg with a 91 checkout, before Johnson held for 1-1. Tergel then held throw and broke for a 3-1 lead, with Johnson breaking straight back and holding for 3-3. But Tergel stayed composed, holding for 4-3 and then breaking throw in 14 darts with Johnson waiting on 12 for a shot at sealing a draw.
Ben Townley was a 5-3 winner against Lex Paeshuyse to move fourth in the table, sealing the win with a 100 checkout.
Girls round-up
Allen opened the night with a ruthless 4-0 win against previous leader Rooksby, which put her top of the table, the key moment arguably her 54 checkout to break throw in the second leg with Rooksby waiting on tops.
But there were mixed feelings for the Irish player when she then lost her second match of the night by the same scoreline, as Grey claimed her first win of the season. It was a stunning way for her to seal her first victory, having previously drawn one and lost one.
Lilly Wheeler and Yazmine Ruck-Havard must both wait for their first wins of the JPL as they drew 3-3. In a competitive contest, with moments of magic from each player, the match went with throw all the way through, Ruck-Havard clinching the draw with an 81 checkout in two darts.
RESULTS – NIGHT THREE
Boys’ event:
Archie Self 5-2 Jayden Walker
Jack Nankervis 5-1 Lewis Cook
Tergel Khurelkhuu 5-3 Jack Johnson
Ben Townley 5-3 Lex Paeshuyse
Ryan Branley 4-4 Mitchell Lawrie
Girls’ event:
Rebecca Allen 4-0 Lexi-Jayne Rooksby
Lilly Wheeler 3-3 Yazmine Ruck-Havard
Ruby Grey 4-0 Rebecca Allen
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