Let's Play Darts!

Darts has made a long awaited return to my life!

After a practice night the other week, last Friday saw my competitive debut for Alton Cricket Club's AC/DC darts team. Captained by Ian Gillingham, AC/DC play in the Alton Friday Night League.

I had already made an impression on the practice night, by beating the captain in our friendly match-up and also performing well in the "finishing challenge".

My first league game in over a year was more intense though, as the nerves that had thwarted my last season in the Sidmouth League returned under the pressure of standing at the oche. That said, the team had already lost the single match and over match by the time I was on last (being 0-5 at that point).

I stepped up for the straight-501 start, wishing I had the chance to build up a head-start by starting on a double - one of my strengths! Alas, I had to make do with a 40 average (if that!) and found myself slightly behind all the way down. The difference between me and my opponent was finishing. I finished both legs within three darts, including a 63 out. A 2-0 win isn't bad for someone who hadn't played a proper game since May 2008!

I wasn't selected for the doubles, as we had ten players available for the first match, and the team went down 0-3 in the doubles. That's 1-8 over all! But, as I'm not available this coming Friday, I keep my 100% record for two full weeks!

The league itself is actually split into a singles league and a doubles league. Bizarre, but there you go!

This weekend sees the sending off of some good friends of mine, Ed and Tilly. More to come on them (and my football teams' progress) after this Friday nights drunken shenanigans!

New Season, New Housemates.

Ah, gotta love Autumn! It means football's back with a bang!

In the professional game, my teams are having mixed seasons.

Arsenal have started

well, despite not really strengthening the team. Kolo Toure was replaced by Thomas Vermaelen, who looks pretty awesome, but Adebayor was not... time will tell how important that decision will be. Through to a fairly easy group in the Champions League and only beaten by a lucky Manchester United team in the league means we have set a good found

ation in the first few

weeks.

The diving issue reared it's ugly head though. I hate diving. I am actually happy that Eboue got a yellow card for it and that Eduardo got a two match ban. I am really irritated that Wayne "Shrek" Rooney has gotten away with it. He was practically on the floor before Almunia got near him against Arsenal and was at it again with England tonight... although his shirt wa

s tugged by the Slovenian, another foul that is under-punished.

I have had the pleasure of visiting the impressive Emirates Stadium this week. Absolutely amazing place. My brother, Tim, and his wife, Julia, bought me the tour for Christmas and I chose to go on my 31st birthday. And my lovely Phee bought me a personalised Arsenal shirt too, to make it a birthday to remember!

Exeter City have just been enjoying life in League One. They managed to pick up their first win all the way up in Carlisle United, but have found other points tricky to come by and now sit just above the relegation zone. It's going to be a tough season, but I am confident they'll stay up with Paul Tisdale at the he

lm.

It's good to see the League One highlights on the BBC. They're doing a good job! I know I'm biased, having starred in the adverts for it. The day out in London filming the ad was great fun... in fact, being a mascot actually is great fun! And it's such a good bunch of people. Everybody gets on with everyone else, like a big family (and I know all about them!).

Playing wise, I ready for it! I have been playing 5-a-side for the Pit Club side in the Sidmouth Indoor League randomly over the summer. With that and going to the gym (let's not mention the treadmill incident), I'm kept my fitness right up. And with the 11-a-side kick off this weekend... it's all systems go!

Rockbeare Rangers, the team in Devon I'm President of, got under way this afternoon and started with an excellent 3-1 victory at the newly named Silver Lane Ground. The awesome Bryn Lister got the final goal... and I always enjoy seeing him on the score sheet. He's been a great player for the Rooks over the last two seasons and it's good to see some of the original squad still in the team... Rob, Matt S, Matt D, Si, Mike F and Ed are all still involved.

Chawton Athletic start their Farnham Sunday League campaign tomorrow morning. We will be hoping to do better than last season, where we finished bottom with three wins all season. It looks like I may well be starting on the left wing, in front of the gaffer's brother Paul Ireson... a full back who rarely runs forward. This suits me down to the ground, as I can concentrate more on attacking!

My aims for this season are to be on a winning team (I didn't manage it at Chawton last season!) and to get on the scoresheet at least once. I will take the lead and go for all penalties and free kicks if I can... my dead ball shooting is pretty good, certainly better than most I've seen at Chawton!

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This weekend saw some of the new housemates move in and I'm hoping to be better accepted this year. After the antics of last year and all it's ignorance and hypocrisy, the signs are good. Jamie has moved in and Phee and I have been getting on well with him, even sorting out the brief power cut Farnham seemed to have!

Erin also popped round to move some of her stuff in, before finally moving in next weekend. Again, we all seemed to get on like a house on fire. This year is going to be a definite improvement on the last one, enjoying the company of people who are easy going. We might even get to hang out at the UCASU without me feeling like a leper... (although I feel duty bound to point out that Phee's closest friends, Abbie and Rebecca, never made me feel like that).

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On a final note... I have found a darts team! Woo! The practice night for the Alton Cricket Club darts team is Friday 18th September, with our first league game of the season the week after! Thanks to John and Jamie at work, I have my board up in the house so I can get some practice in and not look too out of sorts. This first season is all about getting to know the side and enjoying myself... with the games will come the scores, hopefully, and the wins.