HALFWAY A, the inaugural winners of the Joe Bailey Cup in the 2001 Summer League, left their fellow section one teams in no doubt of their intention when the 2001/2002 Winter League got under way last Thursday night.

Brian Whitby and Karl Windisch led the way for the Halfway A , recording 13 and 16 dart games respectively, as their team ran out 9/0 winners against Pirates.

A surprise in this section was a 6/3 win for Outcasts over Tranny B who had gone undefeated throughout the whole of last year's winter league season.

An 18-dart game from Alan Horabin helped Roundhouse A to run out 6/3 winners against Wanderers, with Lion Doo Waps gaining the same result against Jolly Brewer.

Albion's Nigel Peterson recorded a 17-dart game to help his team to a 5/4 win against plucky newcomers to Section One, Barley Mow, but the losers showed enough to suggest that they can cause a few surprises in the future.

A 112 finish from Fred Crofts helped to put Raven into a 3/1 lead against Section Two opponents Prospect Has Beens, but the latter hit back to run out 5/4 winners.

Old Transporters 7/2 away win against Likely Lads included a 19 dart finish from James Keelan but the biggest victories in this section came from Weaver Lads and RAOB Buffs, who both recorded 8/1 wins against Halton Marauders and Fiddlers III respectively. Cherry Tree A Team opened their season with a 5/4 win against Pavilions A.

In Section Three, RNA's Arthur Edge scored the only maximum of the night to put his team into an early lead against Union Tavern, who fought back to win 5/4. Grapes also found themselves trailing to Geriatrics 3/1 at one stage but they too hit back to run out 5/4 winners.

Pavilions B and Tanners also enjoyed victories when they beat Dreadnaughts and Waterloo but the biggest win in this section was Red Admiral's 6/3 defeat of Castle.

After being relegated to Section Four, Draymen started off on a high when they ran out 8/1 winners against Eggie Arms.

Sonny Henderson produced the highest finish of the week of 128 to help The Burma to run out 5/4 winners against Lion, Croft Magnets put in a solid performance to beat Weaver Beavers away and The Tup beat Halfway Mixed by the odd game.

This Friday, September 28, the League Cup competition gets under way with the prelim rounds of four competitions being staged whilst next Friday the first round proper commences, the first of these being the RJM KO Cup.