Last weekend saw a bumper turnout for the eighth Andover Ali Macdonald Classic ranking singles and the last for 2013, writes Mark Thorne .
Andover’s Dennis Simpson beat Reading’s Kev Morley 4-3 in a close match and the latest generation 180 recipient Gavin Howard beat Swindon’s Alan Turnell in a 4-2. Another Academy youngster Ryan Rowe beat team mate Matt Parsons 4-1 and Mark Thorne lost 4-3 to Swindon’s Johnny Haines after Thorne had hit what he thought was a winning double only to have then noticed he had missed counted.
Chris Bailey saw off Gary Stafford 4-1, Dave Wicks beat John Hampton 4-0, Swindon’s Paul Cook beat Reading’s Shane Harvey.
Simpson lost in the last 16 to Swindon’s Josh McCarthy, Howard lost to Hampshire’s Ricky Williams while Rowe showed great character going down 4-0 to winner Smith.
In another great match between great pals and playing partners Paul Gibbs beat England International Paul Hogan 4-2 to take him into the last eight. Bailey also booked his place with a 4-3 win over John Jenkinson, while Wicks had a 4-0 victory over Dorset’s Colin Littlecott.
Swindon’s Lee Evans then saw off Haines and Cook beat Welsh International and Hampshire’s Mike Gillett.
In the quarter-finals McCarthy and Cook both went through beating Williams and Evans , then Smith put out Gibbs 4-1 as did Dave Wicks 4-0 over Chris Bailey.
Smith beat McCarthy 5-2 to book his place in the final as did Dave Wicks with a 5-0 thumping of Cook.
Smith then completed back to back wins of the popular tournament with a 5-3 win in the final .
A Plate competition was also run which saw Kev Morley hit a nine dart finish in his 2-0 win over Swindon’s Andy McAllister
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