The Greymare have won the first Thwaites Smooth Darts Knockout at the Emirates, Old Trafford. The competition which started in May, attracted over 150 teams from Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The Greymare played a team from Yorkshire in the quarter-final featuring current world champion Scotty Waites. Chris Macternan beat Waites twice and Steve Plummer walked up to the oche and sunk his opponent with ease. After a tense battle the match, tied at 6-6, went into sudden death. Martin Barrett was drawn out for the Grey. He obliged and the Grey went into the semi final.

The semi-final saw the Grey take on a team from Blackburn. John Tuccie smashed another opponent to smithereens. The score was hanging in the balance at 6-4 to the Grey when up stepped the captain Scott Heywood and obliterated double-two to take the Grey lads into the final.

In the final the Grey took on Fleetwood Conservative Club after a tense first half it was all square at 3-3. The second half saw the Grey take a slender lead and were 6-5 up with one leg to go, up stepped Pete “awesome” Dawson in a thrilling leg of darts. Pete checked out 68 to win the final. The Greymare from Ramsbottom featuring some of Bury’s, Ramsbottom’s and Rossendale’s best darters had won the cup and a cheque for a £1,000.

On hand was five-times world champion Eric Bristowe MBE and darts legend Eric said after the tournament: “The standard of play was tremendous but a big congratulations to the Greymare who were worthy winners.”