THE opening matches of the new Bridgwater Premier League were played last Tuesday night.

It is different to any other league because it is played for prizemoney and not the usual trophies and is open to both men and women.

The format is longer than usual as teams play best of three in the pairs and best of five in the singles.

After Tuesday’s matches Hopeless top the table as they beat the Blake Riversiders 8-1 with the aid of 180s by Dave Taylor and Cindy Bradfield.

The Killer Watts and Hart-Aches share second spot as they both had 7-2 wins.

Killer Watts beat Otterhampton VH despite a Mike Hawker 180 and a Steve Foster 17-darter while Hart-Aches beat the Lions Club, with Roy Clark hitting a maximum.

Results and merits: Hopeless 8 (D Taylor 180, 125, 140, 100, J Scott 129, 102, 100x4, C Bradfield 180, 100, 140x3, K Bisset 125, 100x3, J Blackmore 110, 129, 100x4, N Poole 121, 135, 100x5), Blake Riversiders 1 (T Gill 140, 125, 100x3, C Haworth 140, 100x2, J Dorse 100, 101, P Biddiscombe 102, 100x2, K Lawrence 140, 100x4, F Ward 123); Otterhampton VH 2 (S Foster 125, 140x4, 100x8, 17dl, E Hayward 100, M Hawker 122, 140, 180, 100x5, G Smith 140, 100x2, J Foster 100, S Modley 121, 100x7), Killer Watts 7 (S Elsley 140x2, 100x4, M Watts 125, 100x3, C Royce 140, 100x4, J Kirk 100x2, S Watts 140x2, 100x3, D Grubb 100, G Watts 125, 140, 100x2, S Potter 140, 100x7, 100o, 118o); Lions Club 2 (D Royce 100, M Loaring 131, M Cooper 125, 140x2, 100x3, C Warner 140, 100x4, F Compton 120), Hart-Aches 7 (R Clark 180, 125, 100x3, A Ward 124, 140x5, 100x5, P Blackwell 129, 121, 100x2, D Baker 102, 100x3, B Bacon 100).