LITTLE Waltham SC pulled off their greatest coup of this Ridley League campaign to ensure that the end-of-season Mixed Pairs darts final will be an all-club affair.

Darren and Judy Kochan will face Alex Davis and Louisa Morton for the trophy after qualifying from a tricky-looking play-down at St Anne’s Castle – a fitting result for Waltham’s women, who, with Kerry Ketley, have contributed to 14 of the club’s 17 darts league points.

The Kochans emerged triumphant from the top half of the draw, beating Martin Compton and Sharon Chaplin (Globe) in the last eight, while their clubmates’ progress was highlighted by Morton’s 180, the second by a woman this season.

But their joy meant double disappointment for Chelmsford City FC. Their two pairings exceeded expectations by both reaching the last four, only to fail within sight of the final.

MIXED PAIRS – 1st Rd: M Compton & S Chaplin (Globe) bt B French & H Rolfe (Bird in Hand) 2-0; R Turner & S Reid (St Anne’s Castle) bt H & S Cove (Globe) 2-0; D & J Kochan (Lt Waltham DC) bt T Hook & M Downes (Bird in Hand) 2-0; D Thomas & D Hazell (Chequers B) bt P & D Jackson (Compasses) 2-0; M Cain & E Suckling (St Anne’s Castle) bt R Davis & K Ketley (Lt Waltham SC) 2-0.

2nd Rd: Compton & Chaplin bt Turner & Reid 2-0; Kochan & Kochan bt Thomas & Hazell 2-1; G Gregory & J Woodwards (Compasses) bt Cain & Suckling 2-1; P Ewers & C Parnell (CCFC) bt A Readman & M Rolfe (Bird in Hand) 2-0; B & J Devenish (Globe) bt P Wiffen & M Kenna (Black Bull) 2-0; A Davis & L Morton (Lt Waltham SC) bt K Hemsworth & J Childs (Cricketers) 2-1; C Farrington & C Ewers (CCFC) bt D Kochan & M Wiley (Cricketers) 2-0; T Neal & S Barr (Bird in Hand) bt S & C Kochan (Cricketers) 2-1.

3rd Rd: Kochan & Kochan bt Compton & Chaplin 2-1; Ewers & Parnell bt Gregory & Woodwards 2-0; Davis & Morton bt Devenish & Devenish 2-0; Farrington & Ewers bt Neal & Barr 2-0.

Semi-finals: D & J Kochan bt Ewers & Parnell 2-1; Davis & Morton bt Farrington & Ewers 2-0.

St Annes’s Castle clinched the last Darts Cup quarter-final place in a thriller against the Compasses. George Wood had starts of 160 and 140 plus four other ton-plus scores as they built a 3-1 lead.

But Lewis Hayes (180) and skipper Grant Gregory led the Chelmsford pub’s fightback to 3-3 before Dave Kelly and Mick Cain took the final pairs.

DARTS CUP – 2nd Rd: St Anne’s Castle 4, Compasses 3.

FIXTURES (Feb 3) – Chequers A v St Anne’s Castle, Compasses v Chequers B, Cricketers v CCFC, Globe v Bird in Hand, Lt Waltham SC v Black Bull.