CLACTON produced an inspired team performance to beat Brightlingsea 7-5, in the first Tendring derby of the Essex Men’s Superleague season.

In the first game of the night, Eddie Keary (29.80) and Peter Barton (36.93, combined 33.37) defeated reigning Essex Superleague pairs champions Tony Osborne (28.93) and Darren O’Neill (19.75, combined 24.63) in just 30 darts, with Barton checking out brilliantly on 115.

Wayne Bloomfield (26.06) and Andrew Currivan (18.11, combined 22.08) left it late before hitting the treble 20 consistently and lost out at the hands of Alan Collins (32.32) and Kevin Edwards (21.50, combined 27.05), who won in 37 darts.

Curtis Hammond (22.95) and Adrian Genery (24.71, combined 23.83) made it two wins from two games together, as Genery checked out brilliantly on 97 to put Clacton 2-1 up, against Bryan Margerison (25.48) and Scott Lawrie (25.11, combined 25.31).

The last pairs game produced another brilliant display as Nic Groves (30.12) and Keith Farthing (32.60, combined 31.28) won in just 32 darts against Joe Twinn (26.67) and Gavin Payne (18.13, combined 22.79).

The first game in the singles saw Barton (23.35) up against Collins (25.95) and it was the latter who secured a 3-1 victory.

Groves (25.47) was in fine form against O’Neill (24.40), winning 3-0 with legs of 17, 21 and 21.

Genery (24.10) was up next against Edwards (28.90).

Edwards, Brightlingsea’s man-of-the-match, finished with a maximum 180 as he claimed a 3-0 victory.

Currivan (22.75) was up against Osborne (24.64) and it was the Brightlingsea man who wrapped up a 3-0 victory, levelling the match at 4-4.

With the match all-square, the next game was pivotal.

Bloomfield (26.79) and Twinn (26.19) produced a superb display and it went to a decider.

However, Bloomfield was outstanding as he started with a timely maximum 180, followed by 140 in a brilliant 14-dart leg to clinch a 3-2 victory.

He claimed his fifth man-of-the-match award, while also restoring Clacton’s lead.

Farthing (23.01) was up against Essex star Lawrie (23.62) and it was the latter who ran out the 3-1 winner, levelling the match at 5-5.

In-form Keary (23.86) and Payne (22.63) fought out a scrappy opening leg but it was the former who won his fifth game in a row thanks to a superb 3-0 victory.

With Clacton guaranteed at least a draw, the pressure was on Hammond (25.47) to clinch victory and Margerison (21.33) to secure a draw for Brightlingsea.

Hammond won the first leg with a solid 19-dart leg.

Then, aided by back-to-back 140s, the PDC man made it 2-0 with a brilliant 17-dart leg.

With the win in sight, Margerison missed doubles and Hammond coolly stepped in to check out 65 for a nerves-of-steel 3-0 victory.