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In what has been an extraordinary period for Pembrokeshire sport, Mark Fawcett has achieved the rare feat of a perfect nine-dart finish during league play at Hook Sports and Social Club. This remarkable achievement comes just weeks after we reported on Hook's own Clive O'Sullivan making a century break in league snooker play, highlighting an exceptional year for local sporting accomplishments.
Fawcett was competing against Aled Phelps in the third game of a best-of-three leg match, leading 1-0 when the magic moment arrived. The perfect leg, considered darts' equivalent of a maximum 147 break in snooker, followed the standard professional route of 180, 180, 141, finishing with treble 20, treble 19, and double 12.
"I was just concentrating on the game and taking it one dart at a time after the second 180," Fawcett explained. "The atmosphere at Hook Social Club was electric when I hit the final double. Everyone got really excited, though I was just relieved to have finally managed to hit it."
A veteran of the Pembrokeshire darts scene, Fawcett's journey in local league darts began in Neyland before playing several seasons in Milford. After a 15-year break, he returned to competition in the Pembroke league just before Covid. More recently, he has been competing in the Haverfordwest league at the Huntsman in Rosemarket.
We also caught up with local darts stalwart Phil Dow who shared with us his memories of "The Force," with Fawcett carving out an impressive career in local darts, following in the footsteps of his father Graham, who was himself a renowned player at the Rose and Willow in Neyland. His achievements include winning both the Milford Singles Championship and the House Champions title in Milford.
The achievement marks the culmination of a long-held ambition for Fawcett, who has been playing darts since the age of 11. "I've been playing at a half-decent level for a long time, and I've come close on several occasions over the years," he revealed. "I've missed the final double and even had the final double bounce off the wire a couple of times, but this is the first nine-darter I've managed to hit in competition."
The celebration was immediate and heartfelt, with teammates rushing to congratulate Fawcett before he could even shake hands with his opponent. The "Hook boys" also joined in the celebrations when they got the chance, marking a memorable night for local darts.
Phil Dow emphasised the rarity of such an achievement. "These moments don't come around often in local darts," he noted, recalling that the last nine-darter he can recall in the area was hit by Rob Hughes against Paul "Goose" James at Shamrocks several years ago.
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