Hampshire Start 2026 With a Statement Win Away at Oxfordshire
Hampshire began 2026 in perfect fashion with a hard-fought away victory over Oxfordshire, showing depth, resilience and quality across all three squads. Strong performances in the U18s, Ladies and U21s saw Hampshire come out on top overall, underlining the clear progress made since the start of the season.
U18s: Oxfordshire 4–5 Hampshire
The U18s produced a thrilling and decisive victory, edging a tight contest with several standout individual performances.
- Mitchell Brown (19.35) got Hampshire off to a strong start with a confident 3–1 win over Jayden Syimons (16.86).
- Lucas Banks (16.82) was involved in a close battle but narrowly lost 2–3 to Daniel Watson (17.44).
- Mason Smith (12.72) fought hard but was beaten 0–3 by Eli Waite (16.70).
- Oscar Kreft (17.48) delivered an assured performance, taking a clean 3–0 victory over Corey Room (13.05).
- Oliver Matson (14.55) despite a close game unfortunately fell 0–3 to Arthur Whitlock (14.88).
- Jaxon Sharp (13.25) pushed his match all the way but narrowly lost 2–3 to Kaden Kerry (12.15).
- Connor Mitchell (22.10) produced one of the performances of the day, dominating Aidan Huntley (20.44) with a superb 3–0 win and the highest U18 average.
- Lucas Sherren (17.28) added further momentum with a composed 3–0 win over Alfie Walker (15.33).
- Stewie Underhill (17.53) sealed the overall U18 victory, claiming a vital 3–1 win against Harry Rawlings (17.22).
A brilliant team effort saw the U18s secure a narrow but well-earned 5–4 victory.
Ladies: Oxfordshire 1–2 Hampshire
The Hampshire Ladies showed resilience and composure to take a crucial away win.
- Natalie Baxter (12.74) opened proceedings with a confident 3–0 win over Lexa Room (11.04).
- Emily Purse (12.19) battled hard but was beaten 1–3 by Eive North (12.10).
- Kirsten Wright (13.07) was awarded the deciding win as Oxfordshire were unable to field enough players for the final match. Even though it was a walkover, Kirsten’s readiness and focus in the match demonstrated great professionalism securing a win regardless.
A strong and determined performance from the Ladies secured a 2–1 win overall.
U21s: Oxfordshire 2–3 Hampshire
The U21s faced tough opposition but produced some outstanding darts to edge another close contest.
- Charlie Wynder (26.02) faced an in-form Jack Marshall (28.36) and was beaten 0–3 despite a strong average.
- Kenzie Gilbert (16.17) was unable to overturn Matthew Aust (18.33), losing 0–3.
- Logan Stockton (16.62) steadied the ship with a solid 3–1 win over Kieran King (16.68).
- Lennon McCarthy (23.86) delivered a superb performance, producing a dominant 3–0 win against Liam Steele (22.12).
- Brandon Harper (23.38) sealed the match in style, taking a commanding 3–1 victory over Kyle Garland (20.19).
The U21s claimed a vital 3–2 win, showcasing scoring power and composure in key moments.