RODBOURNE Cheney Working Men's Club are on course to retain their CIU team championship, writes DAVE EATON.

It was only last year in 2005 that they finally broke their duck in this competition, despite a club member winning the national CIU individual darts championship title five years in a row.

Now the Cheney club are seeking to make it two team victories in successive years when they contest the 2006 final at the end of next month against either Bannockburn Miners Social Club or their old rivals from South Yorkshire Conisbrough Castle WMC, from Doncaster, whom they beat 4-2 in the final last year.

Cheney booked their place in the final with a 4-1 semi-final victory over Fairfield Social Club, Swansea, at the Severn Bridge Social Club, Chepstow, despite being without PDC players Dennis Smith, Bob Anderson and Mark Thomson, who were away playing in the Holland Open plus 2005 CIU champion Bob Phillips.

The first leg in the eight man 1,001 up match straight in, double out against Fairfield was void as both teams got out on equal darts.

But from then on Cheney were in command on the oche with former News of the World champion Paul Cook the most consistent scorer.

Cheney took leg two with Mick Cummins getting out on double top but Fairfield levelled taking the next.

Cummins repeated the double top out but with his first dart on this occasion in the fourth leg to put Rodbourne Cheney 2-1 up.

A magnificent 122 out from Johnnie Haines in leg five put Cheney 3-1 up and within sight of victory and a place in the final.

And that was clinched in the next leg as Cummins completed a hat-trick of check-outs with double 10 in two darts.

The final is set for June 24 at neutral venue mostly likely in the Manchester or Staffordshire area.

Team: Darrell Townsend, Ian Greenaway, Paul Cook, Johnnie Haines, Mick Cummins, Chris Daglish, Ashley Denton (c), Alan Enstone.