The Darts Team: Becky Wilson, team captain, co-runs the Hit or Miss

Hit or Miss say they always aim to win (Ben Russell/Guzelian)

'Is a ladies' team unusual? Well, there are about eight pubs locally with ladies' teams, whereas the men have about 25. Our team came about after another pub in the area closed down and we inherited theirs.

Lots of pubs near us are closing because of the tax on beer. People can't afford to go out any more, and pubs can't afford to stay open.

Darts is very much a game that goes with traditional pubs and if traditional pubs vanish, pub games will go too. Which would be a shame for the community: local people come out to watch us and they really cheer and clap – they're very supportive. People like that their local is at the top of the league. There's always a bit of a spread after the game for everyone too.

A lot of the people who come along are single or widowed and they come to meet their friends. It might be cheaper to stay in, but you don't get company in your front room with a tin in your hand, do you? My girls are also very competitive. They like to win. That's at the heart of it.

We're fourth from top at the moment, but we came second last year and there's only four points between each position. We came home with 14 trophies in the first season.

What do the men's teams think of us? Some think it's a novelty – one or two insist on calling it "tarts' darts", but they were quite shocked when one of my ladies had the biggest check-out and beat all of the men going. That shut them up.'

The Hit or Miss, Foundry Road, Stamford, Lincolnshire, tel: 01780 762 119, www.hit-or-miss.co.uk