A Team top County League Men's Southern Division

Stamford A extended their lead to five points at the top of the Lincs Men’s League (South) with a comprehensive defeat of last year’s champions Boston A.

They picked up all but one of the 14 points available in a 77-61 victory, winning three of the four rinks and drawing the other.

Nearest rivals Sleaford who they meet on Saturday with a game in hand, beat Spalding 83-78, claiming ten of the points at stake.

The match at Stamford gave the experienced skip Martyn Dolby the chance to team up with 14-year-old Owen Aspinall for the first time in a rink that also included Wayne Morris and Dusty Miller. And they gelled superbly, racing into a 14-0 lead, adding ten more in five ends and eventually winning 30-19.

Elsewhere, captain Tony Barwell was in outstanding form drawing regularly within inches, ably supported by Mike Ramsden in a rink which won 16-12, while Roger Martin’s quartet hung on to win by a shot after leading by three with two ends to play.

Lincs League (South): Stamford 77 (13 pts) Boston A 61 (1).Stamford names only. W Aspinall, K Rippin, C Ballard, R Martin won 16-15; T Barwell, M Ramsden, R Allam, B Warters won 16-12; W Morris, D Miller, O Aspinall, M Dolby won 30-19; M Humphreys, M Linnell, N Wright, A Warrington drew 15-15.

‘B’ TEAM SECOND-BEST AT GRANTHAM

Stamford B lost 61-101 at Grantham with only one winning rink skipped by stand-in captain Ally McNaughton.

Supported by Henry Gordon and Don Bruce, his quartet trailed by four after ten ends then reeled off 11 shots without reply to claim a valuable two points.

However, the other rinks failed to adapt to the unfamiliar length and speed of the surface and despite battling hard were unable to stem a second half barrage by the home side.

Lincs League (South): Grantham 101 (12) Stamford B (2). Stamford names only. J Suffling, R Blake, D Ford, D Middleton lost 18-36; M Smith, D Edwards, M Hewitt, M Dye lost 10-24; H Gordon, D Bruce, M Owens, A McNaughton won 19-14; K Rawlins, D Wilkinson, D Henshaw, N Crees lost 14-27.

DYNAMIC DOUBLE RINK

Stamford’s Senior ‘B’ team bowlers earned revenge for their ‘A’ team’s earlier defeat at the hands of Peterborough IBC, with a 33-24 win against the City players in the national Over 60 double rink competition.

They won both home and away to earn a third round tie against either Spalding or Grantham on December 13.

At Peterborough - inspired by the skills of skip John Holroyd - the rink of Derek King, Neil Crees and Mike Ramsden quickly got the measure of the unfamiliar surface to take a 10-4 half way lead in the 18-end match. They added six shots in the last three ends to finish comfortably on top.

Meanwhile at Stamford, Kevin Vinter’s quartet were finding a more difficult challenge against captain Ray Keating’s experienced four. They took an early lead but were pegged back to a one shot lead after conceding six in four ends, before one shot on the penultimate endput the overall result beyond doubt.

EIBA Over 60 Double Rink: Stamford 33 Peterborough 24. Stamford names first: Home - P Burt, M Dye, T Christie, K Vinter beat J Clipston, T Corney, M Greaves, R Keating 15-13; D King, N Crees, M Ramsden, J Holroyd beat N Gray, J Martin, C Watson, G Agger 18-11.

FOOTNOTE: Despite a spirited performance in the EIBA fours, Chris Ballard, Wayne & Owen Aspinall and Bob Warters were beaten 21-8 by an in-form Spalding Lightning rink of Kevin Ekins, Martin Simpson, Jordan Philpott and Dominic McVittie.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

At the latest meeting of the club’s management committee it was decided background music may only be played during social roll-ups, chiefly on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings and not during league games or competitions.