Battling Mixed team must wait for news of their fate

Post date: Apr 1, 2013 7:46:25 PM

Stamford Indoor Bowls Club's hopes of holding on to their Lincs Mixed League Division One status hang by a thread after claiming only five of the 18 points available at fellow relegation strugglers Long Sutton.

With all their fixtures completed, Stamford have accumulated 80 points which means that Long Sutton need just 22 points from their two remaining matches at home to Boston and already doomed Louth, to send Stamford back into Division Two.

Said team captain Margaret Bloxham: "We've done well in the top Division and I'm very proud of my players but it's out of our hands now. We just have to hope results go our way."

In their final match, Stamford rallied magnificently. After Martyn Dolby's rink had won comfortably, John Little's quartet snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, while Bob Warters' rink picked up four shots with the final bowl to grab a point which might prove to be ultimately vital.

Scores (Stamford names only)

Long Sutton 109 (13pts), Stamford 94 (5).M Ramsden, J Harris, P O'Brien, M Dolby won 28-13; M Andrews, W Kettle, D Mackie, T Mackie lost 28-10; A Martin, M Bloxham, T Harris, R Harvey lost 14-27; C Barnes, C Warters, R Martin, R Warters drew 19-19; D Hudson, J Brennan, C Ford, j little won 23-22.

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Six Stamford bowlers helped Lincolnshire Seniors retain the Midland Counties League with a convincing 218-136 defeat of Warwickshire at Melton IBC.

It was consolation for the county's narrow defeat by Yorkshire in the national league earlier in the season, because they denied the Yorkshiremen the title with the 28 points they received for their victory.

Mike Ramsden, Bob Warters, Peter Edwards and Martyn Dolby retained their recent senior form to win 38-17 while Malcolm Cullingworth and Keith Rippin joined Louth and Spalding players but went down 13-26.