Journey's end:Stamford ladies lose in Plate quarter-final
Post date: Jan 21, 2017 7:20:37 PM
Stamford's Plate quarter-finalists
AFTER A superb run in the national Yetton Plate, Stamford's women bowlers stumbled at the quarter-final stage against Newcastle side West Denton.
Their four rinks had played exceptionally well to beat Peterborough, Leicester and former winners Erewash, after losing in the first round of the Yetton Trophy to Spalding who today (Saturday) reached the semi-finals.
But on neutral territory at the Yorkshire venue of New Earswick, Stamford found it difficult coming to terms with an unfamiliar surface and lost overall 58-72, winning on two rinks but losing heavily on the other two.
Stamford had started well and led 24-14 in the early stages with Christine Ford's rink of June Brennan, Carol Warters and Shirley Suffling completing six ends before conceding a shot. Sadly that was balanced by multi national outdoor Federation champion Ann Lennie, whose rink help kept Geordie noses in front by leading 18-1 after ten ends.
Elsewhere Margaret Bloxham's quartet of Joan Robinson, Elizabeth Wallace and Flick Rogers kept Stamford hopes alive with a 13-6 contribution at the half way stage where West Denton led 43-40.
However, on the end rink Peggy Birch's four hit the buffers at eight ends when leading 10-8 and didn't claim another shot until the last of the 18 ends, finally going down 12-30 as Norma Craig's four capitalised on their long jack strategy.
It was a valiant effort by the Stamford ladies who can be rightly proud of their successful journey in the competition -the best ever achieved in the club's 26-year history - in which valuable experience was gained and confidence established for next season's campaign.
Results
Yetton Plate quarter-final (at New Earswick, York): Stamford 58 West Denton 72.(Stamford names first). Christine Barnes, Betty Sims, Rose March, Peggy Birch lost 12-30; June Brennan, Carol Warters, Shirley Suffling, Christine Ford won 29-3; Margaret Andrews, Moira Holroyd, Sue Moir, Glenys Edwards lost 3-29; Joan Robinson, Elizabeth Wallace, Flick Rogers, Margaret Bloxham won 18-16. BW
Despite fielding what may have looked on paper a weakened side because of injuries and other calls on key players, Stamford Men's A team proved what strength in depth they possess with an emphatic defeat of local rivals Sleaford.
Taking 16 points from a possible 18 they not only completed the double over the newly promoted visitors but strolled into the top position in the first division of the Lincs League.
With 64 points from five games they lead title favourites Spalding by 16 points though The multi-international side have two games in hand.
All the Stamford rinks finished strongly to record an overall 127-68 win, with Cliff Watson's vastly experienced quartet ( Mal Cullingworth, Mike Ramsden and Richard Montgomery) taking the rink honours with their 29-5 triumph, which included counts of five and six in three ends.
Elsewhere Paul Bailey finished four, five, one to win 27-14, Jon Earl recorded 19 shots in the closing eight ends and Roger Martin picked up three on the last end against Paul Roberts to win 20-15.
Result (Stamford names only)
Lincs Men's League Division One: S Harris, J Travis-Jenner, M Humphreys, J Earl won 35-13; R Allam, D Miller, D King, P Bailey won ; J Holroyd, A Barnes, A Warrrington, Roger Martin won 20-15; M Cullingworth, M Ramsden, R Montgomery, C Watson won 29-5; M Hebden, S Travis, D Want, K Rippin lost 16-21.
Northants Federation competitions - featuring indoor players representing the newly established Vanguard club - are already making an impact with Mike Ramsden beating George Cameron 21-11 in the senior singles. Cameron also lost to Richard Allam 21-19 in the four bowl singles, in which Ramsden lost to Chris Ballard 21-18.
Other singles results include defeats for John Holroyd against Jeff Pitt (21-15), John Pearson against Joe Randall (21-10) and Doug Want against Mick Humphreys (21-20).
In the mixed pairs Bob Warters and his wife Carol lost to Allam and Ann Holmes (18-14), Christine Ford and Adam Warrington (substituting for the injured Martyn Dolby) lost 21-14 to Fiona Richardson and Neil Wright and Paul Bailey's mixed rink beat Peter Edwards' 20-19.
In the Lincs women's county pairs at Lincoln, Shirley Suffling and Glenys Edwards lost to Sleaford's Gill Dwyer 24-13.
Stephen Harris, John Holroyd and Mick Humphreys moved to the next stage of the Lincs County triples beating Nick Orrey's Grantham trio 11-10 to set up a clash with Spalding's England international triple of Matt Whyers, Martin Spencer and Graham Smith, who had earlier beaten Stamford's Dave Heffernan, Charlie Jones and Mick Owens.
Holroyd's three looked to be cruising with a five shot lead with two of the 16 ends to play but dropped a two and with his last bowl in his hand Holroyd faced a potentially devastating five shots against him. However, with his last bowl he trailed the jack and was happy to reduce the count to two for a 11-10 match-winner.
Harris and his sister Louise won 17-14 at Sleaford in the mixed pairs in which they were runners-up last year.
In the men's rinks at Horncastle, Stephen Harris, Dusty Miller, Mick Humphreys and Jonathan Earl lost 24-10 to Paul Bark's quartet, while at Stamford John Holroyd, Mark Hebden, Jay Travis-Jenner and Bob Warters lost 6-23 to Paul Roberts' four from Sleaford.
Shirley Suffling and Christine Ford have been selected to represent Lincs in the Midland Counties League against Northamptonshire at Sleaford on February 8.
Suffling was recently called up as a late replacement in the Lincs Atherley Trophy side beaten 121-104 by Nottinghamshire.