Seniors Reach Last 32
In a thrilling finish to their EIBA Over 60 Double Rink contest against Spalding on Tuesday, Stamford A prevailed by just two shots, losing their home tie by one shot on the last end but hanging on in the away leg for a 22-19 victory
The aggregate score determined which team reached the last 32 in the country with rinks of four players competing home and away simultaneously over 18 ends.
The turning point came at Spalding, where the Stamford rink of Richard Allam, Mick Linnell, Tony Scarr and skip Roger Martin picked up six shots to lead 21-15 with three ends to play after trailing early on.
Richard Allam
Meanwhile Spalding's rink at Stamford wrested the initiative back in their favour with a four count on the 16th end to lead 14-11 only for Stamford, for whom lead and No.2 Tony Barwell and Malcolm Cullingworth were outstanding, to hit back with three shots of their own to tie the scores with one end to play.
They dropped a shot on the last end but the news from Spalding was sufficient to avoid the play of an extra deciding end.
Stamford A will now play Melton on January 11. They beat Leicester 46-23.
Result: EIBA Over 60s Double rink: Stamford A 36 Spalding 34 (Stamford names first) Home - Tony Barwell, Malcolm Cullingworth, Alan Barnes, Bob Warters lost to Derek Overton, Abbs Belding, Graham Hicks, Graham Wright 14-15; Richard Allam, Mick Linnell, Tony Scarr, Roger Martin beat Tony Westland, Mick Dolton, Terry Windsor, Dave Nunney 22-19.
FOOTNOTE: Tony Barwell progressed to next round of the national Over 60s singles, beating Stamford colleague Neil Crees 21-8. He plays either John Pearson or Martyn Dolby.
MIXED EDGE NEARER THE TOP
With a comprehensive defeat of local rivals Grantham, taking all but two of the points at stake, Stamford's mixed team edged closer to table-toppers Spalding and Boston in the southern section of the Lincs League.
The 12 points edged them closer to the leaders who are on 54 points, nine ahead of Stamford.
Results: Lincs Mixed League (South): (Stamford names only): E Wallace, V Du'Kett, K White, J Travis-Jenner won 22-14; R Roberts, M Wallace, S Suffling, J Little won 16-13; J Lonslow, P Jones, A Lonslow, A McNaughton lost 18-28; J Brennan, J Suffling, K Rippin, C Ford won 29-9.
RIVALS DEFEATED
With a narrow eight-shot victory over nearest rivals Spalding, Stamford women stretched their lead at the top of the Lincolnshire Trudy Bates League (South) on Wednesday, claiming 13 valuable points.
It takes them to 41 points from five matches - 18 clear of their neighbours, who have two games in hand. Their next match is February 10, away to Skegness.
Results: Lincs Women's (Trudy Bates) League South: Stamford 76 (13 pts) Spalding 68 (1). Stamford names only: J Brennan, E Wallace, S Henshaw, C Ford won 20-18; M King, A Oliver, J Dupree, R March drew 21-21; S Gentry, P Birch, A Holmes, I Reading won 18-15; T Handley, J Dye, M Holroyd, S Suffling won 20-17.
COUNTY QUALIFIERS
Richard Allam beat 13- year-old Owen Aspinall to reach the final qualifying stages of the Lincs IBA singles, to be played at Boston IBC on February 13. He is joined by Tony Barwell.
Allam also led for Bob Warters to reach the first round of the county pairs defeating Jeff Bourne and Ron Blake. Jon Earl and Martyn Dolby were beaten 10-17 by Rod West and Scott Whyers in the preliminary round.