Scunthorpe call off Men's A fixture

Post date: Dec 19, 2017 5:05:24 PM

STAMFORD Men's A team's bid to retain the Lincs Men's League Division one title, won last year for the first time in the club's history, will have to be delayed after Scunthorpe pulled out of the scheduled match at on January 7, unable to raise a team.

Scunthorpe secretary John Hopkinson said he reluctantly had to call off the fixture because only eight members had submitted their names for possible selection and it would be too late to reverse the fixture with both club's partially closed over Christmas and New Year.

The game has been re-scheduled for Saturday, February 17 (1.10pm).

While a resurgent Lincoln A team continue their winning run, Stamford are playing catch-up, trailing by 25 points after their latest 6-12 points defeat at Spalding and would have been chasing a maximum 18 points, despite missing a handful of key players to a Northants B county match, to stay in touch.

Stamford B meanwhile continue their promising campaign in Division Two with a visit to Boston B on Saturday, January 6. They are currently tied second with Grantham four points behind Skegness but with a game in hand.

Saturday, Jan 6 : Stamford B ( away to Boston B, 2 pm): P Cox, D Edwards, K Rippin, D King; C Ballard, R Graham, D Heffernan, M Owens; T Barwell, J Hebden, M Hebden, T Christie; D Howarth, D Veasey, P Banks, Richard Martin; D Middleton, T Mackie, M Hewitt, P Linnell. Reserves D Henshaw, M Dye, D Bruce, M Ramsden. Transport leaves club 12.15pm.

FOOTNOTE: Looking to improve their position in the Lincs Over 60s Division One, having gained promotion last season, Stamford entertain Louth on January 5 (10.30am) in a re-arranged fixture and visit the north Lincs club the following Friday (8am transport).

Teams

Over 60s v Louth (h): D Veasey, T Freeman, R Montgomery, K Vinter; R Graham, A Lonslow, P Banks, A Horton; D Howarth, T Weaver, A March, Richard Martin; T Barwell, G Corby, T Christie, M Owens; T Mackie, Mal Smith, C Jones, D Henshaw. Res. D Henshaw, D Bruce, M Dye, J Bourne.

Over 60s v Louth (a): D Veasey, Mal Smith, D Bruce, D Heffernan; R Harvey, T Freeman, R Montgomery, K Vinter; D Howarth, T Mackie, A March, Richard Martin; R Graham, A Lonslow, P Banks, A Horton; T Barwell, G Corby, T Christie, M Owens.

LINCS QUALIFIERS

By defeating the top combination of Stephen Harris and Martyn Dolby in the final eliminator, Jay Travis-Jenner and Mal Smith have qualified for the knock-out stages of the Lincs county pairs where they will be joined by Dave Hudson & Cliff Watson and Chris Ballard and Jonathan Earl.

Harris successfully qualified for the county four-bowl singles of which he is the holder, along with Ballard, Tony Barwell, John Holroyd, Alan Romaine and either Hudson or Wayne Aspinall.

Twice winner Dolby has again qualified for the Over 65 singles knock-out stage along with Romaine, Derek King and Keith Rippin.

Paul Bailey and daughter Katie beat Joan Robinson and Cliff Watson to earn one of the mixed pairs spots.

In the women's national triples, Helen Holroyd, Rita Downs and Katie Bailey put up stubborn resistance against Chelsea Tomlin's Spalding rink before finally losing 16-19.

For their fourth match in the Derbyshire Trophy, Northants Federation B captain Malcolm Squires has re-shuffled his side for the visit to Wisbech IBC to play North Cambs on Sunday, January 7 (10am).

Despite defeats by Northants A, Norfolk and Lincolnshire the new team showed they are more than capable of holding their own at this level and will be keen to chalk up a victory, even though the slower conditions might not initially suit them.

Back in the side after the home defeat by Lincs is the experienced Mike Ramsden, while Jonathan Earl moves across to skip Mick Greaves and the recalled Les Sharp.

Northants B: S. Roden, G. Agger, M. Linnell; L. Sharp, M. Greaves, J. Earl; M. Ramsden, M. Humphreys, J. Holroyd; C. Watson, D. Noble, P. Brown. Reserves: M. Squires, R. Maplethorpe, B. Bassam.

FOOTNOTE: No meal is provided but those who wish to eat at The Stables carvery afterwards should advise the captain accordingly.

*In their next match Northants A will play North Cambs at Stamford IBC on Sunday Janaury 21 (10(am).