Big match: Denny Plate clash with Rugby on Saturday

Post date: Dec 9, 2014 10:57:18 AM

In one of the biggest games in its history, Stamford IBC's men's team, take on Rugby Thornfield on Saturday (10am) for a place in the last 16 of the English inter-club Denny Plate.

Following controversial victories over Sleaford and Melton, Stamford have named an unchanged team with Peter Edwards and Martyn Dolby skipping the two home quartets and Keith Rippin and Roger Martin skipping the away rinks, who will play simultaneously.

Home - S Harris, B Plowman, J Earl, M Dolby; W Morris, J Holroyd, A Warrington, P Edwards.

Away - A Romaine, R Keating, B Warters, R Martin; R Allam, D King, C Watson, K Rippin.

Determined to regain their Lincs League status, after suffering relegation, Stamford IBC B team soared to the top of the Third Division with a 120-84 defeat of local rivals Spalding B, securing 14 of the 18 points available.

Leading the rout was Martin Hewitt with an emphatic 39-3 victory to take the rink prize, aided by David Howarth, Charlie Jones and newcomer to the club from Whittlesey IBC, Michael Humphreys, with his distinctive Aero Trifecta bowls.

Elsewhere there were comfortable wins for skips Albert Horton and captain Dennis Henshaw, taking the team two points clear of boston B. Stamford B's next match is against Long Sutton B on January 31.

Result (Stamford names only)

Lincs League Division Three. Stamford B 120 (14), Spalding B 84 (4). P Pheasant, C Ballard, T Mackie, P Banks lost 2025; D Bruce, D Veasey, T Christie, D Henshaw won 24-16; T Barwell, W Kettle, B Acock, J Geary lost 17-25; K Rawlins, R Graham, M Owens, A Horton won 20-15; D howarth, C Jones, M Humphreys, M Hewitt won 39-3.

Teenager Stephen Harris and his skip Martyn Dolby have reached Area 6 quarter finals of the national pairs with a 21-14 defeat of Mick Asplin and Jonathan West from Boston.

Though West was often successful with his conversion shots, the Stamford pair kept up their drawing game to maintain the pressure and finally earned a home draw against Spalding's Andy Dawson in the next round.

In the Over 60s pairs, Stamford's Alan Romaine and Keith Rippin reached the Area semi-finals with a home victory against John Needham. The Spalding man kept the scores tight by destroying several heads but eventually conceded 16-21. The winners now meet either Martyn Dolby or Richard White (Boston) who play on Sunday morning, for a place in the Area 6 final.

In a thrilling start to the new-look Derbyshire Trophy season, Northants Bowling Federation, featuring five Stamford bowlers, lost a nail-biting match against Hunts by just seven shots - the closing ends proving crucial in an 80-87 defeat.

Playing to the new four-rink two-bowl triples format, against a Hunts team returning to the event after a break of several years, Northants picked up only four of the 18 points available from two winning rinks.

But it might have been very different had a run of good form, not broken against them in the closing stages. For example, Jeff Newson's rink was coasting and holding five shots on the penultimate end when the Hunts skip smashed into the head with his last bowl and captured a solitary shot.

Elsewhere Simon Law's rink played steadily to hold sway at 18-15 with five of the 25 ends to play only for Hunts to rally and take the game 25-19.

Martyn Dolby's rink were never comfortable on an end rink and never recovered from dropping ten shots in three ends just after halfway, while John Holroyd's accurate leading was the keystone of Joe Randall's rink making a comeback from 13-16 at half way to claim a 27-21 triumph.

Sadly for Northants it wasn't quite enough to carry the day and Northants look to making a better impression when they entertain Lincolnshire at Stamford on January 11.

Result : (Peterborough IBC unless stated) S Harris, R Martin, M Dolby (all Stamford) lost 13-26; B Martin, N Wilkie, J Newson won 21-15; J Holroyd, B Warters (both Stamford), J Randall won 27-21; H Shipp, N Wright, S Law lost 19-25.

Glenys Edwards and Christine Ford narrowly failed to reach the Area finals of the National Over 60s pairs when they lost to a pair from Long Sutton 21-23.

Trailing 1-13 after just a handful of ends, they fought back to square the match at 19-all only to drop a four count. On the final end they held four shots when Ford trailed the jack but they had to settle for just two shots when the visiting skip drew close.