Last chance for Northants A to qualify

Post date: Feb 22, 2019 2:20:29 PM

Martyn Dolby is recalled to the Northants Federation A side for the visit of Norfolk to Stamford IBC on Sunday (Feb 24 at 10 am) for the county's final match in the inter-county Derbyshire Trophy.

He replaces Brian Martin at lead in Tristan Morton's rink alongside Tony Scarr.

The team is: P.Dalliday, J Harford, S.Law; A. Warrington, M. Humphreys, R.Martin; N.Wilkie, T.Collins, J.Newson; M.Dolby, T. Scarr, T.Morton.

Only a win will do for Northants A if they are to have a chance to qualify as Southern Section winners to compete in the national finals at Newark in April.

Says captain James Harford:"I appreciate all the effort and time given by the players within the squad to give us a chance to qualify from final game against Norfolk."

STAMFORD A EXTENDED THEIR DIVISION ONE LEAD

With a nine-shot defeat of neighbours Grantham, Stamford Men's A team extended their lead over Lincoln at the top of the First Division of the Lincolnshire League to 36 points.

But their hopes of regaining the title still remain in the balance and in their own hands with next Saturday's visit to Lincoln who still have two games in hand with a possible 54 points still at stake.

Victory at Lincoln will give Stamford the title, last won in 2017, but defeat could still open the door for Lincoln to retain the championship if they can beat Sleaford and Boston A away in their last two games with a minimum points concession.

Against Grantham, Stamford knew they were always in for a tough battle and so it proved with little to choose between the teams in the closing stages as Grantham threatened to snatch vital points from Stamford's championship chase.

But then captain Paul Bailey, with ten year old Owen Aspinall in his rink, picked up a handy five count on the 17th end to tie his match and added three more shots to win 23-21. Next door, Roger Martin's rink dropped seven shots in three ends but recovered to win 24-20.

Martyn Dolby's four looked like they might lose a battle they had controlled, albeit narrowly, but with his last bowl of the match and with two points looking likely to slip away, he promoted his own bowl to snatch a 16-14 victory.

However, among all the worried faces, Stamford skip Jeff Newson maintained calm to lead his four of Mike Ramsden, Jay Travis-Jenner and late replacement John Holroyd, to take the rink honours, running out 23-12 winners over veteran Joe Lewis.

Results (Stamford names only):

Lincolnshire Men's First Division: Stamford A 106 (16 pts) Grantham 97 (2). D Hudson, Mal Smith, B Warters, M Dolby won 16-14; M Ramsden, J Travis-Jenner, J Holroyd, J Newson won 23-12; R Allam, M Linnell, T Collins, J Earl lost 20-30; A Romaine, O Aspiinall, A Warrington, P Bailey won 23-21; W Aspinall, C Ballard, M Humphreys, Roger Martin won 24-20. BW