Stamford win last end thriller v Desborough

Post date: Oct 22, 2017 9:33:52 PM

This year's Weekend 'Friendly Fiascos' have started off with a similar stumble and stagger to last season. However,while it took us until one match from the end to record a win, this year's first match ( following Newark's cancellation) saw new captain Maggie Holden mastermind a winning format.

It saw us come from one shot down at the bell to win by one shot 86-85 thanks to the 'wise head' on the young shoulders of Helen Holroyd and her rink who scored two on the last end.

There was of course the accustomed pre-match traumas...wouldn't it be disappointing and boring if there weren't any? The match had been billed to start at the earlier time than usual of 1.10pm to help Mel and her team of caterers to accommodate us in order to prepare for a three course dinner for another group due to arrive as we departed.

Maggie had a phone call at around teatime on the Friday to inform her that a Denny Cup match against Melton was not scheduled to finish until 2pm meaning our 'friendly' would likely be delayed in turn delaying the meal. Maggie was not happy but was assured the Denny match would be hurried along to avoid too much delay.

As it happened Desborough turned up with only 16 (instead of 24) players so the good news was that four of the five rinks were able to start on time. The other all-Stamford contest started just 30 minutes later and were able to complete 18 ends enabling the stand-in Desborough captain to get away home in time to watch 'Strictly'!

Result (Stamford names only):

Stevie Smye, Bob Burton , Howard Neath, Helen Holroyd lost 14-19; Janet Dye, Janet Benns, Alison Lea, Maurice Dye lost 15-16; Vanessa Shackleton, Ann Preston-Bambridge, Margaret Grainger, Nigel Trigg won 21-19; Rosemary Roberts, Bob Hulka, Ron Blake won 18-10 (against our Stamford's Jill Goode, Val White and Reg Goode representating Desborough) ;Cherry Burgess, Ann MacDonald, Liz Rylance, Colin Burgess lost 18-21.

This week's scheduled friendly match has had to be cancelled because the Newark opposition cannot raise a team.

Report by Denis Stapleton.