Ollie error costs him Stamford junior title

Stamford presidents Ian Hall and Shirley Suffling flank the finalists from the left Alex Warrington, Harry Mycock, Ollie Jeapes and Sam Brugnoli.

STAMFORD Indoor Bowls Club caught a glimpse of the future of the game on Sunday when it hosted its annual junior tournament - this time split into separate events for under 14s and under 18s.

Thirty one young bowlers answered the call to take part, accompanied by parents, grand parents, aunts and uncles, of course, and produced a feast of precision bowling over a series of 8-end matches played in four sessions, administered by Stamford club members who also served as markers for more than 100 matches over an eight-hour period.

For many young players - attracted from as far afield as Mansfield, Cambridge, Barwell and Sutton St James - it stretched their fitness, resolve and concentration but in the end it was Stamford's 10-year old prospect Ollie Jeapes who maintained local interest by reaching the final of the Under 14 contest, winning all his round robin games with a shots score of plus 32.

And it took a 25-0 victory in his last round robin match by 12-year-old Sam Brugnoli (Huntingdon) to earn a final place against Jeapes, edging out George Britton-Brown from Chesterton who finished in third place.

It was a closely matched contest with Jeapes taking a 6-3 lead after five ends of the final but a mistake on the next when he trailed the jack to his opponent's bowl when holding what could prove a match-winner, swung the contest against him. It was just the motivation Brugnoli, winner in 2018 and runner-up last year, needed and he won the next three ends to take the £75 first prize.

Stamford were also represented by Owen Aspinall who won three of his four games, Amia Jeapes and Blake Robertson.

The under 18 final, was an anti-climax by comparison. It went to 16-year-old Spalding Grammar School pupil and Spalding IBC Denny Cup player Harry Mycock, who beat Melton Vale student Alex Warrington (17) 10-1. Isabel Pymm (Melton IBC) was third.

The prizemoney - most of which was donated by the family of the club's oldest member, the late Arthur Chapman - was presented by Stamford presidents Shirley Suffling and Ian Hall. The event was run with clockwork precision by Keith and Edna Rippin, who also paid tribute to the volunteer markers and scorers for their support.

SATURDAY RESULT CAN DEFINE SEASON

Stamford Men's A team embark on an intense three-match fixture campaign on Saturday (March 15), which could define their Lincs Division One season.

First they travel to bottom club Spalding, follow it with a clash at top of the table Boston A on March 21 before entertaining clubmates Stamford B on March 28 in a match in which both teams will be weakened by players competing in the semi-finals of the Lincs County championships at Spalding IBC.

Currently third, behind Boston (94pts) and Lincoln (85) with 73 points from seven games, a win for Stamford A could hoist them within a point of the leaders before they play them and still have a game in hand.

Stamford Juniors Owen Aspinall (11) and Ollie Jeapes (10) will both play at Spalding - along with their respective dads (Wayne and Michael) - in an almost full strength side, which shows a couple of tactical changes from that beaten at Lincoln last week.

Meanwhile Stamford B face an uphill task to avoid relegation but will battle to the end against their A team (March 28 with a 2.10 pm start) and at Lincoln (April 4).

Stamford A v Spalding (away at 2pm): O Jeapes, M Linnell, P Bailey, M Dolby; Mal Smith, D Miller, MJeapes, J Earl; W Aspinall, C Ballard, N Wright, A Warrington; M Humphreys, O Aspinall, B Warters, Roger Martin; D Hudson, J Travis-Jenner, R Allam, T Collins.

Stamford B v Stamford A (March 28, 2.10pm start): Stamford B - D Heffernan, D Edwards, K Rippin, R Montgomerie; D King, C Jones, M Hewitt, C Watson; P Linnell, D Henshaw, D Middleton, A McNaughton; Mick Smith, J Suffling, M Hebden, T Christie; R Blake, D Veasey, M Dye, K Vinter.

MIXED ENTERTAIN LEADERS SPALDING

Though stricken by calls on players for the Northants Federation county finals, the Lincs Women's Fours and a pre-arranged friendly, Stamford's mixed team will still hotly contest the fixture at home to top of the table Spalding on Sunday (1.10pm).

The team is: J Lonslow, A Lonslow, S Moir, B Warters; V Shackleton, J Suffling, A Holmes, K Rippin; P Jones, C Warters, Mick Smith, A McNaughton; T Barwell, Moira Dolby, C Jones, R March; E Wallace, A Lea, A March, M Wallace.

LINCS WOMEN'S RINKS

June Brennan, Isobel Reading, Helen Holroyd and Glenys Edwards will represent Stamford in the Lincs Women's Indoor fours at Lincoln on Sunday against Sleaford. Winners play either Skegness A or Lincoln A for a place in the semi-finals.

NORTHANTS DEFENDS POTTERS TROPHY

Northants Bowling Federation successfully defended their English Bowling Federation Team Trophy during their annual tour to the Potters Resort, near Great Yarmouth.

Of the five teams, led by organiser Dick Ford, three reached the quarter-finals, two of whom lost out for a place in the final but still claimed the Top Club Trophy.

DOLBY AND FORD IN FOUR FEDERATION FINALS

Martyn Dolby, representing Blackstones and Christine Ford (Ketton) will be playing in all four sessions at the Northants Bowling Federation men's and women's indoor finals at Peterborough & District IBC on Sunday (from 10 am).

Dolby defends both the veterans singles and the 2-bowl triples ( with Adam Warrington and Jon Earl) and has also qualified for the four-bowl singles - against Warrington - and mixed triples (with Ford and Warrington).

As well as the mixed rinks, Ford bids for success in the 4-bowl singles - against finals debutant Margaret King - women's triples (with Jan Want and Shirley Suffling) and pairs (with Suffling).

Jon Earl has also qualified for three events. On top of the men's rinks, he plays with Katie Bailey in the mixed pairs final and with Chris Ballard in the men's pairs.

TIMETABLE

10.00am: Women's senior singles: Joan Robinson v Fiona Richardson; Women's singles: Chris Ford v Margaret King; Men's veteran singles: Dick Noble v Martyn Dolby.

12 noon: Mixed pairs: Liz Hext & Cliff Watson v Katie Bailey & John Earl; Men's singles: Adam Warrington v Martyn Dolby; Women's pairs: Marlene Osborne & Hazel Bass v Shirley Suffling & Chris Ford.

2.00pm: Under 25 open singles: Stephen Harris v Ollie Jeapes; Men's triples: Adam Warrington, John Earl, Martyn Dolby v Michael Jeapes, Neil Wright, Roger Martin; Women's triples: Jan Want, Shirley Suffling, Chris Ford v Margaret King, Margaret Bloxham, Joan Robinson.

4.00pm: Mixed triples: Moira Holroyd, Wayne Aspinall, John Holroyd v Adam Warrington, Chris Ford, Martyn Dolby. Men's pairs: Chris Ballard & John Earl v Stephen Harris & Wayne Morris.