Ouch! Spalding jolt to Stamford's title hopes

Stamford's Men's A team which played at Spalding. Back (from the left): Bob Warters, Paul Bailey, Cliff Watson, Richard Allam, Adam Warrington, Keith Rippin, Dave Hudson, Martin Bailey, Ray Keating, Peter Edwards, Wayne Aspinall, Barrie Plowman. Front: Wayne Morris, Trevor Harris, Nathan Rigby, Stephen Harris, Jay Travis-Jenner, John holroyd, Mike Ramsden, Alan Romaine.

Hopes of Stamford securing their first Lincolnshire First Division indoor bowls title suffered a setback when their Men's A team were toppled soundly by rivals Spalding 134-64.

They never came to terms with a surface more sluggish than their own and managed to claim only two of the 18 points available, losing heavily on four rinks against a home side playing more forceful bowls against Stamford's preferred drawing strategy.

All three juniors which captain Paul Bailey included in the team - Stephen Harris, Nathan Rigby and Jay Travis-Jenner - performed well with Harris leading with precision to help Ray Keating, John Holroyd and skip Cliff Watson to secure the only win - 20-19 against former Stamford bowler Simon Lilley.

With an away fixture at Louth on Sunday - and having slipped 17 points behind Spalding - Stamford need substantial victories in their last two matches - to have a chance to pip the champions.

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The future of the sport of indoor bowls was revealed at Stamford IBC on Sunday when the club hosted the final qualifying for the Lincolnshire Under 25 championships.

With Stamford members providing markers and scorers, the young talent put on an outstanding exhibition of singles play with eventually David Bristow (Sleaford), Jordan Philpott (Spalding), Caroline Davis (Grantham) and Jonathan West (Boston) emerging to challenge in the semi-final due to be played at Grantham on March 30.

Stamford's Nathan Rigby and Stephen Harris lost their first round matches narrowly to eventual semi-finalists Philpott and Bristow, while 15-year-old Jay Travis-Jenner took the scalp of new England Under 25 international Chelsea Tomlin (Spalding) but was unable to re-discover that outstanding form against Louth's Russell Dent. Langtoft's Lucy Cooke lost in a tie-break to Rhys Hill (Spalding).

Several of the youngsters will be back in Stamford on March 23 for the club's Under 18 Open tournament.

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Local bowlers are already guaranteed spots in the finals of the Northants Federation Championships due to take place at Peterborough IBC on March 16.

Among them are either Paul Bailey and his son Jon or Adam Warrington and Martyn Dolby who meet each other in the 2-bowl pairs semi-final. The Baileys beat fellow Stamford players Richard Allam and Derek King 20-12 while Warrington and Dolby accounted for City's John Burrows and his partner.

A victory over Graham Agger and Peter Brown could also earn a final place for Stephen Harris and Peter Edwards, who toppled Nick Wilkie and Andrew Thurston 19-8 in their quarter-final.

Bob Warters, Peter Edwards and Cliff Watson reached the 2-bowl triples final with a win at Peterborough against John Thurston, Jeff Clipston and Brian Bassam - a six and four count on successive ends helping them to a 23-13 triumph.

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Lincolnshire IBA will stage its four-bowl singles on tomorrow (March 1) at Lincoln with considerable local interest, including the first round clash between Stamford's Peter Banks and former World Indoor Singles champion Billy Jackson (Lincoln).

John Holroyd meets former Stamford player Brian Kilby (Skegness), Richard Allam takes on Boston's Mick Tomlin, Stephen Harris faces Nick Orrey (Grantham) and Jon Bailey is up against P Roberts (Sleaford).

With his opponent, England international Martin Spencer, having to withdraw because of illness, Alan Romaine will meet the winner of Jonathan West (Boston) and another international Graham Smith (Spalding).

RESULTS

Lincs Men's League Division One: Spalding 134 (16pts), Stamford 64 (2). (Stamford names only). A Romaine, T Harris, R Allam P Bailey lost 28-9; W Aspinall, M Ramsden, K Rippin, A Warrington lost 31-11; W Morris, N Rigby, B Plowman, M Bailey lost 26-16; D Hudson, J Travis-Jenner, B Warters, P Edwards lost 30-8; S Harris, R Keating, J Holroyd, C Watson won 20-19.