Record three teams qualify for finals...so far!

Men's Over 50 triples qualifiers from the left: Keith Rippin, Cliff Watson and Bob Warters

A THIRD Stamford team has reached the English Indoor Bowls Association national finals to be played at Nottingham in April - a record for the club in its 28-year history.

Following the qualification of the women's over 50 triples (Jan Want, Sue Moir and Christine Ford) and the Over 60 Men's Fours ( Mal Cullingworth, Tony Scarr, Trevor Collins and Jeff Newson), the club's men's Over 50 triples earned a spot in the country's last 16.

Bob Warters, Cliff Watson and Keith Rippin were pitched against the Charnwood trio of Paul Wright, Jack Wanmore and Bob Burton in the Area 5 qualifier at Melton and moved into a 7-3 lead after eight ends before conceding a two and three count.

The turning point came after 13 ends, when the Stamford trio all drew shots close to the jack to set up a seven count and a 16-8 lead and eventually Charnwood capitulated after 16 ends - an untenable 8-20 adrift.

Stamford will play North Wilts at Nottingham on Monday, April 8.

Earlier at the same venue Tony Barwell lost 21-16 to Mark McConnell (Church Gresley) in the final qualifier for the Over 60 singles.

Mal Smith and Martyn Dolby play at Melton on Friday in a bid to become the fourth Stamford team to qualify for the finals.

WOMEN SLIP UP AGAINST SKEGNESS

Stamford's women bowlers have missed a chance to challenge for the top of the A Division of the Lincolnshire Trudy Bates League, losing by just one shot at home to Skegness.

A maximum score of 16 points would have taken them within a point of league leaders Boston with one match to play but the seaside visitors shattered their hopes with an 89-88 win at Stamford to take 12 of the points at stake.

With 66 points Stamford trail Boston by 13 and will need victory at Spalding on March 28 for an outside chance of a play-off against runaway B League champions Lincoln.

The experienced quartet of Rosemary Roberts, Janet Dye, Stella Henshaw and Peggy Birch took the rink honours for Stamford with a 21-9 win while Flick Rogers' rink also picked up two points.

Results (Stamford names only):

Lincolnshire Trudy Bates A League: Stamford 88 (4pts) Skegness 89 (14). E Wallace, H Holroyd, S Moir, G ?Edwards lost 15-21; M King, J Brennan, S Suffling, C Ford lost 20-25; J Want, M Holden, C Warters, D Mackie lost 13-19; J Lonslow, R March, M Broadbelt, F Rogers won 19-15; R Roberts, J Dye, S Henshaw, P Birch won 21-9.

COUNTY QUALIFIERS

Elizabeth Wallace, Sue Moir, Denise Mackie and Glenys Edwards will represent Stamford,in the last 16 of the Lincs WIBA fours qualifiers at Boston on Sunday.

Louise Harris, Helen Holroyd and Shirley Suffling were members of the Lincs women's team which retain the Midland Counties title by beating Warwickshire at Rugby Thornfield 121-104.