Stamford 'A' show fighting spirit to win at Louth

Post date: Mar 2, 2015 2:11:42 PM

STAMFORD BOWLERS, despite fielding on paper a weakened team at Louth in the Lincolnshire League Division One, proved not only their resilience and team spirit but strength in depth by taking 18 vital points needed to help retain their status in the top flight of the game in the county, writes Bob Warters.

Following last week's disappointing defeat at Spalding, Stamford A needed to bounce back to cast away any doubts about their ability to keep in the first division and they did it in some style winning by more than 70 shots as they powered their way to a 141-69 victory.

And virtually the last dramatic bowl of the match was particularly crucial securing the maximum points needed to take Stamford into the last three games of their campaign.

With the scores on his rink of Alan Romaine, Malcolm Cullingworth, and teenager Jay Travis-Jenner level at 19-19 and facing a big count against them, skip Roger Martin smashed into the head of opposition bowls. His bowl sent the jack rebounding off the retaining bank and back up the green to nestle alongside a Romaine's solitary bowl. It was enough to secure the extra points to send the whole Stamford team home jubilant.

Said captain Adam Warrington: "The spirit from the team was great and we were really positive before the match. We all knew what we needed to do. The green was interesting to say the least, normally very quick and swingy, but with a refurbished surface was very slow. Second place in the league is still achievable for us."

Result (Stamford names only)

Lincs Men's Division One: Louth A 69 (0), Stamford A 141 (18pts). M Ramsden, S Travis, R Keating, C Watson won 21-17; R Allam, C Ballard, J Holroyd, M Humphreys won 33-6; D Hudson, D Want, D King, P Edwards won 37-12; W Morris, D Miller, A Warrington, J Earl won 30-15; A Romaine, M Cullingworth, J Travis-Jenner, R Martin won 20-19.

A maximum eight-count on the first end by captain Dennis Henshaw's rink gave Stamford Men's B just the start they needed to retain their position at the top of the Lincs Third Division table, leading eventually to a 92-80 defeat of Long Sutton.

Stamford claimed 16 of the 18 points available with four winning rinks and now hold an eight-point lead at the head of the table with a crucial visit to nearest rivals Spalding B on March 14.

Results (Stamford names only)

Lincs County Men's Division Three: Long Sutton B 80 (2pts), Stamford B 97 (16. K Rawlins, C Jones, M Humphreys, D Henshaw won 26-19; J Hebden, W Kettle, C Ballard, A Horton lost 14-20; T Barwell, N Graham, D Acock, A Barnes won 19-16; D Howarth, M DeCamp, D Bruce, M Owens won 22-11; J Shellard, D Veasey, T Mackie, M Hewitt won 16-14.

Hopes of Stamford bowlers reaching another English National finals stage were dashed at Melton when Bob Warters and Martyn Dolby were beaten 23-9 by Nottingham's James Becket and John Mildren in the inter-area final of the Over 60s pairs.

Dolby has already reached the orthodox pairs finals with 17-year-old Stephen Harris to be played at Melton on April 6 against Wellworthy but the task against the Notts duo proved just too much on a sluggish surface where their bowls didn't react as well as the opposition's.

They were 0-5 before getting on the scoreboard and 5-8 behind before Mildren produced a series of high quality draw and trail shots to record 13 shots in five ends without reply. Dolby rallied with some outstanding saves but the pair finally conceded after 17 ends.

Peterborough IBC players proved equally dominant against Stamford in the semi-finals of the Northants Federation triples.

In the men's two-bowl event, Dave Hudson, Richard Allam and Derek King, proved no match for James Harford, Neil Wright and England international Tristan Morton, losing 21-11.

However, Hudson, paired with John and Moira Holroyd put up a game fight against Andew Thurston, Jeff Newson and his daughter Sarah in the mixed triples. The scores were level at 14-14 after 20 ends before Newson the Peterborough trio grabbed the shot they needed for victory.

But Stamford will have finalists in the mixed pairs, where Ann Holmes and Richard Allam travelled to the quicker Peterborough surface to beat Brian Martin and his wife Karen 21-11. They could be facing the holders - Stamford's Joan Robinson and Deeping bowler Nick Wilkie - in the final on March 15 on their home carpet.

In the Under 25 singles Stephen Harris lost 21-10 to Joe Randall, who plays fellow City bowler James Harford in the final.

Stamford have other final opportunities this week in the men's 4-bowl and veterans singles and women's pairs.

Returning to the junior theme, the fast-improving Jay Travis-Jenner, a 15-year-old from Stamford Welland Academy, is starting to get noticed in county bowling circles after reaching the semi-finals of the Lincs County Under 25 singles at Boston on Saturday with three excellent wins in the sets format.

First he overcame Spalding's talented Rhys Hill 2-0, then Lewis Skinner (Boston) 1.5-0.5, who had earlier accounted for Langtoft's Lucy Cooke. For a place in the semi-finals against current national triples holder Ashley Caress (Spalding) at Horncastle on March 29, he beat Long Sutton's Kieran Crane in straight sets.

Stamford brother and sister, Stephen and Louise Harris went out earlier against Adam Berridge (Grantham) and Crane respectively.

With a superb final bowl drawn to within inches of the jack, Stamford's Alan Romaine reached the semi-finals of the Lincs County Over 65 singles, to be staged at Horncastle on March 29, where he will also be joined by Martyn Dolby.

After beating George Lancaster 23-13 over the 21 ends format, Romaine faced Dave Chandley and on the deciding extra end with the scores level at 19-apiece, the Sleaford player trailed the jack out of sight, only for Romaine to produce the bowl of his life to clinch a place against Louth's Tony Musson.

Dolby will play Boston's John Maury after beating Sleaford's L Bonello 26-10 then Stamford clubmate Keith Rippin 21-17.

Earlier Peter Banks beat Mick Hartopp (Long Sutton) 21-11 but went out to Louth's Harry Cope, while George Cameron made an impressive debut in the competition, losing only on the last end to Lincoln's wily campaigner Derek Johnson.

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Stamford's last survivors in the Lincs County rinks finally crashed out of the competition on Monday, beaten 16-10 by Graham's Smith, Spalding quartet also featuring Matt Whyers, Martin Spencer and Ashley Caress.

But Mike Ramsden, Malcolm Cullingworth, Cliff Watson and Roger Martin refused to capitulate quietly, persistently frustrating the Spalding internationals and national champions with heavy bowls when heads were going against them.

'Re-spots' were being used continually, demanding accurate drawing to displaced jacks but it wasn't until the final three ends that Smith & Co finally got on top to earn a semi-final place.

Martin, Jay Travis-Jenner and John Holroyd still have a chance of reaching the semi-final stage, faced with a visit to Boston in the triples.

OUR WEEKEND Friendly team are on a roll, they've won two matches on the trot, writes Denis Stapleton. The latest was at home against Boston. After a encouraging start, 25 - 16 up after four ends and an unbelievable 67 -29 at the halfway stage, captain Denis Stapleton, braced himself for the accustomed slide down the slippery slope. It started to happen but then a recovery to win by 116 - 87, due mainly to a five for Tim Stokes' rink, a four on Pam Barton's and a seven on the final end for Colin Lunn's quartet.

This clinched the rink prizes for veteran Colin wife Diane and Kevin Toner against Boston's former county player Keith Nix. Also encouraging was the performance of Nick Carr, a graduate from last year's coaching school, who led his rink to an 11 - 6 lead at the halfway stage, only to lose six shots more experienced opposition. Hopefully this will encourage more of those who passed through last year's coaching to take the first step into the competitive arena and put their names on the selection sheets for the remaining matches of the season.

Rink Scores ( Stamford names only) Diane Lunn, Kevin Toner, Colin Lunn won 26 - 15; Daphne Lowe, Maggie Holden, Arthur Lonslow won 17 - 13; Arthur Chapman, Peter Almond, Nick Carr lost 12 - 18; Linda Bassett, Margaret Grainger, Tim Stokes won 27 - 19; Janet Dye, Serena Brunning, Maurice Dye won 18 - 12; Harry Fidom, Melvin DeCamp, Pam Barton won 17 - 10.

The next match which due to be played on Saturday March 7 has been cancelled because our opponents, Melton Mowbray, could not raise a team. The next Friendly is the last away game, at Huntingdon on Saturday March 14. We still need a few more players, so come on you coaching graduates, here' s a chance to have a go. The team sheets are on the notice board opposite the bar.