Stamford mixed team surge 22 points clear in title bid

Post date: Feb 19, 2017 10:08:30 PM

With a 132-66 defeat of Lincoln A, Stamford stretched their lead at the top of the Lincs Mixed League Division One to a healthy 22 points over nearest rivals Spalding.

Margaret Bloxham's team still have some tricky fixtures ahead - away to Lincoln and Skegness and home to Louth - but the spirit is strong as the incentive to follow relegation two years ago with the championship for the first time in the club's 27-year history.

At the halfway stage Stamford led 67-29 and never looked like conceding a point. And so it proved with all five rinks emerging successful by at least nine shots to claim a maximum 18 points to reach 99 from six matches.

Top rink was Dave Hudson, Christine Barnes, Shirley Suffling and Martyn Dolby who were level at five ends with Keith Richardson but stretched a lead to 34-12 after 21 ends.

Results (Stamford names only):

Lincs Mixed League Division One: Stamford 132 (18) Lincoln A 66 (0) K Bailey, D Mackie, T Mackie, P Bailey won 27-16; J Brennan, C Warters, D King, J Little won 24-11; J Robinson, M Bloxham, Mal Smith, A Barnes won 24-15; M Awndrews, D Ford, C Ford, M Humphreys won 23-12; D Hudson, C Barnes, S Suffling, M Dolby won. 34-12.

Stamford Men's B completed their season unbeaten with a sixth successive victory, taking 15 of the 18 points available at Louth B with a 125-80 win.

Next season they will compete in a five-team Division Two with two teams expected to be relegated from that Division to increase the Third Division to five teams.

One of the best wins was by James Hebden, his father Mark and grandfather Trevor Christie, whom, with Wally Kettle celebrating his 90th birthday, won 27-7.

Sadly Wally later had a fall while visiting friends, suffered a fractured femur and now faces an operation and several weeks convalescence. We wish him well.

Top rink was Chris Ballard, Darren Middleton, Dave Heffernan and Mick Owens, winning 34-11.

Result (Stamford names only):

Lincs League Division Three: Louth B 80 (3 pts) Stamford B 125 (15). j Hebden, W Kettle, M Hebden, T Christie won 27-7; D Edwards, Richard Martin, M Hewitt, T Barwell drew 20-20; R Graham, A Lonslow, P Linnell, D Henshaw lost 14-23; C Ballard, D Middleton, D Heffernan, M Owens won 34-11; G Knight, D Veasey, T Mackie, P Banks won 30-17.

In the EIBA Area semi-final of the Over 60s fours Mike Ramsden, Peter Cox, Keith Rippin and Cliff Watson lost to Graham Wright's rink 18-12 at Spalding.

Holders of the Northants Federation men's triples - Stephen Harris, Cliff Watson and Peter Edwards are through to the semi-finals after a thrilling defeat of fellow Stamford bowlers Adam Warrington, Jonathan Earl and Martyn Dolby.

With two ends to play they trailed 14-18 but picked up a four and when Dolby failed to remove their shot with his last bowl, the holders triumphed 19-14.

Elsewhere Carol and Bob Warters and Roger Martin picked up counts of three, one, two to overcome Fiona Richardson, Neil Wright and Simon Law 18-12 in the mixed triples and now face Paul Bailey's rink In the semi-final.

Stamford face a crucial Lincs League home tussle with Division One rivals Spalding on Saturday (1.15pm start), with 18 points at stake over five rinks.

Stamford: M Cullingworth, M Ramsden, R Montgomery, C Watson; D Hudson, S Travis, D Want, P Edwards; B Warters, J Travis-Jenner, A Warrington, M Dolby; D Howarth, J Holroyd, A Barnes, Roger Martin; R Allam , D Miller, D King, P Bailey.

Bob Warters has reached his first Northants Federation singles final with a 21-7 defeat of John Thurston at Peterborough IBC. He will meet either Mick Linnell who beat John Steels or the holder Martyn Dolby,,who beat Peter Edwards 21-17.

Adam Warrington fought back from 11-18 down to Richard Allam in the four-bowl singles to finish with two threes in a 21-18 win. He faces a home draw against either Joe Randall or Howard Shipp in the semi-final.

With a comprehensive defeat of Mike Ramsden and Cliff Watson in the national EIBA Over 60 pairs, Bob Warters and Roger Martin have reached the Area 5 final.

After losing the first end they hit back with 23 shots without reply in 10 ends and eventually ran out 29-5 winners to earn a clash with Leicester IBC's Roger Cooper and his partner who beat Barwell's former England international Bill Hobart.

The area final will be played on a neutral green.

In the Lincs IBA mixed pairs Stephen Harris and his sister Louise were beaten by Iris Reeson and Jonathan West 15-10.