Stamford players in Liberty triumph

Post date: Jan 14, 2018 11:02:03 AM

Lincolnshire's county team has reached the semi-finals of the Liberty Trophy - the major English indoor county championship - defeating Durham IBA at New Earswick (York) by 23 shots over six rinks.

Despite a rally by Durham, which reduced an early deficit to just four shots at one stage, the determined Lincs team - which featured three from the Stamford club - won on all rinks by a 127-104 margin and will now face Norfolk on March 3 at a venue yet to be decided.

Stephen Harris led in a Graham Smith-skipped rink which won by three while Martyn Dolby and Simon Law played No.2 and No.3 respectively in the Martyn Spencer rink which edged out Gary R Smith by just one shot.

Result

Liberty Trophy (at New Earswick): Lincs 127 Durham 104.M Whyers, R Vinter, M Pulling, M Orrey bt V O Neill 22-14; R Flowers, M Dolby, S Law, M Spencer bt G.R Smith 16-15; A Field, K Ekins, B Wilson, J Philpott bt J Thurlbeck 20-19; A Watts, R Ashton, K Rands, B Jackson bt P Mosely 21-17; I Clark, R West, A Dunham, J West bt P Hartley 25-19

S Harris, T Berridge, A Caress, G.R Smith bt D Bolt 23-20.

FOOTNOTE: Stamford Men's B were beaten 94-90 at Sleaford in the Lincolnshire League Division Two match, claiming just two winning rinks and one drawn. Full result will follow.

THRILLING WIN FOR HOLROYD

In another thrilling Federation singles, Helen Holroyd just beat the experienced Shirley Suffling in a 135-minute marathon over 26 ends. On the penultimate end, Suffljng held two for the match but when her opponent fired it went to an extra end. With the result on the line, Suffling trailed the jack for three but the 22-year old countered by drawing the shot to clinch it, leaving both players emotionally drained.

With Elizabeth Wallace beating Pat Jones 21-12, Holroyd now hosts Sheila Craig in the quarter-finals against whose triple, she scored a 28-1 triumph with fellow youngsters Katie Bailey and Louise Harris.

In the men's four-bowl singles, Cliff Watson secured a place in the second round defeating Howard Shipp 21-8, while Richard Allam accounted for clubmate Chris Ballard 21-15.

In a further compelling 25-end match, Alan Romaine beat Steve Roden (Peterborough) 23-13, racing away after the scores were tied at 11 shots each.

THREE GO THROUGH

June Brennan, Shirley Suffling and Glenys Edwards have reached the next stage of the Area 5 national women's triples with a 17-8 defeat of local rivals Ann Reynolds, Liz Hext and Sheila Craig at Peterborough. They next face P Ayers' trio at March IBC.

LAST GASP DEFEAT FOR MEN'S B TEAM

Shots conceded on the concluding ends cost Stamford Men's B a share of the points at Sleaford.

With the scores level overall Stamford were looking for an unlikely victory against a strong home side. But three rinks dropped two shots and one conceded another, while Trevor Christie's four were only able to pick up one shot to snatch a point in their match.

It was a disappointing end to a match in which David Howarth, Derek Veasey, Peter Banks and Richard. Martin dominated their opponents 30-12. Peter Linnell's rink also picked up a win to leave Stamford with a consolation five points from a maximum 18 available.

Result (Stamford names only):

Lincs Men's League Division Two: Sleaford 94 (13 pts) Stamford B 90 (5). P Cox, D Edwards, K Rippin, D King lost 15-27; K Rawlins, M Ramsden, D Heffernan, M Owens lost 11-23; D Howarth, D Veasey, P Banks, Richard Martin won 30-12; T Mackie, R Graham, M Hewitt, P Linnell won 17-15; T Barwell, M Hebden, J Hebden, T Christie drew 17-17.