Young Talent Comes to Town

Post date: Mar 21, 2018 4:40:53 PM

Promising youngsters from as far away as Oxfordshire and Derbyshire are among those competing in the under-18 tournament taking place at Stamford on Sunday March, 25 starting at 10 am.

The open singles tournament is sponsored by D&M Sports of Spalding and has a prize pot of £150.

The event has been won in the past by Stamford juniors Stephen Harris and Jay Travis Jenner, and while they and last year's champion, Adam Fuller (South Forest), are now over-age, a strongly contested event is expected.

Players from clubs in Herts, Oxon, Huntingdon, Norfolk and Stamford and Spalding will offer a real opportunity to see some of the up-and-coming players who are now taking part in the sport.

Included in the lineup will be nine-year-old Owen Aspinall from Stamford who, playing at Horncastle last Sunday, qualified to play in the Lincolnshire County Under 18 (junior section) Finals to be held at Louth on Sunday April, 22. Winning two and drawing one of his games at Horncastle, mother Anne was rightly quoted as being “Super Proud”

Stamford hold regular coaching sessions for youngsters. Details are available from Keith Rippin (01780 754274) or Mike Ramsden (01780 460490).

All-Stars area final

In the EIBA Area 5 pairs final played at Stamford on Wednesday evening, March 21, World-ranked Les Gillett and Chris Rodgers (Melton) got the better of Spalding internationals Matt Whyers and Martin Spencer in the re-arranged game due to snow by 22 shots to 13. They now go on to play Andrew Harding & Simon Pettingel of Grattons (Crawley) at Melton Mowbray next Wednesday, March 28.

Home finish for A team

The A team are at home on Saturday 24 March against Boston (1.10pm), the first of two vital home games in their bid to retain the Lincs League Division title.

They are currently second, and realistically need maximum points from their remaining fixtures, the last of which is at home against current leaders, Lincoln, on April 8, to give them any hope.

Lincoln are 36 points clear at present (94-58) and finish their season at Spalding on April 14.

The team will be captained by Martin Dolby, who names himself as one of two reserves.

The team is: Alan Romaine, Cliff Watson, Mick Humphreys, Neil Wright; Wayne Aspinall, Chris Ballard, Richard Montgomery, Martyn Dolby; Richard Allam, Trevor Harris, Adam Warrington, Paul Bailey; Mike Ramsden, Dusty Miller, Alan Barnes, Roger Martin. Mal Smith, Keith Rippin, Doug Want, Peter Edwards. Reserves: Nyran Graham, Martyn Dolby.

Ladies score maximum

A maximum count of eight shots on the fourth end set Christine Ford's rink on the way to a 41-11 success as Stamford Ladies enjoyed a convincing win over Skegness in their latest Trudy Bates A League match.

The rearranged match ended 134-81 in Stamford's favour, giving them a valuable 16 shots as they chase top spot and an end-of-season play-off against the winners of the B division.

On the day, the win left Stamford in second place, seven points behind Boston. Both finish their season at Spalding who had 66.

Ford's rink were major real hot shots on the day, but Rose March, Peggy Birch and Sue Moir were also winning skips.

Scores: J Lonslow, S Henshaw, S Suffling, C Ford 41, Skegness 11; J Brennan, L Harris, D Mackie, R March 34, Skegness 16; R Roberts, P Jones, M Andrews, P Birch 25, Skegness 11; E Wallace, M Holden, M Broadbelt, S Moir 17, Skegness 16; V Shackleton, Moira Holroyd, J Want, G Edwards 17, Skegness 27.

Snowstorm for Mixed team

Last weekend, the mixed team's visit to Scunthorpe ended dramatically as they drove home in a heavy snowstorm which cut visibility to a minimum at times.

It had been a tough afternoon's play, with Scunthorpe strengthened by a number of players from their A team, which pulled out of their own Lincs League a few weeks ago.

Stamford collected two points thanks to a 25-17 win for Mal Smith, Louise Harris and Martin and Elizabeth Wallace.

Mick Smith, Helen Holroyd, Sue Moir and Ally McNaughton just missed out 16-19 in an overall defeat by 78-131.

Over 60's

Stamford Over 60's put up a fighting performance at Boston on Thursday, but still found themselves 24 points adrift at the bottom of their Lincs League table with two games to go.

There were wins for two rinks and a draw for another as they collected five points.

Mal Smith won 24-16 and Pete Banks 19-13 while Trevor Christie snatched a 19-19 draw with a last-end single.

Scores: M Dye, T Mackie, D Bruce, M Smith 24, Boston 16; J Bourne, A Lonslow, R Graham, P Banks 19-13; T Barwell, G Corby, M Owen, T Christie 19, Boston 19; D Howarth, T Weaver, A March, Richard Martin 17, Boston 28; D Veasey, T Freeman, C Jones, K Vinter 9-27.

The over 60's are at home on Friday 23 March against Sleaford (10am). Team: J Bourne, A Lonslow, P Banks, A Horton; M Dye, T Mackie, D Bruce, Mal Smith; T Barwell, G Corby, M Owen, T Christie; D Veasey, T Freeman, D Heffernan, C Jones; D Howarth, T Weaver, D Henshaw, Richard Martin. Reserves: J Geary, Mick Smith, P Blake, R Graham.

Their season finishes at next-to-bottom Lincoln B next Thursday.

COUNTY COMPETITION NEWS

There was no joy for Mal Smith and Jay Travis- Jenner at Lincoln last Friday when they met the in form duo of Sam Ashton and George Draper in the quarter finals of the Lincolnshire County Pairs competition. Going down 23-1 they conceded that the home pair would just too good for them on that day.

With only the result of the other pairs quarter final now required the draw for the semi finals which will be held at Stamford on 31st March will soon be known.