Barnard Castle Bowls Club
Monday Evening League
ALAN Wearmouth and Alan Butcher, from the Odd Bowls, crept into third place, two points adrift, following their 11-6 win against Debbie Bailey and Stephen Wall representing the three Ws.
It was all-square on five apiece after ten ends, but Debs and Stephen stagnated while the two Alans romped to the finishing line.
It was a funny old game when Gillian Harle and Joan Smith, from the Lavender Ladies, took on Likely Lads Peter Shovlin and Dennis Richards.
The Lavs lost the first six ends, won the next six and lost the last four. With neither team troubling the joker, the Lads won 10-6.
The Men in Black fielded all their crew.
With Angus Dowson and Frank Ashmore starting and Neil Bailey coming on for Frank in the second half, together they amassed 12 points.
Their opponents, Trionova, started with Joan Lee and Margaret Sparrow and were just two points behind at the break.
Swapping Joan for June Parkin didn’t have the desired effect as they only made it to five points.
The Evergreens are nudging their way up the table after gaining double figures in the last four games.
Their latest opponents for Marjorie Nelson and Beryl The Peril Embleton were The Oddbods who you may remember got a toe hold on desolation row the previous week.
Entering the fray, Mike Courtley and Cannon Ball Ken Wilson went in for tea 5-3 down and, as part of their youth policy, kept Mike on and replaced Ken with Colin Metcalfe.
In the second half, the Oddies doubled their score. Unfortunately for them, the Evergreens did the same to win 10-6.
It shows how tight things are in the table that the Boys in Blue, represented by Don Hutchinson and Peter Rimmington, only lost 9-8 but slipped from the top spot to fifth.
Their opponents, Alwyn Dowson and John Brown, from the Alwyn Brothers, were 9-6 up with one to play and with both teams playing their joker it was the Boys who were successful gaining the two points.
In a combination of different animals, the Pink Panthers are becoming the dark horses as they gained the highest score on the night.
Their 13 points left the Carter Family shell shocked as Pam and Brian had no answer to the onslaught from Mary Lambert and Denise Dent, who allowed them only four points.
With Moose Moore indisposed, John Robinson and Bill Carter took the reins of the Bold Eagles for their game against the Redbreasts, who started with Rene Armstrong and Ursula Munnerley.
Trailing 5-3 at halftime, the Redbreasts brought on Joyce Chapman and their score moved on to six points.
Meanwhile, the Boldies stuck to their task and aided by the joker reached 11 points.
Team Kryptonite managed to maintain their average with another seven-pointer, this time against Kevin Everett and Kevin Murray, from Quattro Amigos.
Paul Craddock and John Tallentire, from TK, were a little unlucky on some of the ends but accurate lead bowls from Kevin Murray kept the pressure on making life a little too difficult.
Well, it’s all change at the top with ten teams in the 50s, but with 60 points, the Pink Panthers move into the top spot, just one point ahead of the Men in Black.
No change at the bottom as the Oddbods once again have desolation row to themselves with 39 points.
Men’s vets
THE A team were at home playing Darlington South Park and won 3-1.
Top Rink honours went to John Robinson, Dennis Richards and Malcolm Branthwaite, who won 25-15, helping the town to the long game 69-53. The B team had a bye.
Thursday Evening League
THE A team had a bye and the B team were away at Spennymoor B where things didn’t get any better as Spennymoor won 5-0.
President’s shield
TWENTY players contested the trophy in two groups using the usual round-robin format with the winner from each group meeting in the final.
Group one produced two maximum scores of eight from Kevin Cross and John Tallentire, with Kevin going through on a better shots difference.
Group two had a clear winner – Dennis Richards with another maximum score.
The final, played over five ends, was reasonably tight with Dennis going into the last end 3-1 up and despite a valiant effort, Kevin could only manage one shot which handed the title to Dennis 3-2.
JT
Ladies’ bowls
IT was a daunting week for the ladies.
In the Afternoon League we were up against Darlington Woodland, the supreme champions last year (and most years), who fielded five county players.
Perhaps due to home advantage, all three of our rinks held them at bay for the first half of the contest. However, Woodland powered on to take all four league points.
In the Evening League, the ladies were at home to Darlington Lodge Ladies.
Mary Lambert, Joyce Chapman and Flora Wright secured a good win 16-11 and the only home point.
JP
