Staffordshire maintained their drive towards a semi-final spot in the Drakes Pride Junior County Championship with a 63-shot victory over near neighbours North Midlands.
On a slick Pennfields number two green, the home side were soon in trouble as they lost three of the first four cards and trailed by 28 shots with only Ben Mellar proving victorious with a 21-10 victory.
An inspired Nick Lampitt brought Staffordshire back into the game by showing experience beyond his years with a storming 21-1 win. Ben Carpenter also belied his inexperience and age with a mature 21-18 victory to reduce the deficit to 12 shots.
Despite a 21-3 defeat for Jamie Richards, there were wins for M&B Cheslyn Hay’s Oliver Chard and Joe Beaman to see the home side lose by nine. Away at Coundon Sports Club, Staffordshire produced one of the finest away performances at junior level in recent memory as they won 10 of the 12 games. Jamie Webb’s 21-10 and Mark Orme and Dan Taylor’s 21-11 cards soon saw Staffordshire in complete control of the game. Chad Parker bowled superbly to a 21-8 win and Nathan Dawkes cemented the Staffordshire position with a 21-9 victory. Three of the back four were victors to take the away leg by 72 shots and set up a winner takes all final group game against The Potteries, who themselves recorded a massive 272 shot win over Lancashire.
Results
Pennfields: A. Tapper 13 R. Beasley 21, S. Orpe 9 J. Bailey 21, B. Mellar 21 H. Chapman 10, J. Bird 2 A. Bell 21, B. Carpenter 21 A. Barnacle 18, S. Ruthven 20 B. Percival 21, N. Lampitt 21 M. Hancox 1, R. Perry 15 C. Morey 21, J. Beaman 21 D. McKenna 8, J. Richards 3 J. Chapman 21, L. Boyce 18 S. Higham 21, O. Chard 21 M. Warrington 10.
Coundon Social Club: M. Orme 21 R. Cleaver 11, J. Webb 21 D. Hodgkins 10, D. Taylor 21 L. Shuttleworth 11, S. Powis 19 N. Treadwell 21, C. Clinton 21 A. Shuttleworth 17, J. Holdcroft 21 D. Atkinson 20, C. Parker 21 C. Tonks 8, N. Dawes 21 T. Rankin 9, A. Stubbs 21 R. Christon 19, M. Wesley 21 K. Francis 10, D. Handley 21 C. Barnes 16, S. Simpson 16 M. Allen 21.
The final stages of the Staffordshire County Senior Merit takes place tomorrow at Bilston Town B.C. with five entries qualifying for the finals of the BCGBA Senior Merit, which will take place next month at Pennfields Bowling Club, and competition is sure to be hard fought. The defending champion, Mel Evans (Chadsmoor) and last year’s losing finalist Chris Ward (Victoria Park) have qualified for the finals and join five previous winners in the field.
The current Staffordshire Junior Merit champion, Scott Simpson from Nordley Liberals has made it through together with fellow junior bowler Oliver Chard.
Full Draw (11am start)
11am scratch out: S. Chapman (M&B Cheslyn Hay), v, M. Ledwidge (Chadsmoor), T. Dodd (Victoria Park), v, G. Hawkins (Victoria Park), I. Whitehouse (Nordley Liberals), v, C. Marshman (M&B Cheslyn Hay), C. Fellows (Woodfield), v, N. Howells (M&B Cheslyn Hay), I. Charles (Woodfield), v, S. Dicken (Woodfield), R. Baxter (Victoria Park), v, T. Gill (Victoria Park), M. Clayton (Nordley Liberals, v, G. Jones (Nordley Liberals) E. Daly (Woodfield), v, M. Orme (Woodfield).
12 noon scratch out: E. Breeze (M&B Cheslyn Hay), v, P. Withey (Dudley Dell), M. Evans (Chadsmoor) , v, I. Wetton (Victoria Park), C. Halford (Woodfield), v, A. Aldridge (Woodfield), S. Turner (Oaklands) , v, S. Simpson (Nordley Liberals), G. Davies (Penn), v, O. Chard (M&B Cheslyn Hay), K. Handley (Windmill, v, M. Hall (Nordley Liberals), D. Semper (Woodfield), v, R. Bate (Nordley Liberals), C. Ward (Victoria Park), v, T. Wood (Nordley Liberals).
Share this article:
What are these?