Bowls round-up - Royal Leamington Spa, Lillington, Southam and Home Guard

Royal Leamington Spa

Royal Leamington Spa’s ladies opened their 2022 campaign with a close-fought 47-45 victory over Stoke from Coventry last week. In a 3-rink contest, Dawn Horne, Val Roberts, Jean Leyland and Enid Reece took a 4-shot win for Spa (17-13), Stoke took a win as Sheena Harris was narrowly beaten 14-16 and the third rink ended all-square as Jenny Wickens was held 16-16.

In glorious sunshine last weekend, Spa played a home double-header and suffered defeats in both matches. Against Coventry Avenue in a 5-rink mixed match, despite only taking shots on 7 of the 21 ends, Spa’s Lyn Wilne, Chris Tarrant, Enid Reece and Raymond Patterson-Morton still managed a 19-18 win. However, it was the only one as Mervyn Taylor (15-17), Dave Wigman (14-16), Greville Reader (17-21) and Eric Smith (12-22) were all defeated, giving Coventry Avenue the overall win by 94 shots to 77.

It was a similar story in the second match, where Spa faced a team representing the English Deaf Lawn Bowls Association (EDLBA) in 3-rink contest involving one ladies and two men’s rinks. With players drawn from all around England, the match was arranged as a practice for their 8th Home Nations Championships being held in Wales in June. On the ladies rink, Sheila Sagar, Christine Barton, Caroline Edwards and Jane Whyatt took a 22-19 win for Spa and Alan Taylor, Tony Cowley, Stewart Barton and Graham White secured a second rink win, 21-16. However, a very close game on the second men’s rink ran away from Spa as EDLBA took 11 unanswered shots on the final 6 ends to condemn Jim Tighe to an 11-23 defeat and take the match by an overall score of 58 shots to 54.

LILLINGTON

Men’s Friendly, home to Stoke, 4 x rinks, Lillington won 89-61

Mike Riley, David Print, Andy Hughes and skip Ian Henderson were left in the wake of a Ron Bale rink trailing 3-18 at 10 ends but marginally recovered the situation in the second period to finish 16-27

Philip Page, Tom McGreavy, Hugh Matthews and skip Colin Daly led a Stoke rink skipped by Dave Taylor 8-7 and gradually pulled away in the second half to win 20-12

Peter Dellow, Paul Wakem, Bob Mann and skip Paul E Smith, held a lead of 11-5 at 10 ends thanks to a 6 on the 6th end then the home side took control to build a commanding score line of 33- 11 at the finish against a Tony Addis rink.

Mick Smith, Mike Davies John Buggins and skip Martin Preedy enjoyed a very close game against a Stoke rink skipped by Chris Perks; Lillington led 10-6 at 10 ends, drew 15 all at 17 ends but edged the last few ends to win 20-17.

SOUTHAM

Southam managed a whitewash win away in their mixed triples match against Home Guard 53-24.The highest winning rink was skipped by Denis Ward with Tony Hoffman, David Adnitt were never in trouble 18-7 at 9 ends winning 24-10.Bob Jardine (skip) Ken Tredgold, Rosalie Ward were 5-5 at 6 ends 10-5 up at 9 ends winning 16-7.Ron Walton (skip) Bob Freeman, Heather Brooks had a tighter game and were 6-7 down at 11 ends but managed to pull away over the remaining ends to win 13-7.They maintained the winning form in their mixed game away at Leamington Avenue 54-43.The highest was skipped by Denis Ward with Stuart Dunne, Peter Godfrey, Bob Freeman who led from the start 14-4 up at 9 ends winning 22-12.Wendy Jeffs (skip) Terry Dunne, David Adnitt, Heather Brooks were on the back foot for most of their game and were 14-5 down at 17 ends but picked up a four on the last end to win 18-15.Ron Walton (skip) Bob Jardine, Barbara Godfery, Rosalie Ward were mostly in control of most of their game and were 12-10 up at 14 ends ut the home side had the better finish to win 14-16.

HOME GUARD

Home Guard travelled to Warwick Boat Club for their first match of the season with 3 rink triples fixture which the Guard succumbed to a 44-21 defeat. Captain Fred Sawyer managed the closest game, assisted by Martin Bailey and Les Woodfield, being 6-3 up at 7 ends but a strong fight back by the Boat Club turned the tables to run out 9-7 winners. Mike Harrison with Alan Rawlinson and Roy Scott were also 7-5 up at half way and again the Boat Club came back strongly to win 13-9. Mike Hall assisted by Glenn Stanford and John McDermott went down 5- 22 to the WBC Captains trio.

Leamington Home Guard Club Match for Tuesday 26th April 2022

Home Guard hosted Southam United at Victoria Park with 3 rink triples fixture which Home Guard succumbed to a 54-20 defeat. Again Captain Fred Sawyer faired the best assisted by Pete Larkin and Neil Duxbury being 4-3 up at 7 ends only to lose out to Ron Walton’s trio 13-7. Brian Smith went down 17-7 and Mike Harrison with Colin Chamberlain and Roy Scott suffered a 24-10 loss.

Leamington Home Guard Club Match for Thursday 28th April 2022

Home Guard welcomed Whitnash to Victoria Park with 5 rink triples fixture which Home Guard succumbed to a 76-38 defeat. This time Mike Harrison with Neil Duxbury and Glenn Stanford were 6-3 down at 7 ends but came back strongly to secure the only winning rink 9-8. Martin Bailey assisted by Colin Chamberlain and John McDermott were level at half way but Whitnash flourished and finished 14-9 up. Brian Smith with Keith Lewis and Roy Scott went down 10-15. Pete Warren, Pete Larkin and Alan Rawlinson similarly lost 7-18 and Captain Fred Sawyer, Mike Hall and Les Woodfield Suffered at the hands of Captain Graham Cluff’s rink with a 21-3 hammering!