Clarence maintain successful start to the season

CLARENCE’S first team maintained their successful start to the season at the weekend with victories in both the Bowls England Club Two Fours and their opening Somerset County League Division One North match.

They travelled to Chew Stoke in the first round proper of the Two Fours and emerged comfortable winners on both rinks to reach the next round against Clevedon or Bath.

Roger Burrough’s rink recovered from a deficit of 3-10 after eight ends to run out 26-15 winners. David Stott’s four were never in trouble and a seven on the 10th end put them in firm control. Lead Mick Edlin had an outstanding game as Stott’s rink won 25-12.

Chew Stoke 27, Clarence 52: A Gardiner, T Pritchard, G Barlow, R Burrough 26-15; M Edlin, T Mannion, R Crawford, D Stott 25-12.

Saturday’s County League Division One North game between home team Clarence A and Portishead RBL B was a much closer affair, with never more than a few shots in it.

Clarence won by two, mainly thanks to Richard Crawford’s rink, who built up an early lead, let it slip, then came good again at the end to finish eight shots clear.

With Roger Burrough’s rink having lost by two, the four skipped by team captain David Stott simply needed to avoid disaster on the last end. They lost by four, but Clarence were home and dry.

Clarence A 57 (8), Portishead RBL B 55 (4): T Ward, P Tubb, T Pritchard, R Burrough 19-21; R Flicker, J Keay, G Barlow, R Crawford 23-15; M Edlin, P Palmer, B Ballinger, D Stott 15-19.

The last four ends proved costly for Clarence B in their opening County League game of the season, away to Clevedon Prom B.

They led by four shots overall after 17 ends, but dropped a total of 20 over the final four to lose by 12. Chris Read skipped the only winning rink, but even they lost the final four ends 7-1.

Clevedon Prom B 61 (10), Clarence B 49 (2): R Dodson, A Kermack, J Burgess, C Read 19-16; C Tippett, K Marshall, M Scoins, B Duffy 15-23; John Hayes, M Skyrme, D Jackman, J Edwards 15-22.

Clarence men were up only only two of the five rinks at 10 ends in their annual friendly match with Clarence ladies, although they led by 15 shots, mainly due to Roger Burrough’s four, helped by a seven on the 10th.

After tea, the men pulled away gradually to finish up on all rinks and win by 30 shots after an enjoyable afternoon. Carol Edlin’s rink did well to win the second half of their game against their opponents 14-2.

Clarence Men 104, Clarence Ladies 74 - men’s rinks first: J Stewart, B Rossiter, A Kermack, P Tubb 20, P Fowler, C Hooper, A Harris, P Hawkins 16; J Hawkins, J Kellaway, M Scoins, B Duffy 25, J Colman, L Phipps, V Jones, P Burrough 20; J Larvin, A Bishop, J Hicks, K Marshall 19, S Scoins, S Searle, Pauline Dunn, V Collicott 10; N Martin, T Hooper, M Skyrme, M Edlin 20, S Ellis, G Hookway, M Davison, J Mannion 13; R Flicker, C Tippett, J Loveridge, R Burrough 20, L Oldham, J Anning, C Cromey, C Edlin 15.

Clarence took on Welsh visitors Penyrheol over 10 rinks – five men’s and five mixed.

The men’s match proved close, with the Welsh side prevailing by one shot, despite wins for Mick Edlin, Don Towie and David Stott. The mixed match also went to Penyrheol, by 31 shots, with Carol Edlin’s rink proving the only home winners. The overall score was Clarence 168, Penyrheol 200.

Men’s rinks: C Tippett, M Scoins, B Duffy, T Pritchard 11-24; J Larvin, T Cockcroft, R Dodson, M Edlin 17-14; T Hooper, J Kellaway, J Atkins, R Crawford 20-23; J Hawkins, A Taylor, M Phillips, D Towie 17-15; B Rossiter, H Dunn, T Mannion, D Stott 22-12. Mixed: Jo Mannion, Tess Langford, J Hayes, A Gardiner 11-30; Shirley Scoins, B Cornwall, Brenda Hayes, J Edwards 20-25; D Gilbert, Joy Palmer, Audrey Harris, P Palmer 15-23; Sarie Pritchard, M Peters, M Skyrme, Maria Williams 16-19; Norma Peters, N Martin, K Marshall, Carol Edlin 19-15.

IN the Over-60s League, Ashcombe Knights came up against Victoria Vikings and despite winning on four rinks, they lost the match.

The Templars were unlucky in their Over-60s match against Burnham, winning three rinks each, they were pipped at the post to lose by just four shots. Three days later, in the same league, they came up against Yatton and lost by 27.

Ashcombe lost to Banwell in a four-rink friendly game winning on only one rink. In the county league, Ashcombe B had a great win against Yatton C, drawing on one rink and winning on two, taking the game by 19 shots.

The A team, managed to win on two rinks against Burnham A, but lost the overall game by just two 2 shots.

Ashcombe Knights 99, Victoria Vikings 118 (Over-60s): B Jones, M Parry, K Wheeler 18-14; N Coombes, A Freke, T Cottrell 19-18; A Wright, W Spring, E Hooper 11-31; R Tasker, M Bass, E Hopkins 14-27; D Cooper, E Roberts, L Day 20-13; R Counsell, I Baker, J Main 17-15.

Ashcombe Templars 95, Burnham 99 (Over-60s): D Freestone, M Field, F Bertram 17-19; G Tucker, S Andrews, E Booth 5-21; B Alden, T Pople, B Benstead 7-27; B Golding, G Pople, L Cox 25-8; K Davies, D Wynne, B Noyes 19-13; D Underhay, M Tripp, M Paterson 22-11.

Ashcombe Templars 78, Yatton 105 (Over-60s): K Davies, D Wynne, L Cox 9-19; T Pople, M Tripp, M Paterson 6-23; B Alden, B Noyes, M Badman 15-23; M Macmahon, G Sansam, B Benstead 18-11; G Tucker, S Andrews, E Booth 15-18; D Freestone, G Pople, F Bertram 15-11.

Ashcombe 52, Banwell 84 (friendly): G Tucker, M Tripp, P Sheppard, M Southwood 3-26; K Davies, B Benstead, M Paterson, A Yates 21-17; D Freestone, L Yeates, G Tottle, G Wilkinson 16-20; G Pople, S Andrews, D Bleasdale, M Badman 12-21.

Ashcombe B 61, Yatton C 42 (County League): D Freestone, F Ham, T Cottrell, B Webber 18-18; M Paterson, G Sansam, B Benstead, J Creasey 21-10; B Cracknell, B Underhay, R Tasker, E Hopkins 22-14.

Ashcombe A 58, Burnham A 60 (County League): N Coombes, M West, T Bass, DA Williams 23-14; E Roberts, I Baker, J Taylor, J Whitlow 20-16; A Wilmot, S Hedges, L Day, J Whitton 15-30.

ST ANDREWS had mixed results in their opening league matches.

The B team, playing away to Banwell, had a good win taking 10 of the 12 points available. The newly-promoted A team had a much tougher time, losing to Banwell A at home winning only on the rink skipped by Andrew Owens and taking just two points from the match.

St Andrews B 56, Banwell B 49 (County League): K Rogers, A Cooper, T Allen, R Roberts 17-22; P Smart, J Steer, R McLeod, J Warren 15-10; A Lay, R Brereton, J Ling, G Wride 24-17.

St Andrews A 51, Banwell A 73 (County League): K Uglow, A McMillan, G Aldridge, S Davies 16-27; R Smith, G Tofte, I Lamb, A Owens 22-15; R Venn, G Cooper, K Curtis, D Bailey 13-31.

St Andrews’ members had a successful tour to South Devon. Of the four mixed matches played, they won three, only losing to Madeira from Exmouth.

Tour results: St Andrews 108, Topsham 101; St Andrews 144, Marina Dawlish 67; St Andrews 134, Budleigh Salterton 98; St Andrews 91, Madeira 128.

While the tourists were away, the remaining members played against a team from Victory Park, Stroud. Despite a good win by the rink skipped Danny Favis, the Saints lost on four of the six rinks contested and losing to the visitors by 10 shots.

St Andrews 108, Victory Park Stroud 118 (friendly): P Gill, R Brereton, M Goddard, M Pattenden 11-23; P Smart, J Rush, I Lamb, A Horsburgh 21-22; K Rogers, D Cooper, K Curtis, R Gill 18-21; S Sinclair, G Sims, G Cooper, G Wride 15-23; M Wride, C Coffin, D Price, D Favis 23-12; W Weller, R Lee, J Pitman, M Favis 20-17.

St Andrews B 32, Paulton 47 (National double fours): R Venn, A Yeeles, R Gill, G Wride 18-20; G Tofte, G Cooper, J Warren, B Reeves 14-27.

Playing at home in the DRT League in an extremely close game with Portishead RBL, St Andrews ladies won by just one sho, despite dropping a seven late in the match.

St Andrews Ladies 52, Portishead RBL 51 (DRT League): C Venn, F Allen, M Bailey, M Pattenden 15-18; S Sinclair, I Tofte, J Pitman, A Campbell 18-13.

St Andrews Ladies 42, Mark Moor 44 (friendly): J McMillan, A Greenwood, I Tofte, 21-22; F Allen, J Ware, M Bailey 12-15; D Cooper, S Sinclair, M Pattenden 9-17.

St Andrews mixed team played Avon and Somerset Police in a friendly match indoors, because of the adverse weather.

St Andrews 62, Avon and Somerset Police 40 (mixed friendly): R Smith, K Rogers, G Tofte 27-13; J McMillan, J Steer, J Warren, I Lamb 14-16; P Smart,R Brereton, I Tofte, K Curtis 25-11.

VICTORIA continued with their victory march in the National Double Rink competition by travelling away to Bloomfield and winning both rinks comfortably and the match by 18 shots.

Victoria A 52, Bloomfield 34: P Wyatt, J Newman, T Bray, M Stocker 27-21; N Stocker, P Leadbeater, C Gazzard, M Cooper 25-13.

Victoria Saxons and Vikings each won their Weston & District League Over-60s games. The Saxons lost on only one rink to beat Clevedon Prom by an emphatic 37 shots, picking up 17 points in the process.

A 22-shot win by the rink of club vice-captain Harrison Whyte, Mike Fletcher and skip Mike Taylor, was the highlight of the day.

Victoria Saxons 118 (17), Clevedon Prom 81 (3): D Williams, G Stocker, M Stocker 19-18; M Willetts, D Sealey, B Stock 20-14; R Fenwick, J Newman, D Hurst 22-10; T Gatehouse, M Campbell, K Holland 12-16; R Rockett, A Barnes, K Harvey 13-13; H Whyte, M Fletcher, M Taylor 32-10.

It was a different story with the Vikings win over Ashcombe Knights, as Victoria lost on four rinks, but the two winning rinks skipped by John Mingoe-West and Graham Richards recorded a total shot surplus of 33 to gain the win and 12 points.

Victoria Vikings 118 (12), Ashcombe Knights 99 (8): R Hollier, A Shattock, D Jones 18-19; R Jacobs, A Waygood, G Frost 13-20; A Webb, J Griffiths, G Hodge 14-18; B Johnson, T Gilbert, J Smart 15-17; J Codrington, W Nicholls, J Mingo-West 31-11; G Jones, M Milliner, G Richards 27-14.

In a four-rink friendly against Somerset Masonic, a strong Victoria team secured a big win with the rink of Richard Austin, John Smart, Mike Fletcher and skip Derek Jones achieving a 27-shot win.

Victoria 96, Somerset Masonic 54: D Beard, M Willetts, N Sell, K Harvey 12-19; R Austin, J Smart, M Fletcher, D Jones 37-10; W Nicholls, A Waygood, J Newman, M Stocker 23-13; J Mingo-West, M Milliner, A Barnes, M Campbell 24-12.

Victoria were pushed to the limit to narrowly win a mixed fiendly against a touring team from Mountain Ash.

The tourists were on the last stop of their tour of the south west and were strongly supported by club members, making a pleasant bowling afternoon. The overall margin of victory was just four shots, with Victoria’s top rink of Gill Poolman, Lee Stocker, Sue Cooper and skip John Williams.

Victoria 137, Mountain Ash 133: G Poolman, L Stocker, S Cooper, J Newman 23-8; S Milliner, S Buckler, G Richards, M Stocker 11-25; D Beard, F Waters, A Guest, C Chudley 21-21; T Ellis, W Nicholls, R Bailey, M Taylor 18-18; C Stevens, M Willetts, N Stocker, R Rockett 29-14; P Wyatt, C Willetts, M Milliner, M Cooper 27-16; R Squires, L Richards, T Gilbert, G Rain 8-31.

Victoria travelled to GB Britton to play a mixed friendly and the squad suffered their first defeat of the season. Victoria lost on all four rinks, picking up just the two triple rink wins skipped by Colin Gazzard and Sue Cooper.

Victoria 99, 122 GB Britton 122: W Nicholls, F Waters, S Cooper 19-17; R Cleeves, M Chudley, N Stocker, M Taylor 15-26; P Wyatt, R Squires, J Newman, M Stocker 14-19; T Gatehouse, A Guest, S Newman, M Cooper 16-25; C Stevens, R Bailey, A Guest, D Hurst 11-29; S Buckler, C Chudley, C Gazzard 24-6.

BAD weather resulted in the postponement of two matches and others were played in far from enjoyable conditions at Wedmore

The ladies played host to visitors Victoria in the first of the Mendip Ladies Triples matches and after a hard-fought afternoon, the visitors won 44-41. Each team won one rink and the third was drawn with Maureen Hordle and her team providing a much needed 17-12 victory

Rink scores: J Collins, L Hamblin, G Harvey 15-15; M Barron, M Stansfield, M Hordle 17-12; D Gallop, C Pettit, E Deverill 9-17.

A mixed Wedmore team visited Minehead for an annual friendly triples match and managed a two shot victory 80-78. Although Wedmore lost three rinks, a great result by Keith Burt and his team, 28-6 secured the overall win on the day.

Wedmore played host to two touring sides this week-Chasewater from Cornwall fielded seven rinks and gave the home team a tough encounter winning overall by 120-158. Burt led his team to the best win of the day scoring 35-18.

The second touring side, Chippenham, did not fare so well with Wedmore winning all six rinks and achieving a final score of 159-90. Captain Ian Faulkner and his team had a strong win scoring 33-11.

The first of a series of taster days brought a good response from potential bowlers who took advantage of the indoor rinks to avoid the bad weather outside.

Anyone who would like to bowl throughout the year can see what Wedmore has to offer on the updated website at www.isleofwedmorebowlsclub.co.uk

AFTER winning seven games on the trot, Winscombe lost the winning way, with

defeat in the first away leg of their annual triples game against Bath by 40 shots.

The Clevedon & District League match against Nailsea also resulted in defeat by 26 shots. The Weston Over-60s League game against Ashcombe Crusaders was postponed due to heavy rain.

The results for the Winscombe teams in the Somerset League were a loss by 22 shots for the A side against West Backwell, a loss for the B team by 14 shots against Yatton B and defeat for the C team by 22 shots against Victoria C.

Winscombe 95, Bath 135 (friendly): B Prince, L Collier, A Dudley 11-38, R Sapsford, M Hunt, R Lacy 21-17; D Peakall, M Nash, P Fredersdorff 10-29; D Beaverstock, R Fisher, R Lowman 21-16; R Weller; G Hill, M Hunter 14-23; B Paul, R Feltham, M Adams 18-12.

Winscombe 63, Nailsea 89 (Clevedon & District Co-operative Funeral League): M Dorrington, J Smith, M Nash, R Lacy 10-31; R Lowman, R Kibble, A Dudley,

R Birmingham 15-25; G Hill, N Hansford, L Collier, M Adams 19-21; A Watts, P John, P Fredersdorff, S Eastment 19-12.

Winscombe A 41, West Backwell 63: R Wootten, R Feltham, M Adams, R Birmingham 17-18; R Lowman, L Collier, R Lacy, T Ellis 10-24, S Easterby, T Uccellini, A Dudley, S Eastment 14-21.

Winscombe B 49, Yatton B’ 63: G Coombe, M Nash, M Hunter, G Neville 15-19;

G Lloyd, J Lukins, P Fredersdorff, A Watts 13-23; N Hansford, K Whatling, J Sprouting, M Dorrington 21-21.

Winscombe C 46, Victoria C 68: D Beaverstock, P John, R Weller, G Hill 19-19;

R Sapsford, E Kindred, B Paul, M Hunt 17-20; D Peakall, D Johnson, J Smith, R Fisher 10-29.

ASHCOMBE Ladies 38 (4), Portishead 52 (6) North Somerset League: M Tucker, J Wilkinson, A Goacher 15-14; L Paterson, M Baker, S Weaden 7-23; N Counsell, J Hughes, S Ford 16-15. Friendly rink: J Matthews, D Norville, S Hopkins 13-18.

Ashcombe Ladies 111, Ynys 94 (friendly): L Owens, M Sell, N Counsell, J Hughes 18-25; A Cox, M Parry, M Baker, S Ford 30-20; S Davies, R Counsell, J Wilkinson, C Hedges 26-14; S Appleby, S Noyes, G Wilkinson, J McInally 19-17; M Main, I Baker, M Tasker, S Weaden 18-18.

Ashcombe Ladies 127, Devon Ladies 108 (friendly): L Owens, S Bayntun, J Wilkinson, M Baker 18-24; I Cracknell, D Norville, J Sansam, J McInally 28-11; J Field, M Sell, N Counsell, S Ford 17-22; S Noyes, S Appleby, M Tucker, A Goacher 21-21; A Cox, S Davies, M Tasker, S Weaden 13-23; M Main, J Matthews, B Cullen, C Hedges 30-7.

Ashcombe 45, Long Ashton 21 (after 12 ends): A Cox, M Tasker, M Tucker, S Weaden 18-5; L Owens, M Sell, C Hedges, S Hopkins 8-11; S Noyes, L Paterson, D Norville, M Baker 19-5.

CLARENCE ladies continued their good start to the season in the North Somerset Triples League when they beat Clevedon Prom by 11 shots.

Top triple for Clarence were Jean Colman, vice-captain Jo Mannion and Pauline Burrough, who finished 14 shots ahead. Pam Barnbrook’s trio drew with a single on the last end.

Clarence Ladies 53, Clevedon Prom 42: S Scoins, C Cromey, P Barnbrook 14-14; S Ellis, V Senior, M Noddings 15-18; J Colman, J Mannion, P Burrough 24-10. Friendly triple: L Oldham, V Jones, P Hawkins 14-18.

CONGRATULATIONS go to Wessex member Mary Davis on attaining her Somerset Bowls Association Badge.

Heavy rain shortened the league match against Winscombe to 15 ends.

Wessex Ladies 36 (1) Winscombe 41 (9): P Turner, J Palmer, E Deane, P Taylor 14-14; N Peters, M Hawkins, B Jones, A Fewings 9-12; C Peart, P Dunn, J Duffy, J Davis 13-15.

WINSCOMBE ladies had a good week, winning both their matches in the Wessex League.

The first was against Wessex at Clarence and then against North Petherton at home. They beat Wessex 41-36, winning two rinks and drawing the third. They defeated North Petherton 58-49, with skip Sue Caddy leading her rink to a 30-5 victory.

Winscombe Ladies 41, Wessex 36 (Wessex League): C Hopes, J Kimmins, L Fredersdorff (c), R Keane 15-13; M Smith, L Dyer, W Weller, S Caddy 14-14; M Sprouting, J Rush, T Miles, E Watts 12-9.

Winscombe Ladies 58, North Petherton 49 (Wessex League): T Darkin, M Smith, L Whatling, M Adams 7-27; S Lowis, L Parfitt, E Watts, L Fredersdorff (c) 21-17; P Heal, S Nash, S Lowman, S Caddy 30-5.