Victoria lose out to St Andrews in first leg

VICTORIA played St Andrews in the first leg of the Ron Taylor Cup and have left themselves a difficult task, needing to overcome a 19-shot deficit.

Victoria won just one of the rinks with Pete Wyatt, Lee Stocker and Mike Stocker winning by an impressive 17 shots.

In the Somerset County Double Rink competition, Victoria’s men succumbed to Puriton, although Mike Stocker skipped his rink of Pete Wyatt, Mike Manning and Dave Fairhurst to a win.

Victoria ladies showed the men how to progress to the next round by winning both their rinks skipped by Margaret Hillman and Mildred Chudley, supported by a hard working squad and will now play Street in the next round of the Somerset County Double Rink.

Victoria 58, St Andrews 77 (Ron Taylor Cup): P Wyatt, L Stocker, M Stocker 27-10; J Langridge, M Milliner, J Newman 8-22; D Beard, B Pocock, D Fairhurst 8-24; R Bromet, D Williams, D Sealey 15-21.

Victoria 34, Puriton 43 (Somerset County Double Rink): P Wyatt, M Manning, D Fairhurst, M Stocker 20-19; D Williams, G Rain, J Newman, P Fisher 10 -24.

Victoria Ladies 48, Watchet 31 (Somerset Ladies Double Rink): K Wilson, C Sage, S Newman, M Hillman 26-16; T Ellis, E Newport, A Holland, M Chudley 22-15.

A BUSY week for St Andrews saw them with a chance to reach the last eight in the country in the Denny Plate, a ladies’ double rink against Donyatt, the Optika against Clarrie Dunbar, men’s double rink against Clarrie Dunbar and national and county competitions.

Saints put up a good fight in the Denny Plate against Mid Gloucester and were in front at 10 and 15 ends with the two home rinks having a good lead. However, the opposition followed up with four good ends on both rinks to reduced the scores.

Both home rinks managed a win - Andrew Owens 21-19 and Phil Villis 22-18, but with both away rinks losing, Saints went down by nine shots.

The ladies’ double rink against Donyatt were successful, Meg Favis’ four at home were 0-4 down after two ends, then never looked back and went on to win 37-12. Away, Audry Powell’s four did well to come back from a losing position at 10 ends to win 21-15.

The ladies’ Optika played at Clarrie Dunbar found the opposition that bit stronger, Saints’ four skipped by Ann Campbell managed a win by two shots 19-17, but the pairs lost 15-18 and the triples 10-24.

The men’s double rink against Clarrie Dunbar at home saw a close encounter. Andrew Owens’ four were leading till the final two ends, but went down by one shot 18-19. The away rink of Barrie Forse struggled and lost out 10-26.

In the national Over-60s semi-final, J Wilkes and R Gill played M May and J Lennon of Minehead and lost by one shot 17-18.

In the national Over-60s singles area final, Barrie Forse beat W Anderson of Ilminster 22-10.

Phil Villis, D Johnston and Forse beat a triple from Taunton Deane 16-8 after 16 ends in the county Over-50 triples area final.

Andrew Owens beat G Jay 21-6 in a county singles match.

St Andrews 75, Mid Gloucester 84 (Denny Plate): A Hyde, P Aldus, C Walker, A Owens 21-19; J Wilkes, D Bailey, K Curtis, P Villis 22-28; K Uglow, G Webber, D Johnston, B Forse 11-20; G Millard, G Wride, B Reeves, S Davies 21-27.

St Andrews 28, Clarrie Dunbar 45 (double rink): J Wilkes, W Harrison, C Walker, A Owens 18-19; K Uglow, S Davies, P Villis, B Forse 10-26.

St Andrews Ladies 58, Donyatt 27 (double rink): P Uglow, C Riley, P Barnbrook, M Favis 37-12; J Forse, M Millard, S Sinclair, A Powell 21-15.

St Andrews 1, Clarrie Dunbar 2 (Optika): M Millard, M Favis 15-18; C Venn, S Sinclair, J Smith 10-24; P Uglow, M McMillan, A Powell, A Campbell 19-17.

St Andrews Ladies 58, Donyatt 27 (double rink): P Uglow, C Riley, P Barnbrook, M Favis 37-12; J Forse, M Millard, S Sinclair, A Powell 21-15.

CLARENCE men avenged their defeat by the ladies in the first Grudge Match of the season when they beat them by 15 shots in the second battle of the sexes.

Bolstered by a couple of ladies masquerading as men, they never looked back after Jo and Tony Mannion and Jim Keay had won the first game by 10 shots.

Pauline Dunn’s trio were held to a draw in the second game when John Atkins and his team picked up a three on the last, meaning that the men still led by 10 at lunch.

After a splendid meal, cooked by Lesley Phipps, helped by other ladies, battle resumed, with Roger Burrough winning the skips’ battle against his wife Pauline by six shots to extend the men’s lead.

John Kelloway, Nigel Martin and John Atkins had a six on the first end of the fourth game, leaving Pat Taylor’s triple with a mountain to climb. They nearly got to the summit, earning five shots on the last two ends to lose by just one.

The final game saw three comparative novice ladies Ros Francombe, Eileen Wade and Janet Anning spring a surprise, beating a strong-looking men’s team 6-4 to complete an enjoyable day.

Results: Marlene Woods, Lesley Phipps, Veronica Jones 3, Tony Mannion, Jo Mannion (honorary man), Jim Keay 13; Geraldine Hookway, Lucy Oldham, Pauline Dunn 4, Pam Fowler (honorary man), Ivan Phipps, John Atkins 4 (aggregate 7-17); Janet Anning, Beryl Deacon, Pauline Burrough 3, Rod Smith, Nigel Martin, Roger Burrough 9 (aggregate 10-26); Irene Hicks, Jill Coles, Pat Taylor 9, John Kelloway, Nigel Martin, John Atkins 10 (aggregate 19-36); Ros Francombe, Eileen Wade, Janet Anning 6, Barry Benn, Ray Badman, Jim Keay 4 (aggregate 25-40).

WOODSPRING Indoor Bowls Club ladies defeated Winscombe on both rinks and ran out 59-19 winners.

Woodspring played a return mixed match against Puriton, taking rink one by 12 shots and losing rink two by seven shots, running out winners by five shots.

In the Weston Mixed League, Woodspring played Clarence and lost on two rinks and drew on the other two.

The ladies played a friendly game with St Andrews and lost on both rinks.

Woodspring 37, Puriton 32 (mixed friendly): J Watson, R Cleeves, B Cullen, D Hurst 23-11; G Tucker, C Hedges, M Sutton, A Williams 14-21.

Woodspring 44, Clarence 49 (mixed league) - home: G Fews, J Beat, R Cleeves, M Campbell 16-10; S Andrews, I Miles, M Brummell, J Sansam 12-12. Away: S Noyes, M Sell, J Watson, P Gaulton 7-18; S Searle, C Hedges, B Cullen, S Hedges 9-9.

Woodspring Ladies 19, St Andrews 41 (friendly): S Noyes, J Beat, B Cullen, S Lupton 12-13; M Sell, P Wynne, T Miles, M Sutton 7-28.

Woodspring Ladies 59 Winscombe 19 (friendly): S Noyes, S Hadley, M Tasker, S Weaden 25-12; C Webb, C Hedges, M Sutton, B Cullen 34-7.