Royle strengthen their hand

REIGNING champions Royle strengthened their position at the top of the Inbev Winter Bowling League’s ‘A’ Division when they defeated second-placed Waterloo and Taunton in a gripping encounter.

Only two chalks separated the teams at the end of eight individual games, Royle clinching the aggregate to register an 8-3 victory.

An even closer match saw Lees/Springhead clinch the aggregate against Radcliffe by a single point.

However, they had six winners to two for a 9-2 success.

In the other ‘A’ Division match, Hopwood defeated Springbank 9-2 to retain third place, 17 points behind Royle but with a game in hand.

The bottom of the table clash in the ‘B’ Division saw Lower Failsworth beat Vixens 8-3.

Tonge stayed unbeaten with a 7-4 defeat of second-placed Nimble Nook, while third-placed North Chadderton beat Prestwich 8-3.

‘A’ DIVISION

Waterloo and Taunton (134) 3 Royle (136) 8: G I Wilson 17 M Gillies 21, A Critchlow 14 A Rushton 21, D Walker 19 T Hedderman 21, C Roberts 16 J Wade 21, L Lawton 21 E Davies 6, E Davies 5 G Coverdale 21, L Turner 21 P Fielding 18, C Heyes 21 M Clough 7.

Radcliffe (152) 2 Lees/Springhead (153) 9: N Turrell 21 C Bradbury 18, J Carr 21 P Tupman 9, T Lytham 16 A Cooke 21, K Newbury 16 T Rogers 21, M Middleton 20 W Roberts 21, T Taylor 19 M McClean 21, L Toth 19 B Reddyoff 21, I Turrell 20 P Edwards 21.

Hopwood (150) 9 Springbank (111) 2: K McHugh 21 J Hynes 8, S McHugh 21 D Crabtree 8, K Howarth 17 W McDermott 21, C Chapman 7 A Hodson 21, R Goodman 21 B Stapleton 18, N Greenhalgh 21 M Hodson 17, P Wakeling 21 L Roberts 5, G Gwilliam 21 G Smedley 13.

‘B’ DIVISION

Vixens (124) 3 Lower Failsworth (132) 8: A Burgess 15 K Cromwell 21, B Flanagan 21 J Fox 13, M Harrington 21 J Halliwell 7, C Apps 9 B Yates 21,A Woolley 8 P Gleaves 21, S Winterburn 13 N Colley 21, J Rayner 21 J Melia 7, C Kewley 16 G Goldrick 21.

Prestwich (141) 3 North Chadderton (149) 8: S Morley 19 D Mountford 21, G Martin 21 W Holland 14, M Davenport 14 R Jones 21, S Cameron 21 D Hoyle 11, A Davenport 17 J Irons Snr 21, J Davies 14 J Mountford 21, S Dixon 21 M Ray 19, A Conchie 14 J Irons Jnr 21.

Nimble Nook (127) 4 Tonge (139) 7: M Fisher 8 M Hargreaves 21, D Booth 7 A Gardner 21, R Ankers 21 P Butler 14, A Comer 13 P Byrom 21, S Schofield 21 C Bennett 17, B Seville 15 G Gardner 21, R Price 21 G Tompkinson 16, S Mellor 21 P G Brooks 8.