Bowls news

SPRINGBANK ‘B’ were fifth division champions of the Oldham Women’s Bowls League. Vice-captain Brenda Bassett (front left) and captain Kathy Emmott are pictured with their team-mates.

SPRINGBANK and Radcliffe, two teams vying to avoid relegation from the ‘A’ Division of the Inbev Winter Bowling League, shared the spoils in a dramatic clash.

They had four winners apiece at Chadderton Cot and, when the aggregates were added up, the two teams could not be split.

Royle show no signs of loosening their grip on the title race, underlining their their mastery of the artificial surface with a 9-2 demolition of a strong New Street outfit. But second-placed Hopwood have not given up hope of catching their rivals. They defeated Waterloo and Taunton 8-3 to give themselves a 12-points buffer over the third-placed Ashton Road outfit.

With Royle sitting it out next weekend, Hopwood will be looking to make inroads into their 19-point lead.

Tonge continued their unbeaten run at the top of the ‘B’ Division with a 9-2 defeat of Dogwood.

Lower Failsworth clinched the aggregate by three points to overcome third-placed Nimble Nook 7-4, while Vixens registered their first win of the season with a 7-4 return against Prestwich.


‘A’ DIVISION
Waterloo & Taunton (127) 3 Hopwood (142) 8: A Critchlow 11 R Goodman 21, D Hibbert 21 M Keegan 12, L Turner 12 K McHugh 21, J Blezzard 20 P Wakeling 21, C Heyes 21 M Heselwood 13, P Leah 21 C Chapman 12, S P Adshead 10 S McHugh 21, A Walker 11 G Gwilliam 21.

New Street (114) 2 Royle (158) 9: A Lowe 16 P Fielding 21, R J Lorimer 21 E Davies 12, D Moulton 7 T Hedderman 21, M Prosser 21 D Murray 20, A Shackleton 12 M Gillies 21, M Holden 7 A Rushton 21, M Suthers 11 G Coverdale 21, A Cairns 19 M Clough 21.

Springbank (140) 5.5 Radcliffe (140) 5.5: L Roberts 12 K Newbury 21, G Smedley 12 L Toth 21, C Lane 21 T Lytham 17, D Robinson 21 J Carr 20, Martin Hodson 14 T Taylor 21, B Stapleton 21 A Weekes 10, J Hynes 21 M Middleton 9, A Hodson 18 I Turrell 21.




‘B’ DIVISION

Dogwood (113) 2 Tonge (161) 9: G Hallsor 2 M Hargreaves 21, C Breakell 21 P Byrom 15, F Shaw 21 M Baguley 20, R Collier 12 A Gardner 21, R Crossley 18 P G Brooks 21, D Brierley 8 G Tompkinson 21, P Heighway 17 G Gardner 21, D Dawson 14 C Bennett 21.

Vixens (132) 7 Prestwich (121) 4: B Cooper 21 J Davies 5, J Rayner 21 A Davenport 12, A Woolley 6 S Cameron 21, B Flanagan 17 G Martin 21, M Harrington 9 S Blaymire 21, A Burgess 21 A Conchie 6, S Winterburn 16 I Luckett 21, D Fish 21 S Morley 14.

Lower Failsworth (144) 7 Nimble Nook (141) 4: J Halliwell 21 C Seville 15, B Corr 18 J Apps 21, K Cromwell 14, S Mellor 21, P Gleaves 17 F Cassidy 21, B Yates 21 E Worthington 17, J Fox 11 B Seville 21, G Goldrick 21 D Booth 8, J Melia 21 A Comer 17.


Dave Roberts beat fellow Ashtonian John Blezzard 21-19 in the final of Sunday’s winter green competition at Hurst Band BC.

In the semi-finals, Roberts defeated yet another Ashton-based player, Paul Leah, 21-17, while Blezzard overcame Denton’s Paul Craven 21-20.

The consolation final was won by Hyde’s Keith Matley, who defeated Stalybridge’s Bill Stewart 21-18.