Duo’s home comforts

BOWLS: LEE Schofield and John Ashton will have home advantage in the finals of the Oldham Evening Chronicle Bowling Handicap.

The two North Chadderton players came through a tough-looking card at Delph to book their places in the last eight at North Chadderton Social and Bowling Club on Saturday, July 10.

They were joined by last year's runner-up Darren Griffiths (Nimble Nook) and 2008 champion Alan Hodson (Springbank), who both qualified at Royton.

Schofield was in great form, seeing off dual champion Neil Armstrong (St Paul's) 21-11 and Bob Horrocks (Crompton) 21-7 to go through.

His team-mate, Ashton, had to work a little harder, beating Alan Bidwell (Springbank) 21-19 and Steve Mellor (Nimble Nook) 21-20.

In the latter game, Mellor looked sure to reach finals night, but he let slip a 20-15 lead.

At Royton, Griffiths looked to be going out in the last 16 when he trailed Syke's Jeff Thompson 20-17.

But he progressed by the minimum margin.

Hodson, meanwhile, was in superb form, brushing aside Jonathan Copeland (Nimble Nook) 21-12, David Williams (Chadderton Hall Park) 21-10 and Len Kewley (Springbank) 21-11.

Results:

ROYTON

First round: R Gaskell 9, B Seville 21; D Griffiths 21, C Kewley 13; D Rae 13, J Thompson 21; T Gowers 13, C Wilson 21; L Kewley 21, B Raynor 17; S Bentley 21, T Copeland 16; D Williams w/o, J Wade abs; A Hodson 21, J Copeland 12.

Second round: Seville 5, Griffiths 21; Thompson 21, Wilson 12; L Kewley 21, Bentley 14; Williams 10, Hodson 21.

Third round: Griffiths 21, Thompson 20; L Kewley 11, Hodson 21.

DELPH

W McDermott 21, R Nisbet 18; P Clough abs, R Horrocks w/o; M Fisher 13, L Schofield 21; P Heap 13, N Armstrong 21; A Bidwell 21, M Gillies 19; M Holden 13, J Ashton 21; A Smallwood 10, C Bradbury 21; D Crabtree abs, S Mellor w/o.

Second round: McDermott 10, Horrocks 21; Schofield 21, Armstrong 11; Bidwell 19, Ashton 21; Bradbury 15, Mellor 21.

Third round: Horrocks 7, Schofield 21; Ashton 21, Mellor 20.