Hodson leads way as ’Bank start in style

BOWLS: WATERLOO and Taunton and Springbank finished first and second respectively in last year’s Inbev Winter Bowls League ‘A’ Division.

But it was runners-up Springbank who came out on top 8-3 when the two sides met on the opening day of the new campaign.

Martin Hodson led the way for Springbank with a 21-5 success.

Hopwood top the table after their 9-2 defeat of New Street, while Royle beat promoted Springhead 7-4.

Vixens played two matches in the ‘B’ Division and won both.

Chadderton Cot and Stalybridge were dispatched 8-3, while the other fixture saw Failsworth defeat Dogwood 7-4.


TONGE’S three representatives in the Champion Of Champions tournament at the Waterloo Hotel in Blackpool made early exits.

Andrew Cairns beat team-mate Gary Ellis 21-14 in the first round before losing by the same score to Noel Burrows in the last 16.

Burrows had earlier beaten Tonge’s recently-crowned Waterloo champion Simon Coupe 21-9.

The competition was won by Yorkshire’s Chris Mordue, who defeated Derbyshire’s Andrew Spragg 21-19 in the final.


TONGE’S Jimmy Derby lost in the final of the St Joseph’s Open in Chorley.

Beaten finalist in the Waterloo Handicap, Derby was runner-up again as Heswall’s Dave McDermott registered a 21-13 triumph.

Gary Ellis lost 21-5 to Lee Heaton in the quarter-finals, while Derby defeated his Waterloo conqueror Coupe by the same score.

Derby had better luck in Springbank’s John Willie Lees Two-Man Team competition.

Along with Tonge team-mate Matt Gillies, he landed the £440 top prize with a final verdict over Gary Ellis and Paul Heap.