Around the bowling greens

Great Yarmouth and District Federation Bowls League

THE Lacon Cup final at Acle between Rollesby and Woodbastwick was a credit to the game, with lots of keenly fought ends.

For the first five ends Rollesby had to struggle to keep in the game, being down 9-23. Woodbastwick at 10 ends were 43-20 to the good. Rollesby lost a little more ground at 15 ends and in the closing stages held on but could not close the gap and the final score was Woodbastwick 81, Rollesby 48.

The game was well supported and the Acle green and hospitality were excellent. President R Meeks presented the winning captain with the cup.

The Watering Bowl final is tomorrow (Saturday) at Caister Bowls Club starting at 6.30pm between Potter Heigham and Hickling.

The Division One leaders are still bringing in good results apart from one hiccup. Burlingham had two maximum wins 94-54 (7-0) against Gorleston Conservatives and then 97-52 (7-0) playing Halvergate Top Green.

Martham A withstood the pressure with home wins against Gorleston Conservatives 76-52 (6-1) and Potter Heigham 103-52 (6-1) but then had a tumble at Northgate, losing 78-79 (2-5) and their unbeaten record. Northgate then had another good home win playing Runham 75-70 (5-2).

Woodbastwick produced two good wins, at home to Gorleston EBF 100-58 (7-0) and then at Runham 89-2 (7-0). Mixed fortunes for Fleggburgh Private, at Runham losing 52-102 (0-7) and then 67-79 (2.5-4.5) at Acle, but they won at Gorleston EBF 74-61 (6-1).

In Division Two, Repps had three home wins, 78-59 (6-1) against Winterton, 92-64 (6-1) against Hickling and then 79-63 (6-1) against Ludham, blunting some championship hopes.

Caister A travelled well to Hickling for a 74-69 (6-1) win, but away to Filby B just lost out 66-68 (2-5 ), so another unbeaten record gone. But they keep in touch with the top bunch (tables on page six.)

Lovewell Blake Malta Cup League by Brian Grint

WINS by Martham A and Freethorpe A keep them in contention for the runners-up spot in Division One but Great Yarmouth A won away at Fleggburgh, and a win this evening at home to Acle A will put them in the race as well.

Acle's postponed match against Bradwell was due to them travelling to York to play in the quarter-finals of the national double fours, a game they lost.

In Division Two, Browston A lost for only the second time this season, against Caister 6-1, Acle B had a good win at Browston B 7-0.

The game of the week saw Freethorpe B 65 against Browston B 66 with Browston taking the lion's share of the points. The runners-up spot in this division looks a three-horse race between Caister, Acle B and Martham B.

Bradwell BC

BRADWELL'S first open tournament of 2009 on Sunday saw the maximum entry of 28 triples and a record number of supporters and spectators.

Andy Cameron assisted by Tom Hall directed play. It was good to see Eric Mills fit again and taking an important part as umpire. The results were exceptionally close, the top two blocks earned 35 points, the order determined by shots difference. The third, fourth and fifth triples all scored 31 points and shots difference was again the deciding factor.

The top cash prize winners were from Aldeby, J Rochard, D Kerry and R Searll. From Bradwell, George Barnes, Stan Hopwood and T McNulty came second.

The August 16 open tournament is fully subscribed but supporters and spectators are welcome.

There were near misses for the ladies' team in the Lovewell Blake Malta Cup match against Gorleston. Kathy Hewitt, Jean Moore and Shirley Lloyd 12-13; Jean Fagan, Diane Purnell and Jill Boggis 18-21; Joan Bayfield, Joy Williams and Dahlia Macdonald were prevented from scoring on more than half the ends.

Against Ormesby in the Hansells Norfolk County EBA League Ken Saward, Ollie Scarfe, Terry Payne and Eddie Macdonald had an exceptional 40-10. Keith Cooke, Ted Connellan, Malcolm French and Mick Marshall 22-10; Bradwell's third block 13-23.

Keith Cooke, Ted Connellan and Mick Marshall in the Norfolk County Federation League, at home against Woodbastwick, won 24-13; Malcolm French, Terry Payne and Eddie Macdonald 17-13; the third triple 9-19.

In each of the week's two Lothingland League matches Bradwell secured two wins and a draw.

At home against the Cliff Hotel, Anne Baker, Ray Norton and Thelma Bradnum earned an authoritative 21-14; Jean Fagan, Paul Vincent and Derek Patterson 19-17; Paul Lown, Frank Hatton and John Ward 17-all. The fourth rink scored 13-18.

Away against Corton, Peter King, Thelma Bradnum and Dahlia Macdonald took the express route to 35-11 while Terry Gallant, Anne Collins and Joan Bayfield won 25-17; Jean Fagan, Joy Williams and Hugh Clifton 19-all; the fourth rink scored 12-24.

In two matches in the Lowestoft and District League Bradwell lost away to Lowestoft Railway although Anne Baker, Ted Connellan and Mick Marshall snatched their last two ends for 12-11. At home to Kessingland B Bradwell's best result belonged to Rita Ellis, Sheila Bean and Ken Hall 27-10; Tom Hall, Ivan Rudge and Bryan Goffin 17-18; other scores were 14-18 and 15-26.

In the Sunshine League, away against Oulton Broad, Elizabeth Ward, George Coxsey and John Ward won 20-17. Other rinks recorded 15-22 and 13-33.

Bradwell enjoyed a friendly match at Green Lane against Long Stratton, honours going to the home team.

Great Yarmouth BC

In the Norfolk County League, the A team had a very good result against league leaders Great Plumstead A, winning on all rinks 57-48 (5-0).

J Ellis, D Bowers, J Sexton and B Warnes 20-16 win; K Dunn, D Seabourne, D Mann and M Cook 19-17; T McNulty, R Pooley, J Hewitt and M Colcombe 18-15.

The B team played the C team, winning on all rinks 71-41 (5-0).

L Comerford, N Green, G Logan and J Glendenning against B Baker, A Huggins, K Burrage and S Wheeler 25-10; L Moore, P Comerford, E Bulley and R Albone beat M Yarrow, P Ladmore, D Kingston and A Smith 26-14; A Comerford, L Gutteridge, F Elliott and W Moss beat T Westgate, H Plane, D Hatchett and J Elliott 20-17.

In the Lovewell Blake Malta Cup, the A team went to Fleggburgh Private and won 60-46.

D Seabourne, P Barber and M Cook 29-9; J Ellis, D Bowers and D Mann 20-10; D Richards, J Hewitt and R Pooley 18-13 and T McNulty, J Sexton and B Warnes 13-14.

The club had two friendly matches, winning one and losing one. In the first against Inishaw BC from Leicester, they won on four rinks and lost on two, winning 119-101. Top rink was D Seabourne, G Swanston, J Gray and B Warnes (34-14). L Westgate, D Bowers, T McNulty and J Glendenning won 19-16. T Westgate, P Ellis, G Logan and J Warnes won 22-16. L Comerford, L Gutteridge, J Wheeler and R Albone won 19-13. M Oram, S Hopwood, E Bulley and D Richards lost 14-20 and A Comerford, S Wheeler, M Lynes and B Payne lost 11-22.

On Sunday they travelled to Framlingham and lost 123-139, winning on two rinks and losing on four. Top winning rink was A Comerford, P Comerford, J Saunders and J Warnes (36-19). M Oram, T Westgate, D Richards and B Warnes won 26-15. S Bradford, E Harris, G Logan and K Dunn lost 15-32. C Johnson, L Westgate, S Wheeler and G Curtis lost 12-28. J Burrage, D Saunders, D Seabourne and T Seabourne lost 21-22 and L Comerford, B Pooley, R Pooley and B Payne lost 13-23.

Club competitions. Open singles: P Barber beat D Richards 21-13. Open pairs: T McNulty & D Richards beat L Moore & D Seabourne 27-10. Open fours: J Wheeler, S Wheeler, J Gray, R Pooley beat G Logan, T McNulty, J Disspain, J Warnes 24-19; J Ellis, D Mann, K Dunn, B Warnes beat A Comerford, L Moore, L Comerford, D Seabourne 32-9. Men's two wood singles: J Glendenning beat B Warnes 18-14. Men's pairs: D Webster & D Mann beat G Logan & R Pooley 21-17. Triples: P Barber, J Hewitt, M Colcombe beat L Gutteridge, M Dixon, J Glendenning 18-8. Ladies' singles: S Allen beat C King 21-19. Ladies' pairs: L Westgate & C King beat J Burrage & J Warnes 27-16.

Rollesby BC

ROLLESBY'S week started at home in the Broadland League to Hickling and proved to be the tightest of tussles. Losing on one rink by 13 shots was compensated for exactly by wins on the remaining three, J Palmer,R Austin, A Plamer 20-18, S Allen, R Clark, T Avery 21-15, J Austin, M Coots, E Taylor 21-16. Overall score 75-75, Rollesby taking 4.5 points against 2.5, courtesy of the three winning rinks.

Again, in the Broadland, away on the Wroxham 'Bowl' Rollesby never really mastered the green at all and lost heavily on all rinks, points 0-7.

Travelling to Potter Heigham in the Yarmouth League, trying to pick up valuable points, Rollesby were 18 shots down after five ends and never really got into the match with only one block taking a single point.

Shots 56-86, points 1-6, J Seeranj, M Thomas, T Avery 19-17.

Saturday evening, saw Rollesby take on Woodbastwick at Acle in the Lacon Cup final, and unfortunately it appeared that they had played their best woods in reaching the final.

The score was called at five ends with Rollesby trailing 9-23 which worsened to a 21-shot deficit at the halfway mark. Rollesby seemed unable to stem the shots against and finished poor losers to a good Woodbastwick team, final score 48-80 with special mention to the only winning block of J Palmer, T Wright, A Palmer who retrieved a seven shot deficit at 12 ends to snatch a victory on the last end 17-16.

Rollesby Bowls Club would like to congratulate Woodbastwick on their win and also thank Acle Bowls Club for the venue and the excellent refreshments afterwards.

Away to Caister Centurions in the County League, wins of 20-19, T Bolton, A Christie, T Wilkin and 19-14, J Seeranj, D Gammon, A Palmer, were undone in the remaining rink where the visitors went down 8-22. Final score 47-55, points 2-7.

Browston Hall Bowls

THE A team played St Marks at home in the County League. J Malcolm, R Barrett P Tyrell and A Harrison 27-14; J Burwood, C Brown, C Butcher and J Rounce 21-17; D Pratt lost 15-18, and with two winning rinks Browston took five points from the game.

In their Malta Cup game at Caister only one point was scored, top rink P Morris, A Harrison and J Ellis 25-12.

The B team struggled in both their County League and Malta Cup games.

At Gt Plumstead they were defeated 37-84, no points scored. D Farman, P Chaplin, G Brister and J Kelsall, 12-8 up on the 11th and 17-17 at the 19th, then lost four shots over the closing two ends.

At home to Acle B in the Malta Cup the home sides were in front over the opening ends, but the only rink to stay in contention M Harvey, W Good, and C Edwards eventually lost 17-18 on the last end.

The EDF team managed only two points in their 39-67 defeat at Caister. J Malcolm, P Ridler and P.Smith top rink winning 19-12.

Hickling BC

HICKLING lost to Caister 1-6 in the Yarmouth League.

In the Three Wood League the A team beat Ormesby Reds at home 9-0 and the B team beat North Walsham New Road 5-4 away.

Hickling lost to Rollesby 2� to 4� away in the Broadland League but won 6-1 against Stalham away.

In the Ladies League, Hickling Ladies beat Caister Castle 6-0 and Blofield 5-1.