Acle Indoor Bowls by Brian GrintPLAYING Colchester in the last 16 of the national Yetton Trophy, Acle added another place name in Norfolk for Colchester supporters to dislike.

Acle Indoor Bowls by Brian Grint

PLAYING Colchester in the last 16 of the national Yetton Trophy, Acle added another place name in Norfolk for Colchester supporters to dislike.

At home, Betty Brown, Barbara Meeks, Elaine Cole and Melanie Haylett were holding five shots on the second end until England international Liz Tunn, skip for the opposition, fired the jack out of rink. The Acle girls looked in for a close game, but shortening the jack length went in their favour. they scored a five on the sixth end, and after another five on the 11th they looked in charge at 17-8 up.

On the 13th end they dropped a five for 19-13. The following end they were five down, but a Melanie toucher changed that and the Acle girls responded, all four bowling within inches and going on to win 28-16.

Joy Pearson, Maureen Wright, Jean Cossey and Marion Himpleman, in a high-standard game, were five each at seven ends then 9-7 up after 11. The 12th end was loose for the Acle girls and Marion stood over the head of bowls counting seven down.

It needed something special and Marion found it, drawing shot bowl. The opposing skip pushed her own bowl up for shot but Marion was flying high and drew a toucher. This end changed the game and Acle won the next six ends with a magical display to win 23-12.

Away, Jennifer Hudson, Molly Auld, Marie Barker and Sue Batchelor were three each at five ends, 8-12 down at 12 but scored a five on the 15th to level at 14 each. With every player committed they finished 21-18.

Jill Saunders, Gwyn Xeureb, Jenny Kirby and Geraldine Reeve scored a five on the sixth end and were 12 each at 10 ends, 18-17 at 15 and won four of the last five ends to win 22-20.

This win for Acle was one to be remembered not only for its high standard of play, the abilities of the players on both sides but for the way both teams enjoyed each other's company and the game of bowls.

Result: 94-66 and now the wait to hear who the opposition will be on March 11 in the national quarter-finals.

Away to leaders County Arts, Acle Ladies' A won 52-45 (7-1 points) to take over at the top of the table with five games left.

Jill Saunders, Maureen Wright and Geraldine Reeve were 8-2 up after seven ends, dropped a four the next end, but dropped only one more shot and won 16-7.

Shirley Lettice, Gwyn Xuereb and Elaine Cole went 2-7 down after five ends but by eight ends had pulled back to seven each, nine each after 11 ends then scored a four and won 15-11.

Lillian Barber, Betty Brown and captain Barbara Meeks went 8-1 up after scoring a four on the fifth end that was cut back to 9-8 after nine ends. They dropped a four on the 11th to go 12 each, but Barbara won the final two ends for a 15-12 win.

Marie Barker's block were three each at five ends, dropped a five on the seventh, fought hard but lost 6-15.

Acle Ladies' B team at home to North Walsham A were looking for their first win of the seasonagainst the might of Walsham.Result: 44-42 and 6-2 points.

Gladys Gibbs, Rose Yaxley and Margaret Shields scored a four on the fourth end to take a 5-3 lead, by seven ends it was 9-4 and by nine it was 9-8. The final four ends were close but all Acle's as they won 13-8.

Pat Pegram's block went into a 4-1 lead after four ends but by seven ends it was seven each, and despite some close encounters Pat's people just lost 8-11.

Anne Drury's block started slowly and were 1-7 down at five ends by 10 ends it was 4-10, and with opposing skip Jayne Roylance dominant it finished

5-14.

Edna Land, Debra Nicholson and Bing Smith were three each at four ends dropped a four on the eighth to go 9-8 but from here the Acle girls took charge and playing the final end they were 16-9 up.

With all other rinks finished and the scoreline at 42 each this final end was a nail biter. Holding two shots within inches of the jack, Christine Webb for Walsham had little choice but to fire, and missed twice for Bing's girls to win 18-9. The first win of the season, and against quality opposition. Margaret Rowsell's team had smiles all round.

At home to the Dell the Men's A team expected a good win to keep in the hunt for the county championship. Result: 110-61 and all seven points.

John Marshall, Bernie Willimott , Simon Elliott and George Tubby went 8-2 up after five ends but dropped a five on the sixth that acted as a wake-up call. They stormed to 23-9 lead at 15 ends and lost on only four ends, finishing 35-9 victors.

John Colcombe, Will Pitt, Daniel Noble and Lewis Moore were 9-3 up at five ends, 12-5 at 10, then 20-8 at 15 and cruised home 27-15.

Jamie Howlett, Peter Cator, Rob Parker and Robin Norman were 9-6 up at nine ends then scored an extraordinary seven on the 10th and after a five on the 14th went 24-9 up. They relaxed in the finishing stages but won 28-18.

Mark Elliott, Wyn Willimott, Denis Goodley, and Tony Dunton were 4-8 down at five ends and 5-13 at 10, but bounced back to 13-14 at 15. A brace of threes put them 20-17 up with two ends to play and they won 20-19.

Away to Pentney the Men's B Team were aware with the pace of the surface there would be a big difference to the Acle Green.

Jim Fruin, Ron Taylor, John Harris and Les Smith were five each at five ends, scored a seven on the sixth and by 10 ends were 16-6 up. At 15 it was 19-10 and playing the final end 19 each. They finished in style, winning 22-19.

Mick Harvey, John Lettice, Mick Crow and David Cole, 3-7 down at five ends then 11-9 up at 10, were looking comfortable at 22-14 after 18. They then dropped a five on the 19th, dug in and won 24-19.

Alan Rowsell's rink were four each at five ends and 6-13 at 10, 7-18 at 15 and lost 11-24.

Bimbo Meeks' rink were also four each at five ends, 6-8 at 10, then stuck and were 6-19 at 15. They came back dropping only one more shot but lost 17-20.

Result: 74-82 and 2-5 points. A disappointing result but not surprising.

Great Yarmouth Ladies

The Ladies' Blue Team playing at home to Roundwood had a great win, taking eight league points with a win of 65-39, staying in front all through the game.

W Ellison M Oram and J Saunders were the best block, winning 10 of the 15 ends played. Down 3-9 at eight ends, they won all seven remaining ends to win 19-9.

H Farrow, J Barber and T Lewis, down 4-6 at five ends, won 13 more shots to two against over the remaining seven ends, winning 17-8.

M Surplice, M Clark and M Symonds, level at 5-5 on six ends, went ahead 13-5 scoring eight shots on the seventh end. Their opposition won the next three ends for 13-10, but the Blues held their nerve, scoring another four shots to one against and the game finished

17-11.

J Carter, C Jesty and J Rose had a close game and were 8-6 up at nine ends but lost four shots on the next two ends 8-10. They gained four shots on the following two ends, making it 12-10. Another shot was scored on the last end by Roundwood and the game finished 12-11 to the Blues.

Browston Hall Bowls

Away to Lakeside C, the men's B team, after being 36-44 down at halfway, won 85-76 for six points.

P Tyrell, R Turner, C Posner and D Hancock took an early lead and went on to win 31-11.

R Barrett, K Saward, B Drinkall and A Hills, again in front from the start, won 25-12.

B Brown, P Chaplin, R Carroll and D Chumbley, 9-10 at halfway, went ahead to win 26-16.

In their game at home against County Arts A the A team were only three shots adrift at the halfway mark 39-42, but strong opposition took the game away, and the men only scored one point, the winning block of V Moore, J Lake, P Aldis and M French 27-22.

The blocks of D Pratt and P Hurren both finished just one shot down 18-19 and 20-21.

The Ladies' B team took two points (44-67) at home against Wymondham B, Eileen Newberry, Joyce Harvey and Jill Adams three all at the third then went into the lead to win 16-7.

Jill Boggis, Pat Smith and Ann Ingham with four shots on the third end put them in front where they stayed to win 15-11.

The ladies' A team took one-and-a-half points in their away game against league leaders Shotford A.

In an unusual result three blocks all recorded a draw, B Cheverton, 12-12, J Butcher 11-11 and A Kher 9-9.

Great Yarmouth and District Ladies' Federation Bowls League

There are vacancies in this very friendly outdoor league for the coming season. Teams, consisting of nine players, play in the evenings on a home and away basis from May until August.

If your club is based around the local area and you would like to join up and enter a team this year, please contact the league secretary, Edna Land on 01493 733822.