MATT Coppen faces a hat-trick of semi-finals following an impressive week. The talented youngster first helped Royston through to the semi-finals of the Inter Club Team Ten competition with their narrow victory seeing off Oakhill BC of East Barnet. Copp

MATT Coppen faces a hat-trick of semi-finals following an impressive week.

The talented youngster first helped Royston through to the semi-finals of the Inter Club Team Ten competition with their narrow victory seeing off Oakhill BC of East Barnet.

Coppen set Royston on the road with a win in the four-wood singles, before pairs duo Simon Lee and Stewart Brown crashed to a 38-12 defeat.

However, Royston's hopes were lifted when Terry Hollands, Laurie Ramsay and Mick O'Flanagan then coasted to a comfortable 27-12 win in the triples.

The pressure was then on in the fours, with Brian Pepper, Don Sheriff, Roger Neville and Peter Adams losing early ground and trailing 14-8 after 15 ends.

Staring defeat in the face, Adams galvanised his team and fought back to secure an entertaining draw. As a result Royston won the overall contest by two points and set up an eagerly awaited semi-final.

Alongside Adams, Coppen is also through to the semi-final of the County Pairs following a close 25-20 victory over Owls BC of Garston.

And in completing a hat-trick of semi-finals he saw off clubmate Ramsay in the quarter-final of the County Singles.

However, there was to be no county semi-final for Colin Wilson, as he crashed to a disappointing 21-8 defeat to St Albans' K Budd in the quarter-finals of the County Unbadged Singles.

There was however, success for the club in the Cairns Cup, with Royston seeing off Holwell 77-54. Colin Pawson, Neville and O'Flanagan lost their game by just one shot, as Pepper, Will Martin and Derek Goodwin had to settle for a draw.

Fortunately for Royston, Stan Whitehouse, Ramsay and Adams raced to an impressive 19-10 victory, and with Sheriff leading Hollands and Mel Flack to a decisive 26-11 win Royston secured a commanding overall victory.

And there was also a comfortable win for the ladies in the North Herts Ladies Challenge Shield with Hitchin no match for Royston.

Yvonne Whitehouse claimed an easy 21-5 win in the singles, while Eunice Dockree and Eileen Sheriff waltzed home with an equally comfortable 18-5 victory. Then in the triples, Beryl Huckle, Eileen Hyde and Shirley Pawson recorded a resounding 49-0 win.

Royston Vets also registered a valuable win, romping to a 91-63 victory over Shephalbury Vets. Royston only lost on two of their five rinks, with Potter, Colton and Lewis scampering to an impressive 26-9 win.

A MEMORIAL day was held by Melbourn Bowls Club to honour former club president Mick Kernaghan, who died in November last year.

The club has also erected a Mick Kernaghan honours board, which was unveiled by Mick's daughter Moira.

And Melbourn entertained a number of clubs in a memorial tournament.

During his 17 years at the club Mick played an active role in the playing, organisation and development of bowls in Melbourn, and became president of the Cambs and District League in 2006.

In 2000 he also became a CCBA umpire and officiated in a number of important matches.

A spokesman for Melbourn Bowls Club said: "The honours board will be used for the Monday afternoon league, which Mick set up in 1993 to encourage new bowlers.

"It is a very fitting tribute to a man Melbourn Bowling Club will always remember and respect."

Playing at Meldreth, Barbara Clutterbuck from the home club and Doreen Smith (Newnham) eased their way into the semi-final of the County Over-55 pairs competition, with a win over the St Neots pairing of Cynthia Towson and Hazel Wright.

With some consistently good drawing, Barbara and Doreen built up a 21-6 lead by the halfway stage, but a spirited fightback saw the visitors pull back to 22-14.

The home pairing then tightened their game, to win by 25 shots to 15.

In the men's County League, Meldreth had a resounding win over top-of-the-table Cottenham 79-70, and picked up 6 points to 1.

Chapman and Smith both won on their rinks by one shot, but the rink of Peter Rice, Dennis Evans, Mike Hardiman and skip Ken Lee had a convincing 27-16 win.

RESULTS

Men's County League

Cottenham 70 (1pt) Meldreth 79 (6pts)

(Meldreth names first) Rink One: W Parkin, D Indaco, J Stubbings, R Smith 18; P Duncan 17. Rink Two: D Peacock, G Burns, H Spraggett, A Genockey 14; N Lawrence 18. Rink Three: S Chapman, D Sheldrick, G Gunton, M J Chapman 20; B Lawrence 19. Rink Four: P Rice, D Evans, M Hardiman, K Lee 27; T Baker 16.

Foxton Afternoon League

Meldreth 36 (3.5pts) Great Shelford 27 (1.5pts)

(Meldreth names first) Rink One: B Brooks, D Evans, S Chapman 12; A Watson 15. Rink Two: A Mead, G Burns, H Spraggett 9; B Mabbutt 9. Rink Three: D Barclay, K Pryke, G Gunton 15; R Clifton 3.