Royston Bowls Club round-up

On Saturday June 4th, the Royston Ladies took on a team of Ladies from the Havers Park B.C. in the Ladies Top Club Competition.

In the Singles, Royston’s Gillian Fisk had a close encounter with M Hurst, who just past the post first with a score of 21 shots to 16.

In the Pairs, Royston fielded Linda O’Flanagan and Shirley Pawson to compete with J Cracknall and M Scruton. This game appeared to be somewhat one-sided as the Royston duo romped home with a decisive 28 shots to 8 win.

The Triples also had a comfortable win. Royston’s Eileen Sheriff, Eileen Hyde, and skip Yvonne Whitehouse, cruised home to a 27 shots to 12 triumph.

Beryl Huckle, Anne Martin, Pam Keating, and skip Eunice Dockree, had a much closer game in the Fours. Their success over their opposition was a mere five shots, with a score of 16 – 11, but a win was all that was required for Royston to move into the next round.

Sunday saw the Royston Men in action against a team from Oak Hill B.C., to compete in the National Top Club Competition.

In the ‘short straw’ position, the Two Wood Singles, was Royston’s Roger Davies.

It was a ‘slow but sure’ pace for Davies as he claimed victory of 14 shots to 9 on the 14th end.

Next up was Matt Coppen in the Four Wood Singles. Coppen’s opponent was a very competent player in the guise of D Bowler. He gave Coppen a run for his money, making a late run after being 11 shots adrift on end 13. Bowler doggedly ploughed on chipping away at Coppen’s score, and pulled back to be within 3 shots. At this point Coppen, who’s score had been on 18 for four ends, rolled in 3 shots which Bowler failed to convert. This clinched the game for Coppen with a

21 shots to 15 win.

The Pairs match saw Royston’s Laurie Ramsay and Peter Adams leave their opponents standing, with an immaculate sprint to the line to win by a convincing 25 shots to just 6.

In the Triples, Royston’s Simon Lee, Roger Neville, and skip Mick O’Flanagan, were never in any danger as they lead from the start and continued to score at a steady rate to ease home for a 19 shots to 4 victory.

The Royston rink of Stan Whitehouse, Will Martin, Don Sheriff, and skip Stewart Brown, were let of the hook when their game was ended on end 15 when they were 14 – 7 down. The reason for this was that Royston had won four of the five disciplines, and would now advance to the next round.

In a National Mixed Fours match on Wednesday 8th June, Eileen Sheriff, Eileen Hyde, Don Sheriff, and Stewart Brown, had a win of 25 shots to 14 over their opposition. They just edged away throughout the game claiming a 4 and 3x3’s on route.

The Bushey B.C. was the venue for Royston’s Mick O’Flanagan and Laurie Ramsay as they competed in the National 55 and Over Pairs Competition.

It was a six, a five, and a four, which help give the Royston duo a comfortable win of 29 shots to 9 against.

It was a very close and entertaining game on Thursday 9th, when one of Royston’s

Two Fours Teams were engaged in battle at the Welwyn & District B.C.

At the half way point of end 10, the four of Brian Pepper, George Lewis, Peter Fisk, and skip Keith Dockree, were 8 – 3 down. The other Royston four of Stan Whitehouse, Terry Hollands, Derek Goodwin, and skip Colin Wilson, were 12 – 6 up. The lead changed on several occasions over the remainder of the game, with no team taking command. However, it was a late run by Royston over the last few ends which saw them pass the post first with the Wilson four scoring 21 shots to 15, and the Dockree four settling for a draw at 18 shots apiece.

Royston won by just six shots with the final score at 39 shots to 33.

There was another fours match on Thursday, this time it was the National Over 60 Mixed Rinks competition. (2x4’s) Playing away at the Roebuck B.C. Stevenage, the two Royston rinks had a very convincing win.

Royston’s Brenda Hollands, Charles Gifford, Eileen Hyde and Don Sheriff, eased home to an 18 shots to 8 win over their opposition skipped by S Brackley.

Royston’s other rink were in devastating form as skip Peter Adams lead his team of Eileen Sheriff, Roger Davies, and Shirley Pawson, to an awesome score of 35 shots to just 5 scored against by their opponents skipped by J Brackley.

In the National Mother & Daughter Competition, the Royston duo of Anne Martin and daughter Lorna Lee, scored a dominating triumph over their challengers from the Drums B.C. (Grays in Essex) with a 21 shots to 6 result.

Several matches during the week featured the Letchworth & District competitions.

First up were the Men’s Fours on Monday. It was the Royston four of Eddie Collins, Roy East, Peter Fisk, and Will Martin at Skip, who took up the challenge against A Cross, D Davies, M Wintrip, and D Turner from the Baldock club.

These two teams were evens on end eleven, but it was Baldock who edged away to a 16 shots to 12 win.

The L & D Triples on Wednesday, saw Royston field the same team with the exception of East. They were at home to the Letchworth Whitethorn club. At one point Martin was six shots up, but Whitethorn skip Paul Andrews, encouraged his team to fight back, which they did, and they came to within one shot. At this point the Royston four collected a 6 which sealed Whitethorn’s fate, and Martin’s men claimed victory at 24 shots to 15.