Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Friday 4th October
Childs Ercall retained their Premier League status tonight when they overcame Bowring by 25 chalks at Meole Brace. In another very well attended final playoff game, Childs Ercall were made to work hard by a determined Bowring side who defied the odds in the first four games and matched the side from Market Drayton win for win.
Graham Wood proved to be No.1 for Childs Ercall and easily won 21-4 to give the wooden spoonists a great start, buy young Craig Davies, a Shropshire County Junior player rose to the occasion and replied with a fine 21-9 win. Then long time Bowring stalwart Neil Harding who started his game impressively was seen to make Premier League Individual Merit winner, Peter Farmer struggle and Neil won 21-13 to put them in front for the one and only time. Brian Shore overcome a tentative start to beat Robin Clarke 21-15 to give Childs Ercall a slender 3 chalk advantage after 4 blocks.
Childs Ercall rallied in the middle in fine style and with all four winners led by 28 after 8 blocks and were close to victory. However, Bowring captain Sean Round started with three successive 2’s in his game and whilst Jonathan Martin rallied to 8-6 down, Sean won 21-12 to leave them only 19 adrift and with George Davies 14-7 up in his game and Glyn Hayward in front in his game, all was not lost, but “Ercall” captain Dale Booth was to prove the hero of the hour and when he led a two foot bowl at 20-11 up, his opponent Colin Jones was unable to beat it and Childs Ercall were far enough in front to know that they had survived the dreaded relegation “Playoff” and preserve their status in the Premier League.
Full scorecard see below………..
Played on Friday 4th October at Meole Brace (Non Premier)
Bowring B.C. v Childs Ercall B.C.
| SCORE | PLAYERS NAME | NO. | PLAYERS NAME | SCORE |
| 4 | DON BRISCOE | 1 | GRAHAM WOOD | 21 |
| 15 | ROBIN CLARKE | 2 | BRIAN SHORE | 21 |
| 21 | NEIL HARDING | 3 | PETER FARMER | 13 |
| 21 | CRAIG DAVIES | 4 | STEVE MATTHEWS | 9 |
| 18 | ALLY WILLIAMS | 5 | ADRIAN SMOUT | 21 |
| 17 | TONY HAYWARD | 6 | ROB MASSEY | 21 |
| 8 | RICHARD SUGGETT | 7 | GRAHAM FARMER | 21 |
| 16 | STEVE PARTON | 8 | DAVID BROWN | 21 |
| 11 | COLIN JONES | 9 | DALE BOOTH | 21 |
| 21 | SEAN ROUND | 10 | JONATHAN MARTIN | 12 |
| 21 | GEORGE DAVIES | 11 | BARRY CLARK | 14 |
| 18 | GLYN HAYWARD | 12 | BILL TUNKS | 21 |
| 191 | 216 |
Wednesday 2nd October
Childs Ercall will now play Bowring at Meole Brace on Friday 4th October commencing at 7.00 pm. In tonight’s pre playoff game Bowring overcame District by 24 chalks. In a close encounter, Bowring led by 1 after the first four only to District to hit back and lead by 2 after 8 blocks off. Bowring then asserted themselves and with the last 4 winners ran out comfortable winners. Full details see below………..
Played on Wednesday 2nd October at Meole Brace (Premier)
Bowring B.C. v District B.C.
| SCORE | PLAYERS NAME | NO. | PLAYERS NAME | SCORE |
| 9 | DON BRISCOE | 1 | BRIAN JONES | 21 |
| 21 | ROBIN CLARKE | 2 | BARRY JONES | 7 |
| 21 | NEIL HARDING | 3 | CARL HINTON | 18 |
| 17 | CRAIG DAVIES | 4 | CHRIS LLOYD | 21 |
| 21 | ALLY WILLIAMS | 5 | ROB MANSFIELD | 9 |
| 9 | TONY HAYWARD | 6 | RICHARD PULLEN | 21 |
| 21 | RICHARD SUGGETT | 7 | DAVE KYNASTON | 13 |
| 10 | STEVE PARTON | 8 | JIM EVANS | 21 |
| 21 | COLIN JONES | 9 | ALAN GRIFFITHS | 15 |
| 21 | SEAN ROUND | 10 | PETE OWENS | 19 |
| 21 | GEORGE DAVIES | 11 | MIKE TOWNSEND | 18 |
| 21 | GLYN HAYWARD | 12 | PETER REEEVES | 6 |
| 213 | 189 |
Pictured below are both Bowring and District from last nights matches
Bowring – Back Row: (from left) Sid Poole, Steve Parton, Robin Clarke, Craig Davies, Barry Harrison, Glyn Hayward, George Davies;
Front Row Sean Round (captain), Neil Harding, Tony Hayward, Richard Suggett, Ally Wiliams, Don Briscoe, Eric Jones.
District – Back Row: (from left) Mike Mullock, Rob Mansfield, Alan Griffiths, Richard Pullen, Chris Lloyd, Jim Evans;
Front Row: Dave Kynaston, Carl Hinton, Brian Jones (captain), Pete Owens, Barry Jones.
The details of the games and rules are as follows:-
Wednesday 2nd October commencing at 7.00 pm
Pre Play off Match
District v Bowring
at Meole Brace No. 2 (Premier League Green)
Referee – Dave Card
Friday 4th October commencing at 7.00 pm
Relegation Play Off
Childs Ercall will play the winners of the above game
on Meole Brace No. 1 (Non Premier Green)
Referee – Dave Card
| District and Bowring await the showdown | |
| By Malcolm Fletcher courtesy of the Shropshire Star | |
| Two Shropshire champions will clash for the right to meet Childs Ercall in the Furrows Premier League’s relegation play-off next Friday.District, who retained the SPS Whitchurch League crown on Tuesday, must to do battle with Bowring – first time kings of the Worthington Mid Shropshire League – on Meole Brace No 2 on Wednesday (7pm).And the winners of that ‘pre play-off’ tussle will go forward to the showdown with Premier wooden spoonists Childs Ercall on the other, non-Premier green, at Meole two days later.
For the Whitchurch club it will be their third successive crack at the play-offs but, following the winter change in the rules about players who are ineligible, they agonised long and hard before deciding to go ahead. Skipper Brian Jones won’t be able to call on Charlie Weaver, Martin Lloyd or Paul Griffiths – who all play for Chester Road in the Premier – nor female regulars Sylvia Jones and Mary Mottershead. But District officials feel they have got to keep trying in a bid to progress and attract new young players. There was no such agonising for Wellington-based Bowring after their historic triumph was sealed by a four point haul at Bylet on Friday to pip reigning champions Dun Cow to the title. “We’ve had a few near-misses but this is the first time we have won it,” said ecstatic Bowring captain Sean Round. “It’s always been the aim to go for the play-offs because we have always wanted to play in the highest league available to us.” While Andy Jones was clinching St Georges’ title triumph in the Premier, his father Colin was the Bowring hero at Bylet. His win at No 9 added to earlier Bowring wins from divisional averages winner Ally Williams, former Bayley Premier man Robin Clarke and Don Briscoe. Round won’t be able to play Karen Smith or Brenda Slingo in the play-offs due to the ‘no women rule’ – but he’s still staying positive. “We do not know a lot about District so we are going into the unknown, but we will give it our best shot,” declared Round. No doubt Childs Ercall skipper Dale Booth will be a very interested spectator come Wednesday! |