Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Horsehay make bow, Top two face away trips, North Shropshire Derby
The Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowling League returns with Horsehay the 25th club to enter the league. They start with a tough trip to Hanwood, but did have 6 play on there on Wednesday in the Audlem Special Events Team Alan Mayhew Trophy, so will have some green experience. Hanwood have lost and gained a few players over the Winter so will be eager for a good start to the season. Bylet have also lost a few players over the Winter and their new look side take on Burway who have strengthened after losing a few players the Winter before. Wem USC finished bottom last season, but will be hopeful of avoiding that this season. They face a tough start to last year’s runners-up Castlefields, new captain Andy Marshall saying “we are looking forward to what’s going to be a really exciting match against a very tough Castlefields side. We have 2 prem debutants in the team who I am sure will handle the occasion without any problems. We are obviously aiming to start the season with a home win but realistically with the challenge of playing a Castlefields side full of county regulars any improvement on our four at home to them last year would be good!” Castlefields have improved their squad from last season and will be knowing a win is essential to be able to win the league.
Last year’s winner Sir John Bayley travel to one of the few greens where they lost last season at Highley. They have made some new signings, including former Highley captain Reece Farr, so will be wanting to put that loss right this season. Highley skipper Stu Gittings says “well the season is here again. First fixture is Sir John Bayley (probably the Man City of bowls currently!). We are at home, half of us will be the first time we’ve seen it this season. They are the current champions, a great side with some new very good players. It’s early in the season and we will expect to give them a tough game. We are pretty much the same as last season except for Reece Farr but we currently have 3 players unavailable due to recouping from various surgery procedures, However the signing of Simon Rhodes and Jamie Taylor from Bylet will be great acquisitions for us! Prediction 6-6 and the shots?” St Georges and Wrockwardine Wood know the Bayley are the team to catch and have home games to kick off the season against Meole Brace and Ifton respectively. The two visiting sides have both strengthened and looking to improve on last season’s 5th and 8th place finishes respectively.
There is one derby in the first set of fixtures as Adderley host Hanmer, a game Hanmer won 14-2 last season. Home captain Gary Whitehall says “the first game of the season sees us welcome our friends and neighbours from Hanmer. I’m a big believer in learning from mistakes so we’ve got plenty to go at in this fixture, last season they thrashed us on and off the green, ate most of the food and sang Welsh songs in the clubhouse, definitely the best performance at Adderley by a visiting team that I can remember! Let’s see if we can do a little better this time Best wishes to all for the coming season.” Opposition skipper Ieuan Pugh said “looking forward to the first game of the season. It’s a team we know well so we know it’s going to be a good game. They have strengthened their squad this year and so have we so hopefully it’s a good battle and a good night.”
Week 1 Fixtures:
Hanwood v Horsehay
Bylet v Burway
Highley v Sir John Bayley
Wem USC v Castlefields
St Georges v Meole Brace
Wrockwardine Wood v Ifton
Adderley v Hanmer