Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Bottom plays top as Archie face double home game, Wellington Derby
The top three are all away in week 18 of the Flowfit Shropshire Premier League. The top two face teams in the bottom five so maybe all will be spying an away win to keep up with the pace at the top. The toughest task for the top three is 3rd placed Sir John Bayley who travel the short distance down Haygate Road to take on the Bowring. Bowring have enjoyed a good season, being the most improved team at the halfway points. Captain Rich Lawson knows “it will be a keenly contested local derby. I know they’ll be looking for an away win but i have confidence in my players and if we play to our potential we should get the home win we’re looking for.” The Bayley have won there the last two years 10-4 but will be hard pressed to repeat this, despite them being on a run of 5 wins out of 6, as Bowring have averaged over 10-4 a win the last 5 home games.
Top of the table Newport travel to bottom side Archibald Worthington, who also take on Ifton the night after in a double home game for them. Archie are on a 10 game losing streak stretching back to a home win over Bowring in May so need to start winning games if they are to avoid the dreaded playoff. But it doesn’t come much harder than against the champions, who have nearly averaged 11-3 wins there the last four seasons. On Saturday they face a tricky task against an Ifton side who are playing well this season, finding themselves in 5th place. Ifton though don’t have the best records there, only winning outright once in the last 10 seasons, so Archie might be hopeful of a win to stop the rot. Ifton face a trickier task on Friday as they travel to Castlefields, whose home form has improved lately with good home wins over Chester Road, Archie and Wem USC. Ifton are still without captain Dickie Jones, but Kieran Roberts is still looking for positive results. “We go to Castlefields full of confidence looking for 5 or more winners but know they are a much improved side this year. Saturday we will be looking for a win against struggling Archie but know that they play their home green well so might be a close game.”
Meole Brace face a Hadley USC 3rd from bottom and reeling from last week’s shock 11-3 home loss to Wrockwardine Wood. But vice-captain Rob Burroughs is looking for his side to show some bouncebackability. “Last week was a bit of a shock but Wrockwardine played our green well and managed to edge all but one of the close games, we could have easily had 9 winners looking at the cards! Hopefully the rain stays away as it was an away friendly green last week as Meole will provide a tougher test. We did beat them here last season though and need to look to return to winning ways quickly if we are to keep in touch with the teams above.” Meole will know they can’t afford any slip-ups if they are to keep up with Newport at the top. Bylet will be looking to take advantage as they look to have an easier home game than the teams around them as they take on 11th placed Chester Road. Chester Road returned to winning ways last week when they beat St Georges 10-4 and will look to take that form away. They have an excellent record at Bylet, including winning there 12-2 last season, and Bylet have struggled at late, only winning 1 in 6 games, so it could go either way.
Burway will be looking to overhaul 4th placed St Georges as the two meet in Ludlow. Burway have been excellent at home, beating the champions 11-3 last home game, and will look for a similar scoreline to be able to overtake their visitors. St Georges didn’t have the best away result at Chester Road so will be looking to bounce back. The final game sees Wrockwardine Wood take on Wem USC. Wrockwardine are on form, winning their last four, all over 10-4, so Wem will face a tough task travelling there, especially as they have struggled on their travels, apart from a 10-4 win at Archie at the start of the month.
Week 18 Fixtures
Friday 31st July:
Burway v St Georges
Bylet v Chester Road
Archibald Worthington v Newport
Hadley USC v Meole Brace
Wrockwardine Wood v Wem USC
Bowring v Sir John Bayley
Castlefields v Ifton
Saturday 1st August:
Archibald Worthington v Ifton