Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Top 3 look for big home wins, Fields and Newport face tough away trips, Can Wrockites win at Ifton again?
The top 3 of the Flowfit Shropshire Premier Bowling League will be looking for big home wins in week 5 to move ahead of the three teams behind them who are all away. Top of the table Meole Brace play a Bylet side who have enjoyed a good start to the season and find themselves in 8th place. Bylet have only scored more than 4 twice there in the history of the league but with it being on the other green they will be hopeful of scoring more. Meole have had two 10-4 home wins so far but will be looking for more to extend their lead at the top. Second placed Bowring, two behind Meole Brace, take on bottom placed Wem USC. Wem have had a poor start but did get their first win last week at home to Newport, although with only 5 winners. Bowring have started well as their new signings have settled in well and will be wanting to keep their momentum going, Sir John Bayley in 3rd place take on Hanwood, with joint captain Mark Shore returning to the club he played for for a number of years, including a County Cup success in 2006. Hanwood scored 4 down the road at Bowring and will be looking for something similar after their first away game whitewash at Ifton. The Bayley have started well at home, beating Bylet and Wrockwardine Wood 11-3 and will be also looking to keep that run going at least.
4th placed Castlefields face a tough trip down the A49 to Burway. Burway captain Chris Dovey knows “we are in for a tough game especially with Wayne Rogers not being available but from 1-12 we think we are strong enough. The season is going to plan at the moment.” Burway haven’t had the best start at home, beating Wrockwardine Wood 10-4 and Bylet 8-6 and will be looking to return to the emphatic home wins that dominated their season last year. Castlefields have enjoyed an up and down start, getting 4 at Bowring and a good 5 at Newport and then a disappointing 9-5 home win over Chester Road, but know they have a team capable of getting some good points in Ludlow. Chester Road will aim to build on that 5 when they take on Newport, who won on their for the first time last season. But despite Newport losing players, Chester Road captain Paul Fowles “will respect their current team that they have but we will be looking to continue our good form.” On their good record against Newport, “Previous results do not carry much weight with me it’s about what happens on Friday that counts.” Newport have enjoyed a good start to the season with 5 at Hanwood and 7 at Wem USC so will be looking to match their away win there last season. 6th placed St Georges only sit 4 points off top with a game in hand and will fancy their chances at winning at Hadley USC to keep up their good start. They won there 9-5 last season and with Hadley being the only team yet to win at home yet, after defeats at home to Ifton and Meole Brace, they will be looking to win there. Hadley will want to steady the ship and gain some impetus after their opening day win at Wem USC.
7th placed Ifton also have a game in hand on the top 5 and will be looking to put the one wrong from last season right. They lost 8-6 at home to Wrockwardine Wood last season in their only home defeat, but captain Dickie Jones feels “this time we are stronger so I am looking to bounce straight back from last week’s loss. They bowled our green well last season to win on it. We welcome back Andy Hughes, Leighton Roberts and Dave Bond back.” Wrockites captain Tom Langford says “last year’s results was good for us as we all played well as a team and that’s how we have been playing this year. We know that they have strengthened and it’s going to be difficult but we are playing well and know that last year’s win will be in both teams’ minds so it should be a good night.”
Week 5 Fixtures:
Meole Brace v Bylet
Bowring v Wem USC
Sir John Bayley v Hanwood
Burway v Castlefields
Chester Road v Newport
Hadley USC v St Georges
Ifton v Wrockwardine Wood