Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Top four face tough away trips, Dragons and Fields face tough home games
The top four of the Flowfit Shropshire Premier Bowling League all face tough away trips this week in week 6. Top of the table Ifton travel to Bylet, a place where they won 10-4 last season. But Bylet have strengthened since that game though, a fact captain Dickie Jones acknowledges. “Bylet have improved from last season when we won there so I’m expecting a tough game. But it’s a place where we have done well in the past so am hopeful it will continue.” Bylet will be looking to build on a run of seven straight home wins since that loss to Ifton at the start of the second half of the season, their best home run for a long time in the league. They beat Hadley USC 11-3 in their last home game and will believe they can push Ifton all the way. Second placed Meole Brace though face a much tougher task in travelling to 5th place St Georges. St Georges gained an excellent five at Ifton on Wednesday and will be looking for that form to continue at home. They have beaten Burway and Sir John Bayley 10-4 in their two home games and will be looking for something similar against a Meole side who have a good record up on the top green, scoring at least 4 the last 6 seasons including a 9-5 win in 2014. Home captain Tony Rhodes is looking for “another solid home performance like the last game against Sir John Bayley, one of the best teams on paper.” Opposite captain Mark Thomas knows “our game at St Georges will be one of the games people will be watching as they are a much fancied team playing with a bit of momentum. We have had some good results as well and we are hoping to keep our good form going on what may be a warm night!”
The two Wellington clubs face very tough away trips. Sir John Bayley travel to Castlefields who will be looking to bounce back from a narrow defeat at Burway after leading 3-1 and only beating Chester Road 9-5 at home. Captain Spencer Clarke knows “Castlefields are a very talented side who play their green exceptionally well so our trip tomorrow will be a tough one. It is always a difficult place to go however I will be looking for the lads to approach the game as we did against St. Georges a couple of weeks ago, and fingers crossed we can get a good result. Overall, our home form has been solid but I am conscious that at some point we do need to start picking up a couple more winners away from home, albeit this won’t be an easy task tomorrow.” Also one of Bayley’s stalwarts, Steve Burroughs, who has enjoyed a good start to the season winning 4 out of 5, will hit a milestone tomorrow night. “I also want to take this opportunity to mention that Steve Burroughs will be making his 500th Shropshire Premier Bowls League appearance tomorrow night, so will join a handful of bowlers to do so. Steve is a superb loyal club man and I wish Steve all the very best in his game.”
Bowring face a tough trip to a Newport side hurting from a 13-1 loss at Chester Road and being beat by Meole Brace on Wednesday in the Black Tech Ltd Alan Mayhew Trophy. But Newport have enjoyed two 9-5 wins over Castlefields and Meole Brace at home and are still a force on their green. Captain Mark Selley knows this but also admits that “Bowring have strengthened well over the Winter and have added a player since in James Grimston who makes them a threat but we are at home.” Bowring though have had three players practising for the County game there last Sunday; Rob Roden, Jamie King and Dave Lloyd, and this may give those three an advantage. But captain Rich Lawson knows that “Newport is always a tough game away, past seasons will show that it’s not our favourite place to visit. Although they have lost a few players they are still a very good team and at home their record is second to none, it has been dry the past few days so I expect the green to be running. If we can get 4/5 winners then I think that will be a good outcome, anything more than that would be a bonus!”
Wem USC will be looking to the home game against Burway to move off the bottom of the table. They won their last home game against the Champions Newport, but only had 5 winners to go with the two aggregate points. Burway have scored 4 in their two away games at St Georges and Hanwood and will be looking for something similar at Wem where they have scored 2 3s and a 4 in the last three seasons. Hanwood take on a much improved Chester Road who are riding high after their incredible 13-1 home win over Newport last Friday and reaching the semi finals of the Black Tech Ltd Alan Mayhew Trophy on Wednesday night. Hanwood have won 9-5 and 10-4 in their two home games and will be hoping the dry weather will get their green running well. The last game of the night sees a Telford derby in Wrockwardine Wood taking on Hadley USC. Hadley have a good record on Wrockwardine’s green, getting 5 last season and winning there the year before. But Wrockwardine have made a solid start to the season at home winning 11-3 and 9-5 and will be looking to bounce back from their 2 at Ifton last week while Hadley try and build on there win at home to St Georges last Friday.
Week 6 Fixtures:
Bylet v Ifton
St Georges v Meole Brace
Castlefields v Sir John Bayley
Newport v Bowring
Hanwood v Chester Road
Wem USC v Burway
Wrockwardine Wood v Hadley USC