Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Leaders face tough Bowring test, Ifton and Meole face long hard trips
Three out of the top four all face tough trips in week 12 of the Flowfit Shropshire Premier Bowling League. Leaders St Georges travel to 3rd placed Bowring with a 6 point advantage and captain Tony Rhodes is “looking for points but hope the rain doesn’t cause a call off!” St Georges won at Bowring last season, 8-6, and do have a good record there over the years. Bowring skipper Rich Lawson knows “St Georges are top for a reason, they are playing very well and will provide stern opposition for us. We’re doing well at home so far so I’m hoping we can gain a decent home win, realistically I’d be happy with a 9-5/10-4 as they are a quality side who play our green well. I’m sure it will be a cracking encounter played in a great atmosphere.” Meole Brace in 2nd face a long trip down the A49 to Burway, a team on the up after some good home and away performances, including a fine 8-6 win at Hadley USC last week. Burway leader Chris Dovey knows “Meole are a very good side but hope to continue our good run on the back of a great result against Hadley with a great team performance.” Meole have a good record there, winning 10-4 in the first season and getting 6 and 5 there since and captain Mark Thomas will be hoping that continues. “Friday we travel to South Shropshire trying to stay in touch with St Georges. It looks an even match on paper, as usual the draw will be key and the rain we have had should help us a bit. We are hoping to do better than our last away performance were we lost heavily (11-3 at Chester Road).”
Ifton face a tough trip to as they travel to Sir John Bayley. Ifton have started to rediscover their form from the start of the season after beating Bowring 10-4 last week and will look to take advantage of a misfiring Bayley, culminating in an 8-6 loss at home to Chester Road last week. Skipper Spencer Clarke though “congratulates Paul Fowles and his troops on an excellent win at our place last week, well done and fully deserved. On that note, we don’t want a repeat and need to get back to winning ways quickly on a Friday so I am hoping the cup victory, midweek, will lift us to eventually spark on a Friday. Ifton play our green well and with conditions far from ideal it’s up-to to us to step up accordingly.” Ifton skipper Dickie Jones knows “going to SJB after their defeat last week will be difficult as they won’t want another bad result as that will affect their title chances, but as title challengers ourselves we need a good result there.” Newport have quietly moved into 5th place and will be looking forward to taking advantage of a Wrockwardine Wood side who have been struggling lately, however did halt their run of successive defeats after beating Hanwood at home with just 5 winners. Newport beat Ifton 11-3 last time out and after 6 at the Bayley and winning at Bylet will be hoping to continue their form and close the gap above. Hanwood are another team in form, following their win at Bylet with 7 winners at Wrockwardine Wood and won’t be afraid of a trip to a Wem USC side getting better and better at home after their opening day defeat. The rain will certainly help the visitors like it did last week but Wem will be hoping that they can continue their move up the table.
Chester Road are another team in form, after beating Meole Brace 11-3 they stunned the Bayley by winning 8-6 there. They take on a Hadley side struggling for form, narrowly dipping out at home to Burway last week by 2 chalks. But Hadley have scored 5 at Chester Road the last two seasons, only losing by 1 there two seasons ago, so will be hopeful of rediscovering that form. However this is a different Chester Road who are in good form at home after their opening defeat there. Castlefields find themselves in the unusual place of 9th after 11 games, but will be hoping a big home win, which they’ve lacked many of this season, will push them up the table. Bylet have a poor record on Queen Street, only scoring 4 three times at best in their history in the Premier League, but will be hoping that they can produce another away performance like they did at Wrockwardine Wood where they won 9-5.
Week 12 Fixtures:
Bowring v St Georges
Burway v Meole Brace
Castlefields v Bylet
Chester Road v Hadley USC
Newport v Wrockwardine Wood
Sir John Bayley v Ifton
Wem USC v Hanwood