Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Leaders face tough test, St Georges look to bounce back, Castlefields look for improvement
Flowfit Shropshire Premier Bowling League Leaders Sir John Bayley face a tough task in week 17 of the league as they travel to Wrockwardine Wood. This fixture has finished 8-6 to the home side over the last two years and it would be expected to be another close game. Bayley captain Spencer Clarke comments “we face the Wrockites which is not an easy place to visit and where we have mixed fortunes in recent years, so it’s very difficult to predict an outcome. It has been very quiet on our “what’s app” group this week but I am hoping we respond positively from our cup exit and continue to play with the same confidence as in recent weeks, fingers crossed we gain a decent points haul to keep our title aspirations alive.” Home skipper Tom Langford knows it will be a “tough game for us against SJB, league leaders and playing well for it too. Obviously with both teams having a number of Stafforshire Lads the atmosphere will be great. I am sure captain Goose is looking for a win against us but it’s going to be a tough challenge when they walk through those gates tomorrow night. Either way we look forward to welcoming the Bayley Boys and having a great game.”
St Georges suffered their first poor result for a while last week when they got 2 at Burway and will be looking to bounce back. Returning captain Tony Rhodes knows it is a “massive game after last week and need to make it 1 bad week as opposed to 2 disappointing ones to keep in the mix. Having said that about last week the team tell me Burway were excellent.” They take on an Ifton side who have had a good record there over the last couple of years, getting 5 last year and 6 the year before, this after having a poor record there before. Ifton will be looking for the same again but have struggled away this season. Captain Dickie Jones says “we go to St Georges who are most people’s favourites for the league. We are unchanged from last week’s good home win and are looking to do better away from home in the second half of the season than the 1st.” Chester Road sit in 2nd but face a tough trip to Wem USC, a team who is playing very well at home. They were asked a question by Castlefields last week and answered it, coming back well to win the game, and will need the same spirit to beat a buoyant Chester Road side. Meole Brace in 3rd will be looking to cash in with the top two having tough away games with a home game against bottom of the table Hadley USC. Meole will be hoping for the 13-1 home win over Hadley they did last year, but with it being a different green Hadley know the result could well be different and need to gain some decent points with Bylet hosting Burway. Bylet have not won at home since week 7 and know they must start doing so if they to avoid bottom spot. Burway produced an excellent result last week beating St Georges 12-2 and will be looking to continue that form with their second away win, after winning at Hadley USC 8-6.
Castlefields will be looking to “improve their home results” according to joint captain Callum Wraight. “We’ve been poor at home, we’ve had a few 8-6 wins which are not good enough, if we could have won what we had expected at home then we would be right up the table. We suffered a loss of confidence after losing to Meole Brace in the Alan Mayhew Trophy Final, maybe we thought we would turn up and win and that backfired with some big cards wasted. I feared the worse last week in the County Cup Semi without some key players but we bounced back with a great performance. It was a massive boost for us for the rest of the season and know we have 16/17 players in our squad who are looking to earn their place in the final. We are just hoping to put together a good run between now and the end of the season and see where it takes us. We shouldn’t win the league but you never know this season, it’s been the most unpredictable for a long time and everyone has a chance as it has opened up.” On facing the Champions, Callum said “Newport have struggled this season with losing 5 players and with those 5 they probably would have ran away with the league again, but even without these they are still a tough team to beat. However we would be looking for a 10-4 or 11-3 win to get a good home win and start a good run.” Newport are in 7th place, just one point behind Castlefields, and know that they can still achieve a good finish themselves if they can put a good run together. Bowring are another team that are just sitting outside the top four after a tough run of fixtures, and know that they need to start producing some good results to help them move up the table, but face a tough trip to Hanwood this week. Hanwood have been excellent at home apart from one blip against Meole Brace, and with the majority of their 11 games remaining at home, know some good home wins will move them up the table from their 11th place.
Week 17 Fixtures:
Castlefields v Newport
Meole Brace v Hadley USC
Hanwood v Bowring
Wem USC v Chester Road
Wrockwardine Wood v Sir John Bayley
St Georges v Ifton
Bylet v Burway