Gameweek 12 Review

Wrockwardine & Newport win away, Burway bash Hanwood, Chester Road fightback

There were two away winners in Gameweek 12 of the Salop Leisure Shropshire Premier Bowling League as Wrockwardine Wood and Newport both won in North Shropshire. Wrockwardine followed up their 2015 win at Ifton with another as they increased the pressure on them at the bottom of the table. Captain Rob Jones said it was a “perfect response to last week. First four were immaculate and we could have taken all four, three from the middle then set us up nicely. Ifton are a decent team so full credit to my lads for the way they responded to last week’s set back.” Stuart Rutter was best winner for the Wrockites 9 while Geriant Williams was best for the home side 10. Newport also won away at Hanmer, a green most had not seen before. Skipper Mick Jones commented “we were delighted to have 8 winners on a green we knew nothing about, good team performance.” Mick himself won 5 but it was Russ Pegram’s 3 win that was best winner for them. Jack Hewitt was best for the League debutants, who after three good results now find themselves back in trouble at the bottom, while the former Champions move up to 4th place.

Chester Road bounced back from that Hanmer home defeat with 5 winners at Castlefields, and with two 19 losers it could have been much more. Captain Paul Fowles explained “we played very well could have been 4-0 up or 4-0 down in a very close first four so 2-2 was a fair outcome. After that, apart from the 3 we won we maybe should have had 1 more as Alex Lockett was 18-11 up but Paul Williams held in to win 19. Overall it was a big improvement so we hope to kick on from that.” Mark Holland was best winner for the Whitchurch side 11 while Steve Freer was best for the title chasers, winning 6. Sir John Bayley will be happier of the two teams just below Castlefields as they scored 6 at Meole Brace. It could have been different for the Bayley boys as “we were 6-3 up and about 9 up on aggregate but their back three never gave our three any room, they were all exceptional” explained vice-captain Rob Burroughs. “We were very happy with the 6 winners though which keeps us up there. Norman Harvey did excellent to beat Darren Wellings and Spencer Clarke was 11-1 down before virtually running out 12. The Staffordshire lads did very well on a very tricky and quick green to gain us our other four winners (with Chris Ward the best 7), think it suited them more as they hadn’t played it so much like the Shropshire lads had, and this was very different to what the green usually is like! Apart from the back three Colin Beaman was faultless in the corners and Julian Cooke set them off well being best winner 4.”

Burway bashed Hanwood 12-2 to move within 3 points of their opponents. It was another classy home performance from the Ludlow lads with Kiah Roberts leading by example winning 1o while for the Shrewsbury side it was Ash Wellings and Phil Lyttle continuing their fine form both winning 14. Hanwood though only lost by 43, with all their players getting double figures, so they will be thinking it could have been more. Wem USC beat Bylet 10-4 to halt their slide after three straight defeats, with Derek Wright leading by winning 8. Jamie Taylor was best winner for the visitors winning 13 as they slid down to the bottom of the table. There was a close game at the Bowring as them and St Georges shared the 12 winners, with Bowring winning the aggregate by 14 thanks to Reece Farr and Phil Jones winning 9. For the Dragons Ian Gaut was their best winning 14.

Castlefields lead Meole Brace by 6 before the two meet on Friday, with the Bayley a further two behind. At the bottom and Bylet trail by 3 points to Chester Road. Callum Wraight leads the averages on 11 wins by himself, also being the leader of the Consecutive Wins to. But as he misses Friday being in the Isle of Man it means the run will end.