Taylor Support Shropshire Premier Bowls League
Meole Brace won their first silverware in the league when winning the Alan Mayhew Trophy last season after beating Castlefields in the final. Before then they were the underachievers of the league, finishing runners-up in four seasons, 2 Alan Mayhew Finals and 5 Pool A Finals, finishing runner-up again in 2016 in the Pool A. But pre-2001 they were only a mid-table team with a highest finish of 7th in 1995 and 1996 and a lowest ever of 12th with 128 points. But they finished 3rd in 2001 and then 2nd in 2002, and then 4th to 6th in the next 10 seasons before finishing runners-up on 4 occasions, with their highest points total in 2013 with 234 after leading most of the season. They also finished runners-up in the Alan Mayhew Trophy and Pool A in 2014, the latter at Meole itself. They were also runners-up in 2006 in the Alan Mayhew, and in 2001, 2004, 2006 and in 2010 in the Pool A.
In this season’s competition they received a walkover against Donnington Wood before facing Hanmer over two nights. They did the job at Hanmer by holding them to just 4 chalks, captain Pete Bound the best of the three winners 10. They finished the job off at home the next night by having 5 winners in a 23 shot victory, former captain Mark Thomas the best of them 11. In the Semi Finals and they faced another North Shropshire side in Ifton. It was a tale of two big home wins but a 42 chalk success was the bigger of the two, Will Tarrell winning 9 the best of their 6 winners. Away and their one winner there was the difference, Nigel Bound 17.
So can Meole Brace retain the trophy?
Quarter Finals:
| Hanmer | Score | Score | Meole Brace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Bennett | 21 | 8 | Doug Edwards |
| Rob Adams | 21 | 12 | Nigel Bound |
| Lee Peate | 18 | 21 | Darren Wellings |
| Alan Faulkner | 10 | 21 | Peter Bound |
| Graham Faulkner | 21 | 19 | Dave Redge |
| Jack Butler | 15 | 21 | Colin Beaman |
| Games | 3 | 3 | |
| Aggregate | 106 | 102 |
| Meole Brace | Score | Score | Hanmer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will Tarrell | 21 | 13 | Andrew Armstrong |
| Julian Cooke | 21 | 16 | Jack Hewitt |
| Craig Wilson | 21 | 20 | Chris Probert |
| Andy Wigginton | 21 | 13 | Graham Bennett |
| Mark Thomas | 21 | 11 | Gary Whitehall |
| Scott Moseley | 12 | 21 | Dave Ellison |
| Games | 5 | 1 | |
| Aggregate | 117 | 94 | |
| Combined Totals | |||
| Meole Brace | Hanmer | ||
| Games | 8 | 4 | |
| Aggregate | 219 | 200 | |
Semi Finals:
| Meole Brace | Score | Score | Ifton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will Tarrell | 21 | 9 | David Rocky Jones |
| Scott Moseley | 21 | 16 | Nicky Jones |
| Andy Wigginton | 21 | 12 | Dave Bond |
| Mark Thomas | 21 | 11 | Sam Williams |
| Craig Wilson | 21 | 16 | Martin Jones |
| Darren Wellings | 21 | 20 | Brian Hayes |
| Games | 6 | 0 | |
| Aggregate | 126 | 84 |
| Ifton | Score | Score | Meole Brace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craig Griffiths | 21 | 11 | Dave Redge |
| Leighton Roberts | 21 | 10 | Bill Tarrell |
| Geraint Williams | 21 | 18 | Doug Edwards |
| Nick Hughes | 21 | 15 | Colin Beaman |
| Richie Griffiths | 21 | 13 | Peter Bound |
| Keiron Roberts | 17 | 21 | Nigel Bound |
| Games | 5 | 1 | |
| Aggregate | 122 | 88 | |
| Combined Totals | |||
| Meole Brace | Ifton | ||
| Games | 7 | 5 | |
| Aggregate | 214 | 206 | |
History:
| League | Competitions | |||
| Year | Pos. | Points | Alan Mayhew | Pool A/B |
| 1994 | 10th | 146 | ||
| 1995 | 7th | 155 | ||
| 1996 | 7th | 169 | ||
| 1997 | 8th | 147 | ||
| 1998 | 12th | 128 | ||
| 1999 | 11th | 158 | ||
| 2000 | 9th | 176 | ||
| 2001 | 3rd | 218 | A R/U | |
| 2002 | 2nd | 213 | A 1st | |
| 2003 | 4th | 206 | QF | A SF |
| 2004 | 4th | 208 | SF | A R/U |
| 2005 | 5th | 188 | QF | A SF |
| 2006 | 4th | 212 | R/U | A R/U |
| 2007 | 4th | 213 | QF | A SF |
| 2008 | 6th | 204 | SF | |
| 2009 | 4th | 188 | QF | A 1st |
| 2010 | 4th | 204 | QF | A R/U |
| 2011 | 5th | 217 | QF | |
| 2012 | 2nd | 204 | QF | A SF |
| 2013 | 2nd | 234 | SF | A SF |
| 2014 | 2nd | 218 | R/U | A R/U |
| 2015 | 2nd | 206 | SF | A SF |
| 2016 | 6th | 195 | WIN | A R/U |