Welford bowlers suffer double disappointment in finals day
BOWLS
WELFORD bowlers endured double frustration as Norgren BC hosted the 2016 Warwickshire County finals day on Sunday.
The Welford triple of Brian Lees, Martin Timms and Alan Apsey led by two shots with two ends to play against Coventry, only to lose 14-13 in the extra end.
Welford’s Simon Davies produced a fightback in the singles final against Keith Wooding (Avenue Coventry) but Wooding took the title 21-14.
The triples final was undoubtedly the game of the day as Rugby’s Nigel Carter (subbing for Tom Millership), Brian Boardman and Craig Carter took an 8-0 lead with an early five.
Welford dug in and after 14 ends the game was level 11-11. Welford hit two singles to lead by two with two ends left, Rugby cut that to one going into the last end and took the last end to force and extra end.
With the last wood of the game Welford’s Apsey was one down and needing to play weight as the shot wood had protection, his wood clipped one of the guarding woods and went wide, Rugby taking the crown in a very entertaining 14-13 win.
Wooding made the better start in the County Singles against Davies, opening up a 16-2 lead. Davies started fighting back but Wooding was on the edge of victory at 19-7 up. While the Welford man doubled his tally, he couldn’t stop Wooding taking the title 21-14.
In the Two Wood Singles, Martin Hammond (Three Spires) claimed the title with a 17-7 win against Mark Ireland (Erdington Court).
Three singles and three doubles saw Hammond race away to a 9-0 lead.
Both players then added five, Hammond keeping his nine-shot advantage but ends were running out for Ireland as Hammond won 17-7.
The Junior Singles was an all-Avenue Leamington clash between Matt Wordingham and Adam Smith, with Smith sealing a one-sided 21-4 win.
Ian Gibbs (Rugby Thornfield) made the early running in the Unbadged Singles, taking a 12-3 lead against Peter Tomlinson (Three Spires). Tomlinson hit 14 unanswered shots to take a 17-12 lead, and Gibbs cut the deficit down to 19-18 before Tomlinson scored the two he needed to earn his County Badge with a 21-18 victory.
In the County Fours, the Avenue Coventry quartet of Martyn Murley, Scott Ashby, Steve Merrett and Graham Ashby took the trophy with a 20-18 win against Rugby’s Carter, Matt Wells, Thomas Wells (subbing for Tom Millership) and Calvin Wells.
The Solihull Municipal quartet of Chris Wright, Norman Powell, Doug Bott and Paul Jones won the Ivens Cup, defeating Grange 16-15.
In the semis, Grange had defeated Little Compton 27-14 and Solihull had a penultimate end four to beat Wolvey 21-17.
