STOCKPORT METRO LEAGUE

 

VERSUS

 

NORTH YORKSHIRE

 

 

VENUE:                 WOODHOUSE PARK LIFESTYLE CENTRE, WYTHENSHAWE,                                                           MANCHESTER.

 

MATCH RESULT:              STOCKPORT:                    29 POINTS.

                                                NORTH YORKSHIRE:      11 POINTS.        

 

 

Stockport and North Yorkshire went head to head on Sunday 5^th October, 2008. The match commenced at 11am.

 

 

Representing Stockport in the singles matches was:

 

 

Adam Smith (Avons) and Geoff Griffiths (Woodley)

 

Adam put in two splendid performances by firstly beating England international Gareth Townend 13-9. This was a really good game which was fought between two excellent young talents. Adam’s second game against Paul Williamson was also keenly fought with Adam pipping Paul 15-14 in another superb display of short mat bowling by both men.

Geoff, who was making his Stockport debut in the singles, also put in two good performances. In his first game he was 10-0 down to Paul and was really struggling. The excellent play of the Yorkshire lad was very hard for Geoff to match. Geoff then hit his straps and fought back strongly, eventually losing the game 12-8. In his second game Geoff really got going and we saw a very hard fought game with Gareth. At the start of the last end Geoff was 13-8 up eventually running out a 13-11 winner. Six points from the three wins and an extra two points for the aggregate win making a total of eight points. This was a tremendous display by our singles pairs against very strong opposition.

 

 

Representing Stockport in the pairs matches was:

 

 

1. Wyn Thomson (Woodley) and Lesley Fennell (Hazel Grove)

2. Rhona Mason (Poynton A) and Scott Smith (Avons)

 

In the first game, Wyn and Lesley had a tough battle with Pat Beardsley and Roger Green which ended as a well fought draw at 10 apiece.

In their second game the girls really got to grips with the Yorkshire pair of Jacinta Townend and Derek Williams by playing some excellent bowls and toppling them 16-6.

 

In their first game Rhona and Scott went down 10-13 to Jacinta and Denis but rallied to some tune in their second game by beating Pat and Roger 22-6. Again, an excellent display from the doubles teams which reaped 7 points. Two wins, a draw and the two extra points for the aggregate win.

 

 

Representing Stockport in the triples was:

 

(1) John Lax (Phillips) Ron Hamilton (Woodley) and John Metcalfe (Europa).

(2) Bernie Thornley (GMMC A) Graham Edwards (Woodbank) and Bernie Fennell (Hazel Grove)

 

In their first game Ron and the two Johns had an excellent 15-6 result against the Yorkshire trio of Jean Mather, Chris Machin and Ralph Parsons, the Yorkshire captain.

Their second game continued in the same vein. The Yorkshire team of Eli Beardmore, Barry Simmonite and Danny Brown fell to another excellent performance by the Stockport lads with the end result being 21-6.

A feature of this game was the final end where Stockport scored a brilliant six.

 

In their two games Bernie Thorley, Graham Edwards and Bernie Fennell had similar results. Their first game found them seeing off the Yorkshire trio of Eli, Barry and Danny by another excellent score of 13-4.

They continued their top class form in their second game, playing very good bowls to see off the challenge of Jean, Chris and Ralph by 13-7.

 

Again, this was a tremendous result from the triples teams giving Stockport a marvellous 10 point haul. Four wins for eight points and the extra two points for the aggregate score.

 

 

Representing Stockport in the fours was:

 

1. Charlie Cooper (Denton) Chris Bates (Gt. Moor) Pat Metcalfe (Europa) and Lesley Chadwick (Europa).

2. Bob Thomson (Woodley) Paul Mason (Poynton A) Paula Moores (Queensgate) and Louise Smith (Avons)

 

In the first of their two games Charlie Cooper Chris Bates Pat Metcalfe and Lesley Chadwick really struggled against the excellent play of Pat Jones, Derek Beardsley, Richard Lochman and Arthur Jackson and they finally went down by a score of 3-13.

In their second game they improved well and really got stuck in to the task against the Yorkshire side of John Clifton, Denis Mather, Denis Jarvis and Alan Banthorpe but they proved too strong for them and came away with a 7-11 win.

 

Stockport’s other fours of Paula Moores, Louise Smith, Bob Thomson and Paul Mason in their first game against John, Denis, Denis and Alan battled well against a very strong Yorkshire four and were well rewarded with an excellent 10-9 win.

Going into their second game against Pat, Derek, Richard and Arthur, Paula, Louise, Bob and Paul were facing an aggregate deficit of 13; this was an uphill task that proved just a tad too far for them. A valiant effort saw them over the line with an 8-2 victory. The Yorkshire side also battled hard to keep their 2 point aggregate safe thus providing the spectators with very interesting contest. However, the fours gained four good points towards the team total.

 

Stockport Team Captain Allison Boulton was extremely pleased with the start to the 2008/2009 season. However, she realises that there are many hard matches to come and is now concentrating on the next one which is away against Derbyshire County on the 26^th October, 2008.

 

A word from Yorkshire Captain Ralph Parsons: We have thoroughly enjoyed our day out against good opposition. This venue easily surpasses in quality the previous venue where Stockport played their home matches.

 

And finally:  Congratulations are certainly in order for Lesley Fennell (Stockport) and Gareth Townend (Yorkshire) who have both qualified to represent England in the season 2008/2009. Well done Lesley and Gareth.

 

Ron Hamilton (Stockport)

11^th October 2008.