National success for Spalding Indoor Bowls Club as top teams sail through in competitions

Spalding Indoor Bowls Club’s men and women have booked their places in the next round of their respective national inter-club knockout competitions.

In the Denny Cup, Spalding’s men beat Stamford by 14 shots in a tight encounter, winning 81-67.

The early exchanges were tight and the score was 17 all at five ends, with Stamford actually having their noses in front for the majority of the game – 38-32 at ten ends, 53-52 at 15 ends and 65-62 at 18 ends.

However, Spalding showed their class and experience in the closing ends as they scored 19 shots to Stamford’s two to win the match and secure their place in the next round, where they will play Leicester on Saturday, December 11.

Leicester actually beat Spalding in the first round of the 2019/20 season, so the South Holland side will be looking for a bit of revenge.

Rink scores: Home – Stephen Harris, Martin Simpson, Simon Lilley and Graham Smith won 23-15; Kevin Ekins, Steve Hill, Martin Spencer and Jordan Philpott drew 15-15. Away – Brian Martin, Mike Robertson, Ean Morton and Tristan Morton won 27-16; Harry Mycock, Lewis Parnell, Andy Dunham and Dominic McVittie lost 16-21.

In the Yetton Trophy, Spalding’s women had an equally tough match, also against Stamford.

But their final winning margin was a bit more comfortable at 84-61.

Stamford started the quicker of the two teams, but Spalding stamped their authority by ten ends to lead 41-33.

This advantage was extended slightly to 57-48 at 15 ends and 66-55 at 18 ends before the final winning score of 23 shots. Spalding will play Barwell in the next round, also on Saturday, December 11.

Rink scores: Home – Jean Patterson, Gill Haydon, Maggie Wheatley and Barbara Hurst won 25-11; Louise Harris, Sheila Chamberlain, Chris Jackson and Julie Hicks won 20-16. Away – Ann Newbury, Michelle Billingsley, Karen Martin and Betty Deaton lost 14-21; Freda Lyon, Jan Sinclair, Sandra Hammond and Maisie Belding won 25-13.

• Spalding Indoor Bowls Club’s mixed county league team continued their good start to the season with a convincing home win against Skegness on Sunday.

Winning on all four rinks, they won the overall aggregate 89-53 and secured all available 14 points.

Top winning rink was skipped by Anthony Cronin, with Ann Newbury, Maisie Belding and Mick Dolton, who won 24-10.

This result keeps Spalding at top of the south section of the mixed county league.

• The Spalding and District Indoor Ladies’ county team were victorious as they travelled to Grantham to play their second league match of the season.

Grantham got off to a flying start, leaving Spalding bewildered with the speed of the green.

After five ends Grantham were 11 shots in front and were winning on two rinks and tied on another.

At the half way point Spalding had managed to dig deep and pull back to only four shots behind with two rinks winning apiece.

The best winning rink at this point was skipped by Barbara Hurst with Judy Jackson, Gill Haydon and Maggie Wheatley, who scored 17 shots in the last nine ends to win comfortably 27-10.

The overall result went in Spalding’s favour as they won two rinks and sealed an aggregate win of 79-61 – giving them ten match points.

Rink scores – B Hurst, J Jackson, G Hayden, M Wheatley 27-10; B Deaton, A Newbury, M Billingsley, J Taylor 15-19; M Belding, F Lyon, J Sinclair, S Hammond 24-12; J Hicks (captain), C Nunney, S Chamberlain, J Horner 13-20.

• Spalding’s over-60s beat their counterparts from Sleaford 93-66 (12-2 points) to secure their first win of the Lincolnshire South League.

Skip David Nunney with Mick Dolton, Paul Turner and Rob West had the best rink win (31-13).