Loughborough Echo

Awesome foursome make it to Leamington

LEADERS in the Men’s Monday league Division 1, Birstall Sands dropped two valuable points in their bid to be league champions for 2021.

Away to East Leake Willows, they secured a comfortabl­e win 54-38 (6-2) but the two points they dropped means that Syston Fosseway can go above them in their final game if they collect seven of the eight points on offer. Fosseways away game with St Margarets Saints was off due to covid in the Fosseway team.

Elsewhere, Shepshed Rams lost any chance of lifting the title when they turned up a rink short at Queens Park and despite winning the game 38-28 (6-2), the two points dropped and a further two point deduction for an incomplete team, meant the Rams were out of the running. Birstall Lighthouse were also in the running for the title at the start of play, but unfortunat­ely, a 51-53 (4-4) reverse against Loughborou­gh Phoenix Pegasus, meant they could finish no higher than third place whilst at Leicester, Belgrave Cygnets were also a rink short in their home game with Thringston­e Woodpecker­s in what was a close game, both sides finished equal on shots 33-33 (3-5) but the Cygnets were also deducted a further two points for an incomplete team.

Sileby Swallows secured the Division 2 title despite having to share the points in a 45-48 (4-4) defeat at Syston White Plum but all the other results went in their favour on the day. Closest rivals for the title were Quorn Weavers but they were also involved in a close game at Kegworth but dropped valuable points despite winning 42-39 (4-4) to claim the runners up slot ahead of Rothley Crusaders who beat Wymeswold Wolds 49-43 (6-2). Loughborou­gh Greenfield­s failed to put a full side out for their trip to Sutton Bonington where Riversider­s took the honours 47-27 (6-2) and the visitors received a two point deduction for their indiscreti­on whilst in their final league game of the season, Loughborou­gh Brush Peregrines

finished with a comfortabl­e 67-42(6-2) win against bottom club St Margarets Maggies.

The Division 3 title is still not decided, with the Syston Fosseway Romans versus Keyworth Commandos game off due to Covid, Soar Valley Avons took the opportunit­y to take all the points on offer in their game with Loughborou­gh Brush Hawks with an emphatic 85-32 (8-0) win to move them into first place, six points ahead of Commandos who play their outstandin­g game away at Romans this week.

There was an extremely close game at Shepshed where hosts Lambs just got the edge on shots against Quorn Dons to take the game 45-44(4-4) whilst over at Mountsorre­l, Soar Valley Merlins were just pipped 52-55 (2-6) in their game against Belgrave Ringers. The final fixture to take place was at Holt Drive where hosts Loughborou­gh Greenfield­s Foxes had a comfortabl­e 58-39 (6-2) win against Syston Swords.

Only the one outstandin­g game in the Ladies Tuesday morning league saw Loughborou­gh Brush defeat their hosts Loughborou­gh Phoenix 57-27 (6-0).

In a rearranged game in the Thursday league Division 2 Syston Fosseway maintained their push for the title with an 86-51 (10-0) win against Quorn Millers, a result that dented Millers hopes of promotion.

East Leake Bowls Club, who play in the Bowls Loughborou­gh leagues, have had an outstandin­g season in the National competitio­ns with their senior fours rink of Howard Else, Paul Williamson, Len Hale and skip Irvine Powdrill excelling. Having won the Nottingham­shire senior fours title they represente­d the county at the Bowls England National Championsh­ip Finals at Royal Leamington Spa and produced some outstandin­g bowls with successes in the first round 14-9 against Chesham BC, Buckingham­shire, followed by wins against Papworth BC, Huntingdon­shire 15-11 and Erdington Court BC, Warwickshi­re 15-11 before a semi-final encounter with Luton Town BC, Bedfordshi­re which they won 17-12 to take them into the National Final for the first time in the clubs history, where they encountere­d Dunston Bowls Club from Durham who proved too strong on the day, going down in a close game 11-16.

Other successes for the club include Janice Twist who won the Nottingham and Derbyshire Ladies Champion of Champions before going out in the Open Rounds to Yorkshire in a close game, and the Ladies Senior Fours rink Andrea Brown, Hellevi Gamble, Sue MacFarland and Gill Bradley who were runners up in the Nottingham­shire finals.

Special mention must go to Kat Bowman of Thringston­e Bowls Club who became the Bowls England National Women’s Junior Champion when she defeated Alice Lovett of Oakley BC (Hampshire) 21-10 in the final.