Loughborough Phoenix win to boost fight against the drop
THE sands of time continue to run smoothly at Birstall where Birstall Sands extended their lead at the top of the Bowls Loughborough Men’s Monday Division 1 table following their 64-45 (6-2) win at home against Thringstone Woodpeckers whilst second placed Shepshed Rams dropped points in their away game at East Leake Willows, the game finishing 51-50 (4-4) in favour of Willows.
Jim Keogh (Loughborough Phoenix Bowls Club) having won the Bowls Leicestershire Senior Singles competition, went on to represent the county at the Regional Finals at Redcar Borough Park, Yorkshire. where he had a successful win in the semi-final 21-17 against David Lockhart (Heaton Hall BC, Lancashire) before going down 18-21 in the final against Maurice Dunlop (Jarrow West End BC, Durham).
Loughborough Phoenix Pegasus move off the foot of the table with a 49-43 (6-2) win at home against Birstall Lighthouse leaving them a point above Willows and four points above Belgrave Cygnets who were on the wrong end of a 28-75 (2-6) score line with Syston Fosseway.
Division 2 leaders Loughborough Brush Peregrines extended their lead at the top with a 66-50 (6-2) win at Wymeswold Wolds whilst second placed Quorn Weavers suffered an uncharacteristic 45-69 (0-8) defeat at Loughborough Greenfields Badgers to leave themselves trailing the Peregrines by nine points. Queens Park Queens move above St Margarets Saints into third place after the two sides met at Queens Park, the hosts securing a 58-49 (7-1) victory and it was all change at the bottom of the table after St Margarets Maggies gained their second full house of the season 71-47 (8-0) to move above their opponents Rothley Crusaders.
Syston White Plum saw their lead over Soar Valley Avons at the top of Division 3 cut to eight points following their surprise 49-50 (2-6) defeat at Sutton Bonington Riversiders with Avons gaining a 50-35 (5-3) home win against Kegworth.
The mid table game between Sileby Swallows and Syston Swords went the way of the Swallows 55-44 (6-2) whilst at the foot of the table Soar Valley Merlins increased the gap between themselves and their opponent Shepshed Lambs with a good 52-45 (6-2) away win.
Shock result of the day was in Division 4 where second placed Syston Fosseway
Romans were humbled at home by basement side Soar Valley Spitfires whose 62-33 (8-0) win lifted them above Loughborough Greenfields Foxes.
Ladies Tuesday league leaders Shepshed had a resounding 92-8 (6-0) win at home against Soar Valley to keep them one point ahead and a game in hand over second placed East Leake who won 49-27 (6-0) against Loughborough Brush. Kegworths game at Wymeswold was a close affair but they secured the points with a 34-31 (5-1) victory to keep them third in the table. Keyworth and Loughborough Brush pulled in their outstanding fixture from mid-July and it was Keyworth who took the honours with a 44-20 (6-0) win.
Thursday Men’s Division 1 leaders Shepshed North extended the gap between themselves and second placed Thringstone Rangers with a 77-30 (10-0) win against Loughborough Greenfields after Rangers had to share the points with Syston Fosseway despite winning the match 71-69 (5-5). St Margarets Maggies hosted New
Lount Hares in what turned out to be a close finish, Maggies not quite getting enough shots with Hares finishing better to win 69-63 (6-4).
Sileby Swifts hang on to top spot in Division 2 despite losing out to Loughborough Brush Eagles 54-86 (3-7) with second placed Quorn Millers unable to get the points required to over-hall them after they dropped valuable points in their 78-67 (6-4) win at home against Wymeswold Wolds. Shepshed South secured a good 73-61 (6-4) win against visitors Soar Valley Valoars.