Sporting Lions hit top spot with win over closest rivals

THE MOST significant match in this week’s Hinckley and District Air Rifle League programme was shot at the Hinckley Working Men’s Club where guests of second placed Sporting Lions were table topping Bedworth Ex Servicemen’s Club.

The visitors shot first and started and ended well with a 28 from Mick Cryer and a 30 from Andrew Cryer.

The Lions responded with 28s from Glen Dainter and Karl Bunting plus 30s from Todd Astill and Jeanette Mulkeirins, giving them a sizeable lead.

Bedworth’s second half was a Bend family affair, with Jackie Bend’s 28 followed by 29 from James Bend and 30 from Bill Bend.

Their resulting 196 and 10 points were not quite enough however as Melanie Jenkins’ 29 and the 28s of Jim Lowe and Taryn Cockerill took the Lions to 201 and 12 points and the top of the table in both competitions.

Ashby Road returned to form on their visit to the home of the Trojans but their hosts shot excellently to take victory in both competitions.

Dave Brown’s 29 for the home side was followed by 28s from Nigel Jackson, Rob Forman, Darren Houghton and Leigh Hall plus Mark Smith’s 29 and Chris Sills’ 30, setting targets of 200 and 13 points.

With just seven shooters Ashby Road responded with 29s from David White and Seamus Moore, Lorraine White’s 28, and the 27s of Richard White and Chris Rose taking them to 190 and 11 points.

The lowest scoring match of the night was at the New Plough Inn which hosted the Hounds.

The home side’s only score higher than 22 was Daniel Lakin’s 28, and in the second half John Bray’s 29 and the 27s of Tom Bray, Nigel Hill and Paul Barwell were only enough to take their totals to 184 and 5 points.

The visitors also struggled but did just enough to win in both competitions with the 29s of Roy Pritchard and Paul Huddlestone, and the 27s of Richard Allen and Andy Mitchell taking them to 186 and 10 points.

There were mixed fortunes in the other two matches.

Smallshaws versus Taylor and Ayre saw the visiting T&A ring the bell with the greater frequency.

Alison Smith’s 30 together with the 29s of Giles Headley and Matt Hall, Darren Hicks’ 28, and the 27s of Steve Vincent and Phil Steele took them to a 196 to 185 win over Smallshaws who had to be satisfied with a Bob Wainwright 27 and 28s from Jackie West and Bob West.

Both team ended the points competition at 8 apiece.

Ashby Road B and Hinckley Phoenix also saw a draw and a win but in this case it was the regular match that ended level and the points match that ended with the visitors on top.

Ashby Road’s 192 and 9 points came from the 29s of Neil Price, Jon Storer and Tom Middleton plus Jeff Goodyer’s 28 and Mike Sansome’s 27 while the answering 192 and 11 points from the Phoenix included an Ian Ratheram 29, the 28s of Karen Bown and Barry Robinson, and the 27s of Barry Wright, Roxy Ratheram and Michael Robinson.