Top shooting between top teams ends in a draw
OVER recent seasons the top two teams in the Hinckley Air Rifle League have been Sporting Lions and Trojans. The Trojans came out on top last season whilst the season before the Lions had the upper hand.
The two teams met this week with table looking as if the tussle would be continued for this season as well, the Lions and the visiting Trojans level on points at the top, the Lions just edging it on average. It therefore came as a surprise to no one when their meeting produced, by far, the best quality shooting of the week.
The Trojans won the toss and decided to shoot first, a decision that was soon justified by an excellent first half performance that included 30s from Rebecca Horsler and Phil Hood; Dave Brown’s 28; and Richard Sanders’ 27. However, as good as this was, it was beaten by the Lions thanks to Todd Astill’s 30, and the 29s of Glen Dainter, Karl Bunting and Jeanette Mulkeirins. The visitors started slowly after the break, with 26s from Rob Forman and Mark Horsler, but they recovered strongly with Chris Sills’ 29 and Leigh Hall’s 30 taking them to an outstanding 200.
A 27 from Melanie Jenkins and Alison Smith’s 29 gave the Lions an excellent chance to win but, needing a 28 from any of their remaining shooters, they had to be content with a share of the points as they too finished on 200 thanks to the 27s of Taryn Cockerilll and Ken Paulley.
The meeting between the two Ashby Road teams ended almost as close with the home side winning by just one shot. Ashby Road ‘B’ had the slightly better first half with Neil Price’s 27; the 28s of Andrew Cryer and Rikki Hammersley; and Jon Storer’s 29 giving them the advantage over their opponents, who counted the 26s of Innes Droomer and Bertie Bugden; Alison Finney’s 29; and Pete Finney’s 30.
ARB’s second half couldn’t maintain the level of the first but 26s from Alf Shore and Jeff Goodyer, together with Mike Sansome’s 28 allowed them to set a reasonably challenging target of 192. Ashby Road’s second half all did reasonably well with three of their number; Lewis Raine, Richard White and Lorraine White; all scoring 26s, whilst Seamus Moore and David White did one better with 27 apiece but this wasn’t quite enough as they finished on 191, one behind their hosts.
The Hounds versus Hinckley Phoenix started slowly for the home side when, after winning the toss and electing to shoot, they put together a first half containing just one score worthy of note, that being Giles Headley’s 28.
Phoenix fared slightly better with Karen Bown scoring 28 whilst son Luke Bown managed a 27 but unfortunately for them the home side picked up the pace considerably after the break. A pair of 26s from Richard Allen and Paul Griffin, together with the 27s of Roy Pritchard and Richard Green; Leanne Simpson’s 28; and a closing 30 from Paul Huddlestone found the Hounds finishing on a highly creditable 192. Phoenix were missing several key shooters and were always up against it, eventually finishing on 185, seven shy of their hosts despite a trio of second half 27s courtesy of Barry Robinson, Geoff Herbert and Ian Ratheram.