Mixed bag of results for Loughborough Phoenix but Keogh stars in champion of champions clash

IT HAS been a mixed week of results for the Loughborough Phoenix club bowlers.

Ann Bilson, Sonia Smith, Dot Price and Clair Morris put up a good fight against the Birstall rink skipped by Di Hurst before going down by 10 shots in the Ladies County Fours whilst the other rink skipped by Rosemary North, with Jan Beazley, Carol Neal-Broughton and Eileen Forster went out to Lyn Green’s rink from New Lount 19-24 having dropped two fives in succession.

In the Men’s National Champion of Champions, Jim Keogh had a convincing 21-9 win at home against Glynn Jones of Loughborough Greenfields BC.

Two of the Club entries had early success in the Bowls Leics Men’s Triples whilst the third triple skipped by Mick Reeves went out by 8-21 to R O’Brien of Burbage Constitution BC.

Of the remaining two, Skip Will Brune, Charlie Smith and Chas White had a comfortable win at Hinckley Sweet Pea against R Kettle before going out the following night at home to Mick Harris of Kingscroft BC, the game hanging in the balance until the last bowl of the match with the visitors requiring one shot to tie the opposing skip bowled the perfect wood to secure three shots to win the game 19-17.

The Triple skipped by Jim Keogh with Terry Whiteside and Geoff Howlett started with a walk over in the Prelims and followed this up with an excellent win at Shepshed against the rink skipped by Greg Fardell, coming from 12-0 down to take the game on the extra end by one shot to give themselves a home tie against Duncan Simmons of Goodwood BC the following night.

Again the team came out on top 25-7 to move them into the next round with an away trip to New Lount to play Dave Simpsons triple.

In the Coalville Over 60’s league, Phoenix beat Kegworth 55-52 (5-3) with Chas White skipping his rink to a 24-16 win, Charlie Smith drawing 15-15 and Mick Reeves going down 16-21.

The friendly against Kirby Muxloe was reduced from five rinks to four on the day, however a quickly reshuffled team secured an 80-53 win with rinks skipped by Will Brune 23-13, Mick Reeves 23-11 and Graham Piperides 23-12 winning and Terry Whiteside going down 11-17.

Both the men and ladies teams were in action on Sunday in their respective National Top Club Competitions, unfortunately the Ladies went down at home to Wymeswold BC 1-3 whilst the Men travelled to Earl Shilton to play Kingscroft BC and in a very close game that went down to the last end of the Pairs, it was the home pairing that collect the two shots to secure a 3-2 victory.