Good wins for the top three

THERE were good wins for the top three teams in the Loughborough and District Bowls Monday Division 1 with leaders Wymeswold Wolds winning at home 57-45 (7-1) against Birstall Lighthouse, second placed Shepshed Rams had a comfortable 72-35 (8-0) over Queens Park Queens whilst third placed Syston Fosseway travelled to East Leake and returned home with a 51-38 (5-3) victory against Willows. Meanwhile, St Margarets Maggies remain firmly at the foot of the table losing out 50-62 (3-5) on their visit to Phoenix Pegasus. The chasing pack are closing in on Division 2 leaders Syston White Plum who lost at home to second place Greenfield Badgers in a tight game, Badgers just edging it 48-44 (6-2) and with Quorn Weavels winning on their travels to St Margarets Saints 62-47 (6-2) the gap has now closed to two points. Thringstone Woodpeckers also showed they mean to be in the hunt at the end of the season with an emphatic 76-38 (8-0) victory at home against Brush Peregrines leaving them a further four points behind with a game in hand. Peregrines drop to the foot of the table after their other team Brush Hawks had an excellent 68-38 (8-0) win against Belgrave Cygnets that moved them off the bottom. Kegworth continue to dominate in Division 3, this week winning a tight tussle at Holt Drive where hosts Greenfields Foxes almost clinched the game but finally had to settle for a 47-50 (3-5) defeat. Birstall Sands entertained Soar Valley Merlins at their School Lane green and despite losing on one rink managed a comfortable overall win 63-47 (6-2) whilst Soar Valley Avons continue to push the leaders, this week beating depleted Rothley Crusaders 53-28 (8-0), Crusaders only able to field two rinks. Belgrave Ringers are the new leaders in Division 4 after their 59-38 (6-2) win at home to Shepshed Lambs and Sileby Swallows 49-52 (2-6) defeat at the hands of Sutton Bonington Riversiders that dropped them down to second. Despite having a ten point deduction the previous week for failing to fulfil a fixture, Wymeswold Steamers kept themselves in contention with a good 56-41 (7-1) away win at Fosseway Romans whilst Syston Green & Royals maintained their recent good form when they returned victorious 63-44 (8-0) from Soar Valley Conways. With last week’s Thursday Division 1 leaders St Margarets Maggies not having a game Shepshed North took the opportunity to leapfrog them following their 81-59 (8-2) success over Loughborough Greenfields, a result that leaves Greenfields adrift at the bottom of the table. The mid table clash between Brush Eagles and New Lount Hares at Nanpantan Sports Ground was won by Eagles 75-47 (6-4) whilst Wymeswold Wolds eased their relegation fears with a solid 67-53 (8-2) home win against Thringstone Rangers. At the half way point in the season, Syston Fosseway find themselves 15 points ahead of second placed Sutton Bonington after they beat Sileby Swifts 69-51 (6-4) at Seagrave Road and Sutton were without a game. The chasing pair clashed at Queens Park where Carilloners dropped valuable points in their 59-83 (2-8) defeat to East Leake Willows who now move to within two points of the Carilloners. Despite their successes in the Monday League, Kegworth continue to struggle on a Thursday evening, but hopefully their troubled season has taken an upsurge following their latest game where they travelled to Quorn to play Millers, returning home along the A6 with a winning score line of 66-62 (8-2) under their belts. Phoenix Flyers are the new leaders in Div3 after their 78-48 (10-0) victory at bottom club Soar Valley Valoars whilst Rothley Knights swopped places with visitors Shepshed South following their 80-57 (8-2) win at Mountsorrel Road. The Quarter Final places are now finalised in the Loughborough and District Bowling Association Champion of Champions competition. Jim Keogh (Phoenix) came out on top in a hard fought game at Wymeswold against Rob Yeomans and now has a home draw against Bob Burton(Shepshed) who received a walk over. Dave Radleys’ (Quorn) win over Glyn Jones (Greenfields) handed himself a home game with Les Rackstraw (East Leake) who had a Bye. In the bottom half of the draw, James Alcock (Brush) conceded against Dave Griffin (Queens Park) who will now host Steve Wain (Belgrave) after his good win at Rothley over Geoff Hall. In the remaining game, Stuart Sowdens (Soar Valley) victory over John Smith (Kegworth) leaves him with a tough home tie against Rob O’Neil ( Thrinstone). The Quarter Final ties must be played by July 23. • Loughborough Phoenix Bowls Club’s ladies Triple of skip Rosemary North, Jan Beesley and Carol Neale-Broughton are hoping to follow in the footsteps of their male counterparts and reach the National Finals following their victory over the Greenfields triple skipped by Christina Smith in the Bowls Leics Ladies triples competition. • Quorn Mills Park V Bagworth: P. Broughton 20, N. Gray 15; J. Murphy 23, M. Wardle 6; J. Ventham 16, B. Barrie 19; J. Aspinall 19, K. Brookes 20; D. Radley 22, T. Hammond 16. Match result: Quorn Mills Park 100, Bagworth 76. Kegworth played away to Keyworth. The results were, Kegworth skips first. P.Carty 26 M.Price14. B.Leeson 27 G. Cowdell 17. Swift 19 C. Dickens 20.