Houldsworth playing game of catch-up
THE Stockport and District League is experiencing shifting sands at the top of the table. Houldsworth WMC – favourites for both the title and Cheshire’s Brunner Cup – are now playing catch up.
Last Tuesday evening Terry Gale’s side travelled to Poynton Sports a tricky test but one they would have expected to pass with flying colours.
The hosts were on song though and Lee Fletcher (21-9) and Mike Heald (21-11) did severe damage to the side from Reddish.
Houldsworth fought back well with good wins from John Brown and the ever reliable Tommy Johnstone as they tried to secure the all important aggregate.
The Sports though held firm well to secure a massive 9-6 victory and put themselves top of the table.
The Grapes from Hyde are only one point off the top after a massive 12-4 away day success at Webb Lane against Victoria.
Ben Gloag, Dean Ferris and Steve Barber all won to around the half way mark as Grapes start to mount a title challenge of there own.
Elsewhere George and Dragon have had a poor start by their own very own high standards but may have turned a corner after seven winners and the aggregate at Houldsworth(2).
In the remaining matches home wins were expected and secured by both New Mills and Great Moor against Hadfield and LMRCA respecitively.
In the second division Woodley Sports are streets ahead of the rest so far and are some 21 points clear at the top of the table.
This coming Sunday will see the Cheshire Merit take place on the new plastic bowling greens at Helsby with play underway at 10am.
Several local bowlers are in action and the draw is as follows : Tony Stevens V David Orr, Paul Garwood V Jamie Bramley, Gary Spencer V Thomas Vickers, Jason Cornes V Simon Cookson, Phil Scott V Dave Jackson, Noel Burrows V Nick Hammann, Danny Nixon V Larry Wells, Kevin Duncalf V Matt Thurlwell, Rob Winnington V John Rawlinson, Glynn Cookson V Gerald Merry, Andy Proctor V Dave O’Brien, John Gurney V Owen Cookson, Jon Gurney V Barry Ellams, Phil Wainwright V Dave Baskerville, Mark Winnington V Andy Hamann, Paul Mackie V Connall Redmond. The Nursery Classic sweep continued on Saturday with the green running well it made for some interesting action. The final qualifying games saw Callum Wraight continue his fine form pipping Chris Mordue at the final end 21-20.
It was to be a double blow for the Mordue family as son Josh was also beaten by the same 21-20 scoreline against Mid Cheshire man Andy Hammann.
It’s the final heat of qualifiers this coming Saturday at Green Lane where Graeme Wilson tops the bill.
Also on the horizion on the bowls calendar are full county matches, county parks matches and some federation games.
The season is starting to get going now after a slow but unsure start post coronavirus lockdown.