INCREDIBLE CUP FIGHTBACK

South Shields have secured a last-16 spot in the Denny Cup following an impressive 46-shot victory over Hornsea, winning on all four rinks.

At Shields, Dave Paterson, Josh Minto, Stewart Hubbard and Ian Riches eased to a 24-10 win over Carl Stoakes while Neal Ridley, Michael Byrne, James Sneller and Ian McIntosh ground out a 20-17 win over Dave Tooley to leave the home squad 17 shots up.

At Hornsea, both Shields rinks put in five-star performances.

Jaxon McKenna, Paul Sainthouse, Josh Halcrow and Shaun McIntosh defeated Ian Paddy 27-12 and Phil Dixon, Mal Peach, Gary Farquhar and David Bolt beat Cliff Holmes 27-13 to leave the away squad an impressive 29 shots up, sealing the overall result 98-52.

Shields will now face 2017 champions Kingsthorpe in the next round, the Northampton-based club boasting four current England internationals in their ranks while Shields will be without Ian Riches and Shaun McIntosh.

In an amazing win in the latest round of the Yetton Trophy, Houghton Ladies lost three of the four rinks against Darlington at a combined 31 shots, yet still won by 26 shots overall.

Down the A1, Norma Stephenson’s quartet of Maureen Hall, Audrey Vout and Florence Phythian narrowly went down 19-13 to V.Henderson while Margaret Metcalf, Margaret Eggleston, Joan Baker and Ann Banks never recovered from an early 11-1 deficit and finished 3613 down against Jane Pattison to leave the away leg 29 shots in arrears.

At Houghton, Jenny Smith’s rink of Sam Richardson, Olwyn Charlton and Brenda Robson lost 18-16 against Sam Pegg to extend the arrears to 31.

However, events on the remaining rink were astonishing.

Jean Watt, Evelyn Barkes, Val Bambrough and Joan Rodgerson were awesome as they restricted V.Blewitt to a single shot while rattling off an amazing 58 shots, which secured a 100-74 overall win.

In the last 16, Houghton face York on January 5.

Houghton Ladies ended the year with another win over Darlington, this time in the Inter Club League, although unlike in the Yetton, Houghton recorded wins on three of the four rinks in a 9-1 win.

At Darlington, Norma Stephenson’s rink of Maureen Hall, Audrey Vout and Florence Phythian ran out 21-14 winners over V.Blewitt while Margaret Metcalf, Anne Todd, Joan Baker and Jenny Smith were a touch unlucky to lose 14-10 against S.Lynch, though the away squad still finished three shots up.

At Houghton, both home rinks passed the 30-shot mark, Margaret Eggleston, Sheila Moody, Brenda Robson and Ellen Faith leading 25-1 against Jane Pattison and eventually finishing 34-12.

Jean Watt, Evelyn Barkes, Susan Forster and Joan Rodgerson completed another impressive home performance with a 31-8 win over V.Henderson to leave the home squad 45 shots up and 96-47 overall.

South Shields’ hopes of a semi-final place in this year’s Egham Trophy were dashed as they suffered a 76-59 loss at the hands of Blackpool Newton Hall.

Both the Durham County Men’s and Ladies’ teams are in action today, the Men travelling to Carlisle to face a tough Liberty Trophy opener against Cumbria, and the Ladies away to Nottinghamshire in the Atherley Trophy.

This is the fourth year running the counties have clashed in the Men’s category, with Durham winning three but losing the last one at Carlisle by 52 shots.

The Ladies have also met Nottinghamshire four times in recent years, losing them all, and they have not won a game in the Atherley for over eight years.

The latest round of fixtures in the Top Ten take place today, with Houghton looking for their first win of the season as they play host to Ferryhill.

Singles – P.Thomson; Pairs – J.Sutherland & F.Froud; Triples – M.Wright, E.Downes, P.Brickle; Fours – A.Grimes, K.Armstrong, D.Wright, AJ.Dunn.

There has been plenty of action in the local section of this season’s national competitions.

In the singles, Houghton’s Patrick Thomson’s run was ended with a 21-14 loss at Gateshead against Brian Orrell. The Gateshead lad will host Durham’s Mark Higgins next.

In the pairs, there were a couple of Durham versus Stanley clashes, Michael Laydon missing out on home advantage as Stanley’s Ian Peacock won 18-12 but Durham’s Mark Higgins winning a cracker against Brett Arkley 18-17.

Higgins will now host South Shields’ James Sneller, who had a terrific 15-14 win at Durham against Gary Smith.

There was more good news for Shields as Dave Paterson defeated Stanley’s James McKenna 22-10 and Ian McIntosh beat Durham’s Andrew Barkess 21-8, which sets up an all-Shields clash next.

In the triples, Neal Ridley of Shields had a comfortable 23-4 win at Durham against Mark Barkess and will host Houghton’s Frankie Froud next.

Gary Smith won an allDurham affair against Michael Laydon 22-6 and will entertain Shields’ Stewart Hubbard, who in turn ended Houghton’s Sam Patterson’s run 23-9.

In the south section, two Hartlepool squads will meet after Paul Hartley’s 22-3 win over Darlington’s Tony Macey and Glenn Skipps’ 19-6 win over another Darlington triple James Humble.

Gary Farquhar from Shields made progress in the fours with a 23-4 win over Durham’s Michael Laydon, Farquhar heading to Houghton next to face Peter Thomson.

Hartlepool’s Paul Hartley’s run in the mixed pairs continues after an 18-9 win over Redcar’s Tom Entwhistle.

South Shields’ Dave Paterson beat Durham’s Brian Brown 22-13 and will face West Denton’s Arron Robson next.

In the mixed fours, Ian Riches of Shields eased past Durham’s Mark Higgins 245 and will head to West Denton next.

There was better news for Higgins in the family pairs as he avenged last season’s loss to Ian McIntosh, from Shields, with an impressive 20-9 win.

In the two bowl singles, Neal Ridley from Shields had a cracking 21-18 win at Gateshead against Alex Bryden and will head to Stanley next to face Brett Arkley.

Shields’ David Bolt received a second walkover and will next host Gateshead’s Alan Jobling, who won a thriller against The Parks’ Steve Miller 21-20.

In the over-60s fours, Stanley’s John Thurlbeck eased past Houghton’s Michael Wright 21-1, and there was also disappointment for the South Shields A team in the over-60s double fours as they were narrowly beaten 31-27 by Cumbria.

In the area final of the Champion of Champions, Darlington’s Mark Jones ended Durham’s Gary Smith’s hopes 21-11, and Jones heads to the Warner’s Lakeside Complex for the latter stages, where he will face Exonia’s Jamie Chestney.

South Shields will look to progress in the Top Club tomorrow as they head to The Parks.

Singles – P.Dixon & M.Charles; Mixed Pairs – J.Tallack & J.McKenna; Mixed Triples – M.Robson, J.Sneller, G.Farquhar; Mixed Fours – A.Upsall, P.Bryne, J.Minto, S.Hubbard.

Entries are still being taken by Bowls England for their various national competitions, and entries can be made and paid for via the Bowls England website.