The year Roker Park released Herrington’s grip on cup
There was a changing of the guard in the 1992 Swan Cup competition.
Roker Park’s 6-1 win at Ryhope finally ended Herrington Workmen’s 25-year stranglehold on the title.
M a ny p u n d i t s a r g u e d which club would eventually interrupt Herrington’s monopoly, not many predicted the Roker outfit who only last season were playing in the second division.
The oldest club in Sunderland, twice previous league winners in 1926 and 1931, earned their historic victory with a string of superb results.
Those included wins over all the main rivals while only suffering two defeats at the hands of South Hylton and Wearmouth.
In the Earl Cup, the dominance of Hylton Colliery Welfare continued in emphatic fashion and a comfortable 6-1 win at Ryhope was enough to give them their third title in four years.
In the Harold Howey veterans league Silksworth ended a 15-year wait for another title while Seaham Town landed a double, first up claiming the honours in the Storey Bowl and then lifting the 3-21 knock out triples.
The Silver Jacks went to the Silksworth pairing of Frankie Adams and Les Peverley, which ended a 33-year wait.
The Burkett Shield triples went to Ryhope, with George Charlton, Ron Hood and George Bell, they defeating the North Biddick trio of John Hamilton, Malcolm Smith and Mel Houston 16-11 in the final played at Thompson Park.
The Biddick triple booked their final place with a surprise 15-8 win over the fancied Colliery Welfare triple of Billy Ferry, Russell Bewick and David Morgan.
It was a double semi-final woe for the Welfare outfit as Steve Turner and brothers Les and Ivor Bennett suffered a comprehensive 19-5 loss at the hands of the eventual winners.
In the final, Biddick triple raced into a 10-5 lead but the Ryhope lads knuckled down with Charlton producing a string of head changing bowls.
With two ends to play it was all square but the momentum was with the Ryhope triple and they collected four shots without reply to take the title.
The champion of champion title went to Whitburn’s Steve Northam. There was no seniors event as it didn’t start until 1998.
Barnes West End’s Trudie Broxson retained her women’s town singles title with a 21-15 win over the Women’s Circle’s Dorothy Barker.
The Barnes Park quartet of Phil Snowball, Kevin Richardson, David Gibson and Steve Jones landed the popular Grindon Mill invitation fours title.
In the final they sprung a surprise, beating the fancied Roker Marine quartet of Albert Anderson, John Richards, Jack Barnes and Tommy Smith 12-8.
The Grindon league champions were Rolls Royce with Vaux topping the B division, while Laings won the Tommy Thompson double fours.
Usworth’s George Hackett and Colin Clarke lifted the Powley pairs while Whitburn’s R.Turner, Steve Northam and John Smith were the Jim Brown triples champions.
The Hood fours went to North Biddick’s John Hamilton, Malcolm Smith and the Houston brothers while the popular two-day invitation fours went to the Echo’s Geoff Field, Reg Ford, Jim Thompson and Harry Barker.
At county level the Hylton Colliery father and son combination of Billy and Russell Bewick were crowned county pairs champions and Roker Marine’s David Morgan was the two bowl singles champion.
The Du rham County C team secured a 12th Armstrong Trophy success.
As the indoor season approaches there have been another two days added for Houghton based bowlers to pay their membership fees.
The centre will be open from 9.30am to 1pm on Tuesday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 9.
Members must pre-book by contacting club secretary Margaret Nicholson on 0191 581 2677.
The centre is not open for any bowls until the start of the club leagues on Monday September 14.
Hartlepool hosted an open singles event last weekend with 64 players contesting for a cash prize.
The eventual winner was South Shields Viper’s Josh M i nto, wh o b eat th e h o s t club’s Paul Mosley in the final.
They are planning another on September 27, entry fee is £15.
There was some sad news th i s we e k a s Wa s h i n g to n Glebe stalwart Tom Ainsley, 84, sadly passed away. Tom was a keen a competitor and a underrated bowler.
The EIBA have confirmed plans to get this season’s national competitions underway.
They plan to start the singles and pairs during midOctober and the triples and fours in January 2021.
All team events will also start in January 2021 with the planned national finals pencilled in for April.
The draws for the singles and pairs will be finalised and published the week commencing Monday, September 14.
The draws for the triples, fours and team events will be finalised and published by the end of October 2020.
The postponed 2019-20 national championships will be held in November under COVID-19 secure conditions.
The EIBA are currently in the process of finalising the final schedules and venue and will release full details to the competitors thereafter.
The Durham County ind o o r h ave s u s p e n d e d a l l county run competitions until January 2021, however the situation will be reviewed on December 11.
T h i s a f fe c t s i nte r c lub leagues, vets inter club, champion of champions and vice president matches.
Steve Jones enjoyed Grindon Mill fours success.