Rebuilt Torquay United squad enjoy hard-earned Egham Trophy success
All the bowls latest from around the rinks of Devon, Cornwall and further afield
It was one small step, but former international John Evans hopes that Torquay United can leave an imprint or two in this season’s national competitions after beating Mid-Devon 92-68 in the Egham Trophy.
Despite losing seven England players to Exonia plus two to Plymouth, Torquay could take pride in a job well done after winning three of the four rinks played.
United’s 16-strong team, split evenly between Plainmoor and the away leg at Tiverton, bore little resemblance to their championship-winning sides of 2015 and 2017.
“It was a good start to the season,” Evans said. “Of course we were sorry to lose all those players but we wish them well.
“They will always be welcome at Plainmoor, should they want to come back at some point.”
As one door closes, others open and life goes on at the Torquay club, with debuts for Jane Dowse and Bryan Coad, the 52-year-old son of Cornwall stalwart Norman Coad.
Egham Trophy: Torquay United 92 MidDevon 68. Away: Terri Kennard, Jane Dowse, Robbie Much, David Coombes (Torquay) lost to Leane Reed, Jan Robinson, Ian Turner and Alan Reed 22-16; Charlotte Aspinall, Jeanette Bratcher, Bob Condon, David Evans (Torquay) beat Audrey Collard, Drummond Johnstone, Maureen Robertson, Dave Robinson 30-10.
Home: Maggie Boyle, Sue Pook, Bryan Coad, Danny Denison (Torquay) beat Jan Cox, Mary Sell, Alan Keeble and Alec Collard 20-17; Kate Asher, Liz Lock, Tim Lock, John Evans (Torquay) beat Beryl Willis, Gill Callaghan, Bob Pullsford, Peter Chidgey 26-19.
Plymouth Life Centre beat Egham Trophy rivals Bodmin 95-43 (4-0 rinks) and will play Torquay in the next round.
England international Ollie Lucas was among the winning skips but unavailable were club-mates Harry Goodwin (World Pairs qualifying) and Devon Colts trialist Shania Oliver (Devon Colts).
Egham Trophy: Plymouth Life Centre 95 Bodmin 43. Home: Wendy Collier, Jackie Gillard, Zach Kidd, Paul Bailey beat Mervyn Emment 28-11; Hilary Avent, Di Godefroy, John Knox, Mike Avent beat Fred Purse 16-9.
Away: Sara Quayle, Carrie Partridge, Mal Griffin, Stuart Evans beat David Rowe 25-13; Pat Monk, Linda Sampson, Andy Tout, Ollie Lucas beat Richard Jones 26-10.
Cornwall’s Liberty Trophy team for the match with Devon at Isca on October 27 includes Bowls England Champion of Champions winner Andrew Broad, who will play at three behind skip Phil King and ahead of Richard Clark and Keith Blake.
Reigning Duchy singles indoor champion Ian Drew is one of six skips named, along with pairs winners Darren Mudge and Tim Phillips.
Cornwall Liberty Trophy team: Steven Carr, Mike Austin, Dave Drew, Ian Drew; David Rowe, Garry Cope, Dave Parr, Garry Frost;
Mark Eddy, Steve Lawer, Darren Mudge, Tim Phillips; Mervin Emment, Fred Purse, Paul Stokes, Norman Coad; Jordan Sanders, Ken Tinkler, Roger Teague, Niel Laity; Richard Clark, Keith Blake, Andrew Broad, Phil King.
Reserves: Keith Corris, Glyn Coggon, Stewert
Lenton.
In the Devon Over-60 County Trophy, Torquay United beat Madeira 94-77 with an excellent win at Exmouth for David Coombes, who beat Mike Gorman 34-11, while Tim Lock was beaten 28-14 by Terry Reardon.
At Plainmoor, Geoff Bellamy beat Bob Walker 27-19 and Torquay club-mate John Evans finished on a tied end with Cliff Skinner 19-19.
Torbay, under new team manager Bryan Lee, beat Honiton 112-66 (19-3pts).
In the men’s Devon interclub, two broken bones in his left heel did not slow down Kingsley skip Julian Beer.
“I fell off a ladder and it’s bit uncomfortable,” Beer said, after his rink of Steve Date, Graham Stroudley and Andy Ralph beat Frankie Prince, Geoff Chammings, Graham Warren and Derek Singleton 25-16 at Torbay. Torbay won overall 116-65 (12-2pts).
Torbay’s B-team match with Torquay United was cancelled. “Torquay couldn’t raise a team” lamented Graham Warren (Torbay).
In the Cornwall inter-club, reigning champions Newquay men fought back to beat Bodmin away 72-67 (5-2pts).
“It was a nail-biting experience,” Newquay’s David Parr said afterwards.
“This match looked over for Newquay early on as they trailed Bodmin by a significant margin with the only winning rink skipped by [debutant] Norman Coad. However, a surge over the last few ends turned the match around for Newquay.”
Keith Corris, 10-1 adrift, hit back to be 14-17 down at the close against Richard Clark, and Tim Phillips edged out Fred Purse 18-16. Norman Coad, who was never in trouble against his old club, overcame Mervyn Emment in a 24-14 success.
“This gave us an invaluable buffer,” commented Parr, who saw David Rowe (Bodmin) pull off some “incredible” shots to deny Gary Frost 20-16.
In the Devon Foxlands Trophy, Torbay ladies beat South Hams 112-68 (8-2pts) with a ‘hot-shot’ maximum score of eight shots one on end at Torbay as Marylin Symons, Margaret Griffiths, Sue Coffield and Anita Huxtable beat Val Harding, Maureen Geldard, Kath Cross and Lesley Crutchley (South Hams) 39-13.
Close by, Brenda Welham, back in action following the death of her husband, Ron Welham, a year ago, skipped Jan Senft Wendy Fielding and Angela Elliott to a 28-27 win over Torbay’s Sarah Vinnicombe, Mary Jenkins, Mo Thomas and Jean Townsend.
At the Quayside Leisure Centre in Kingsbridge, Pat Phillips, Roz Cherrington, Jenny Moore and Jane Wray scored five shots on the eighth end to go on and beat home skip Pat Janes 26-11. Mavis Hodgin, Jan Hutchins, Jenny Corps and Sue Devonport overcame Mavis Wellington (South Hams) 20-16.