Gallop, Forsyth have clean run
BOWLS Black Jacks stars Matt Gallop and Ali Forsyth are through to postsection play of the pairs at the Hyundai National Open bowls championships in New Plymouth.
Gallop, registered with the Blenheim Bowling Club and Forsyth with Havelock, completed qualifying play unbeaten from four matches as they head into today’s post-section knockout phase.
Lloyd Gallop, Matt’s father, from the Blenheim Bowling Club is also through to post-section in the pairs with team-mate Gary Watson from Stoke and the news is also good for Marlborough in the singles. Both the Gallops, Calvin Hart and Josie Uren made it through to post-section play in the singles while in the men’s four, the Gallops, Forsyth and Watson qualified for post-section play.
Matt Gallop said the successful Marlborough contingent were happy with their form and results so far, and looking forward to progressing much deeper into the competitions.
With play reduced to just three games due to rain, most of the big names qualified in the men’s singles including Matt Gallop.
However, there were exceptions, with the two finalists from 1995, Brian Baldwin (Musgrave Hill) and Terry Scott (North East Valley), the most notable.
Baldwin lost his first game 21-18 to Brent Stubbins (Woburn) and his third match 21-11 to Peter Ram- sey (Wilton). Scott lost 21-13 to Philip Skoglund (Northern) and to Darren Goodin (Paritutu) 21-10. Jimmy Pugh (Stoke), a pairs finalist last season, also missed out.
Peter Belliss (Aramoho), a winner on three occasions in the past, was beaten 21-17 by Southland singles player Glenn Milne (Waihopai) in the first game, but won his next two to qualify.
Defending champion Peter Hodson (Stoke) won his first two matches with 21-10 scorelines over Craig McDonnell (Riverside) and Bruce Hall (Vogeltown).
Rowan Brassey was also in dominant form as he pushed aside Phil Dickison (Tauranga South) 21-9 and Dave Cate (Woburn) 21-11.
Brassey’s pairs partner, Beau Prideaux, won his first two games. He accounted for past Taranaki singles winner Maurie Stieller (Stratford-Avon) 21-2 and two-time winner of the national singles Petar Sain (Carlton Cornwall) 21-18.
Leading players Shannon McIlroy (Stoke), Ray Park (Wanganui), Graham Skellern (Tauranga South), Shaun Scott (North East Valley) and Dan Delany (Onehunga) also made it through.
The 1987 champion, Ken Walker (Fairfield), lost his opening game to fellow former international Andrew Kelly (Canterbury) 21-13 and then squeaked home 21-20 over Lance Tasker (Mt Maunganui). A third-round 21-12 win ensured Walker’s survival.
Post-section play begins on Wednesday.