Shooting: Air rifle teams take aim at end of season cup competitions
WITH the league season all but over the focus of the Hinckley Air Rifle League moved to the Gordon Smith Cup and Paynes Cup competitions.
Both trophies are contested in a round-robin format with the top half of the league trying to win the former and the remaining teams the latter.
The most competitive match of the night came in the Gordon Smith Cup where Bedworth Ex Servicemen’s Club were visited by Taylor & Ayre.
The visitors started slowly but a Giles Headley 29.3 and Steve Vincent’s 27.0 gave their first half respectability.
These scores were surpassed by Bedworth for whom Andrew Cryer scored 29.2, Jackie Bend added 28.4, and Mick Cryer chipped in with his 27.2.
In a numerically stronger team these would have been enough to give the home side a sizeable first half lead but with just seven shooters Bedworth knew that they would also have to count a 24 and a 25, meaning that there was little between the teams at the break.
Alison Smith’s 27.3 and Darren Hicks’ 30.3 were the highlights of the T&A second half and the resulting 192.2 total left the final two home shooters with little room for error.
James Bend missed his first shot but rang the bell with the rest to score 29.4 but when his father Bill also missed the first his watching team mates must have known that he had to ring the bell with all his remaining shots to take the win.
Fortunately for them Bill held his nerve and showed the form that made him the league’s top shooter for the season as he finished with a 29.3 that gave his team 192.6 and victory by just 0.4.
The finish to the match between Ashby Road ‘B’ and the travelling Trojans wasn’t quite as close but it still went down to the wire (almost).
Ashby Road shot first and put together a solid, if unspectacular, first half that included Jon Storer’s 28.3, Neil Price’s 27.2, and the 27.1s of Sue Baker and Craig Shuttleworth.
However, this was more than enough to give them a lead at the break following a response from the Trojans that included three 26s and a Rob Forman 27.2.
The ARB second half was more of the same with the best scores being Tom Middleton’s 27.3 and Jeff Goodyer’s 27.2 but the resulting 190.3 was enough to give them the win over a Trojans team that finished on just 186.0 despite Chris Sills’ 30.2 and Mark Smith’s 27.1.
The outstanding performance in the Paynes Cup came from Hinckley Phoenix who easily won their encounter at the New Plough Inn.
The Phoenix team took full advantage of being put in by their hosts by setting an extremely challenging total, their 198.6 including a brilliant 30.5 from Roxy Ratheram, husband Ian’s 29.3, Samantha Haskins’ 29.2, the 28.2s of Karen Bown and Geoff Herbert, and Tony Overton’s 27.1.
The reply from the home side had its good points, most notably Tom Bray’s closing 30.5, but despite this, Nigel Hill’s 28.2, John Bray’s 28.2 and Daniel Lakin’s 27.1, they finished more than nine behind on 189.5
The second Paynes Cup match was also one sided as Ashby Road beat their Hounds hosts by ten clear shots.
There were personally strong performances from several of the home team; notably Paul Huddlestone’s 30.4, Andrew Mitchell’s 28.3, Richard Greene’s 27.2 and Roy Pritchard’s 27.1; but the supporting scores were too low to allow them to set a competitive total and they finished on a disappointing 182.0.
There were no such problems for the visitors who managed a 192.0 response thanks to Lorraine White’s 29, Pete Finney’s 28.3, Richard White’s 28.2, Seamus Moore’s 27.1 and David White’s 27.
There was one other contest as Sporting Lions welcomed the Smallshaws team to shoot a match postponed from September of last year.
Neither team could benefit from the result and this was reflected in the quality of the shooting with the home side beating their guests by eleven shots.
The home side’s 190 included Glen Dainter’s 30; the 29s of Lee Johnson and Melanie Jenkins; and Jeanette Mulkeirins’ 28 whilst the best individual scores in the visitors’ 179 were Tom Williams’ 28 and Bob West’s 27.