New Plough Inn off the mark as Hill keeps his nerve with final shot
FOLLOWING eight successive losses their match with the visiting Hounds gave the air rifle shooters of the New Plough Inn their final chance to gain a positive result in the first half of the Hinckley Air Rifle League’s regular season. The visitors shot first, starting slowly before picking up the pace with Callum Gardner’s 27, Richard Greene’s 28, and Leanne Simpson’s personal best 29.
The home side’s first half did slightly better thanks to Darren Statham’s 26; the 27s of Daniel Lakin and Mick Stocker; and John Bray’s 29 but a strong second half from the Hounds, consisting of Roy Pritchard’s 29 and Paul Huddlestone’s 28 allowed them to set a reasonably competitive 188 total. This should have been well within range for the remaining home shooters but a Tom Bray 26 being the best from the first two shooters left final man Nigel Hill needing a 30 to win. A first victory began to look increasingly likely as his first four shots found the bull but unfortunately his fifth shot was a little bit too far out and scored just a four. However he held his nerve to ring the bell with his final shot and take the scores level, gaining his team their first point of the season thus far.
The Trojans maintained their title aspirations thanks to a four shot defeat of their guests from Ashby Road. Put in by their hosts, the visitors performed reasonably well to set a 190 total that included Innes Droomer’s 26, David White’s 27, and the 29s of Richard White, Seamus Moore and Pete Finney but despite a slow start the Trojans always looked likely to overhaul this. After 26s from Mark Smith, Darren Houghton and Will Chambers; 27s from debutant Rebecca Horsler and Rob Forman; and 29s from Phil Hood and Leigh Hall the honour of pushing the Trojans over the winning line went to Roger Sills’ 27 after which son Chris’ closing 29 extended the winning margin, leaving them on 194.
Ashby Road ‘B’ moved up to third place in the table with a four shot win over the visiting Hinckley Phoenix. Craig Shuttleworth and Jon Storer were joint top scorers for the home side, their 29s combining with the 28s of Neil Price and Jeff Goodyer, Mike Sansome’s 27, and the 26 of Kim Baker to help them to their 192 total, whilst the visitors’ 188 reply came courtesy of the 28s of Samantha Haskins and Craig Bown (a personal best); the 27s of Barry Wright and Geoff Herbert; and the 26s of Karen Bown, Fred Knowles, Colin Rusted and Ian Ratheram. Taylor & Ayre welcomed a six strong Bedworth team to the Barn, where the visitors elected to shoot first. Mick Cryer started steadily for them with a 27; Andrew Cryer followed with a maximum 30; and their first half was completed by James Bend’s 29 sandwiched by the 26s of Bob Wagstaff and Klaus Baker. In reply the best the home side could offer were the 27s of Giles Headley and John Orton, together with 26s from Aly Steele and Steve Vincent. When the match resumed after supper Bedworth’s Bill Bend scored another 30 which, with a 25 counting thanks to rule M24, gave them a total of 193. T&A’s Paul Griffin and Phil Steele were surprising, but welcome, top scorers for the hosts scoring a 28 apiece and Matt Hall’s 26 closed out the match, leaving T&A with a five shot deficit on 188.
The match between the Sporting Lions and the travelling Smallshaws was the least competitive of the week with the home side outscoring their opponents by nine. The 29s of Todd Astill, Karl Bunting, and Glen Dainter; the 28s of Jeanette Mulkeirins and Pete Dainter; Melanie Jenkins’ 27; and the 26s of Lee Johnson and Taryn Cockerill combined to give the Lions their 196 total which was far too good for the visitors who finished on just 187 despite the 28s of Tom Williams and Bob West; the 27s of Jamie Slimm and John Stevenson; and the 26s of Rob Wainwright and Jackie West.