Shock home defeat opens up the battle

Wilson goes home £600 richer after winning battle against weather at Lindley BC

WITH the competitors kitted out like North Sea fishermen and the green more suitable to water polo, Graeme Wilson came out on top in Lindley Bowling Club’s £2000 competition.

In the final, Wilson led 10-5 but seven ends later was behind 13-11, then 17-15.

Wilson got in front 20-17 but Wood came back with three singles before Wilson got the final chalk to go home £600 richer.

In his acceptance speech, Wilson thanked his fellow bowlers, the healthy crowd A shock first home defeat for Lockwood Windows Veterans League Section 1 leaders Milnsbridge A has suddenly opened up the whole competition.

A 7-2 defeat at the hands of Marsh Utd A, coupled with a Lockwood Con 7-2 away win at Waterloo A, has seen the leaders’ previous 10-point advantage halved.

That win for Marsh means they have beaten the top three teams this season but can only claim fourth place.

If only they were more consistent against the lower teams they would be serious contenders.

That result has also reawakened the title hopes of Clayton West, who beat Almondbury BC 6-3.

Shepley remain bottom but just failed to win at Netherton Con A for turning out in such wet conditions and said the green was one of the best he’d played for a long while.

The competition was sponsored by EuroWorld Bearings and Travel Counsellors.

In the first round, Wilson when a one-point aggregate difference went against them in a 5-4 defeat.

That was a first league win since May for Netherton Con A to arrest a run of seven straight defeats.

Four of the bottom six teams played each other and the results didn’t ease the relegation worries of any of them.

Crosland Moor extended their lead at the top of Section 2 to 12 points after a comprehensive 8-1 home win over Kirkheaton Con.

Locked together level on points behind them are Brockholes A (5-4 losers at Broad Oak) and Thongsbridge A (8-1 winners over Kirkheaton C&BC A).

The top two in Section 3 clashed and it was the leaders, Almondbury Lib, who came off worst, losing 7-2 at home to the rampant New Mill A, although third-placed Holmfirth A may be the real beneficiaries following beat Jonathan Webster 21-10 then had a battle with Hyde’s Ben Gloag.

Wilson led 8-2 but after another 15 ends was in arrears 16-12. Nine ends later it was all-but across before Wilson won 21-20.

Wood triumphed over their 8-1 home win over Ravensknowle Park A.

Golcar Lib B are Section 4’s form team at present and they stay top after beating prime challengers Marsden Park 8-1, while a similar scoreline home win for Almondbury BC B means they separate the two in the latest league table.

The top five in the 6-Man Section A all won so no change in the running order, although Lockwood Con did extend their lead to four points.

Only one winner in the bottom seven teams and that was bottom-ofthe-table Primrose Hill Lib who surprisingly beat Farnley Tyas 4-3 for only their second win of the season.

In the 6-man league, Section B leaders Crosland Moor retained their lead after a 5-2 home success over Meltham, who slipped a place to fourth as Skel Windmill overtook them.

Good 6-1 home win for Thongsbridge Craig Newton 21-13 then beat Nathan Haigh in the semi-finals 21-15.

First round: Gloag 21 Liam Griffin 18, Wilson 21 Webster 10, Newton 15 Wood 21, Haigh 21 Andy Mailer 5.

Semi-finals: Gloag 19 Wilson 21, Wood 21 Haigh 15. A brought them within one point of their opponents from Lindley Lib in the table, and they were the only winners in the lower half of the table.

Lockwood Windows League latest results:

Cowcliffe 7 Golcar Lib A 2, Elland C&BC A 6 Meltham A 3, Milnsbridge A 2 Marsh United A 7, Clayton West 6 Almondbury BC A 3, Netherton Con A 5 Shepley 4, Rastrick 3 Lindley Lib A 6. Waterloo A 2 Lockwood Con 7.

Meltham B 8 Linthwaite Hall 1, Thorpe Green 1 Lindley BC A 8, Thongsbridge A 8 Kirkheaton C&BC A 1, Broad Oak A 5 Brockholes A 4, Canalside A 3 Skel Windmill A 6, Hemplow 2 Primrose Hill Lib A 7, Crosland Moor 8 Kirkheaton Con 1.

Brockholes B 8 Milnsbridge B 1, Slaithwaite 6 Waterloo B 3, Almondbury Lib 2 New Mill A 7, Holmfirth A 8 Ravensknowle Park A 1, Lindley Lib B 7 Springwood 2.

Almondbury BC B 8 Thongsbridge B 1, Marsh United B 9 David Brown Sports 0, Golcar Lib B 8 Marsden Park 1, Lindley BC B 7 Meltham C 2, Skel Windmill B 6 Broad Oak B 3, Huddersfield RUFC 7 Netherton Con B 2, Marsh United B 7 Broad Oak B 2.

New Mill B 6 Greenhead Park 3, Kirkheaton C&BC B 6 Lowerhouses 3, Denby Dale 8 Elland C&BC B 1, Dalton 5 Outlane 4, Ravensknowle Park B 6 Holmfirth B 3, Primrose Hill Lib B 6 Canalside B 3.

Shepley A 6 Almondbury Lib 1, Lockwood Con 7 Clayton West 0, Primrose Hill Lib 4 Farnley Tyas 3, Brockholes A 6 Milnsbridge BC 1, Longwood 6 Paddock I&C 1, Oakfield T&BC 1 Thongsbridge B 6.

Holmfirth 7 Brockholes B 0, Golcar Lib 4 Hemplow 3, Thongsbridge A 6 Lindley Lib 1, Crosland Moor 5 Meltham 2, Lindley BC 2 Netherton Con 5, Greenhead Park 1 Skel Windmill 6.