Kentish Express Ashford & District
Rail stay on track in national competition
Bowls Motorsport
Ashford Rail Bowls Club beat Hythe 4-1 in round three of the National Top Club competition last Thursday. In the singles game, Carl Akers lost 12-21 and in the two wood Keith Smith won 15-11. In pairs action, Reg Abbs and Eric Peacock came out top in a close game to win 25-19. Gary Breeds, Tony Mapstone and skip Chris Knapp won 19-15 in their game and lead Clive Allen, Dudley Bryant, Gordon Samson and skip Ian Larking won 25-15. They host Gateway in round four on Tuesday. Rail won 119-67 at home to Betteshanger on Saturday with four men’s triples and one ladies’ triple competing. The ladies had the highest winning rink with lead Janet Williams, Hazel Larkin and skip Christine Breeds winning 37-8. In the county competitions, Ian Larkin’s Four are through to the KCBA Division 4 semi-finals at Sandwich this Friday after they beat Ashford Town last Friday.
In the Mermaid League, Ashford’s Bill Richards says driving standards need to improve after he was involved in a race-ending crash in the Motorsport News Saloons at Lydden Hill last weekend. The Mini Clubman racer, 65, managed to salvage a strong fourth-place finish in race two but was forced to retire from the first encounter after contact with Perry Winch’s Renault Clio. Winch, from Sidcup, was challenging for the class lead with Richards when the pair made contact down Hairy Hill, sending Winch into a dramatic roll after collecting the tyre wall. Richards was called to the stewards’ room between races but was found to be not at fault for the incident, which Winch walked away from. He said post-race: “My first words to him (Winch) were buy some mirrors but I did speak on his behalf and said it was not malicious. “I said I was convinced it wasn’t malicious as his field of vision was not good. In the end, they said he purely didn’t see me.” Despite the race one disappointment – which badly damaged his Mini’s steering – Richards started from the Tenterden lost 38-102 away at Iden. Eighteen members of Tenterden Bowls Club took part in their annual Skills Day Competition on Saturday. The competition consisted of six rinks set out to test the various skills required in the game of bowls. After the back for race two and produced a storming drive. Picking off rivals lap after lap, the Mini Spares-backed racer sat in fourth with a handful of laps left and chased Ford Escort man Nick Proudlock to the flag. He missed out on the class win and a podium finish by a car’s length. Richards said: “I would have got him (Proudlock). Of all of the drivers, I have done more laps on this circuit and know every bump and undulation. “Starting at the back, my aim was to win the class and with cars with more power, you have to pick and choose where to overtake.” After picking up a haul of points in the second race, Richards thinks he can still challenge for the class championship win this year. He added: “It looks good for me in the championship again because he (Winch) had a DNF and I have had a second.” competition, club president Andrea Crosser presented the trophy to winner Ray Walker and the wooden spoon to Elaine Dixon. Tenterden Bowls Club are always looking for new members, and should anyone be interested, they would be made welcome at the club night, held every Thursday evening from 5.30pm.
Hamstreet Bowls Club played a tight friendly against Hythe, winning on three rinks but losing by 64-67. On Sunday, they played a friendly against Folkestone Park, winning 70-56 with the winning rink skipped by D Raggett along with S Goddard and Mi Brogan.