Surprise defeat for Parks

CHESHIRE Parks succumbed to a surprise defeat on Sunday at the hands of Birkenhead.

The re-vamped team contained a vast percentage of players from outside the Stockport Parks League.

The home leg was played at Quarry Bank in Timperley and the first six players on the green all slipped to defeat. A buoyant Birkenhead’s resurgence was slightly halted in the back jacks but the visitors ran out the ready winners.

In the away leg Cheshire didn’t fare too badly with five winners and Mike Heald’s 21-9 card a particular highlight. The overall match score was a disappointing 21-10 result for Birkenhead and it will be interesting to see how the new regime does next time.

Champions Greater Manchester made no mistake seeing off a very strong East Midlands team 18-13. The home leg at the banker Metro Sports venue in Stretford yielded 9 winners for Greater Manchester. Away from home was more difficult as GM only picked up four winners but the aggregate was secured with such a good home performance. Elsewhere on Sunday the spring Waterloo came to a conclusion and shocks were in store.

Now in the veteran stage Mike Leach from Preston came out on top staving off James Hanson 21-19 in the final. Preparations will now begin in earnest at the seaside venue for the start of main waterloo qualifiers. In the S and D League Houldsworth climbed above Woodley to take back the divisions top spot. Tommy Johnstones 21-8 winning card helped the side from Reddish comfortably defeat New Mills. Meanwhile Woodley tasted defeat after sharing five winners each with an on form Victoria. The visitors pinched the aggregate however with a last gasp success from Mark Bennett 21-8. Nursery are needing points and got a deserved home result against Whaley Bridge at green Lane.