Sunderland B’s ambitions suffer set-back at Stanley
In 2007, the Sunderland B squad’s hopes of making the end-of-season play-offs suffered a blow when they went down 3-2 (-5) at Stanley in the inter-club senior fixtures.
Going into the game the Sunderland outfit were top of the group by 2½ points from Darlington B with Stanley back in third, meaning the final game against Darlington B at Crowtree would decide their fate.
Ronnie Hart’s rink of Peter Bulmer, Billy Conway and Stevie Kempster had a cracking 13-8 win over Billy Bell while George Gibson’s quartet of Colin Ratcliffe, Bobby Knowles and Terry Todd also returned victorious 12-9.
Sadly, the overall game slipped away in the latter stages of Alfie Ferguson’s encounter, a run of 4,1,4 against Ferguson over the final three ends sealing a 22-9 defeat and a five shot loss overall.
Sunderland return to Inter-county action this weekend when they face Shildon, with the Crowtree outfit 13½ points clear at the top. A return to the top flight looks a certainty and a good win over Shildon would also help secure the Division Two title.
Having already notched up 43½ points out of a maximum of 48 there is only one change from the team that faced Spennymoor with Phil Smithson rested and Billy Ferry taking his place.
At Crowtree: W Mitchell, W Conway, E Peacock, J Harrison, J Flett, S Angus, C Broxson, D Bolt, H Shields, LJ Todd, W Funnell.
At Shildon: L Hughes, J Jones, T Todd, T Jopling, G Brown, W Hearne, R Robinson, W Ferry, K Hopper, D Hulley, G Farquhar, D Sykes.
Sunderland hosted a touring team from Notts & Somerset last weekend and bagged an easy 164-105 win. Top rink was Billy Lawrence, Bobby Adams, Dennis Hulley and Jimmy Harrison, who ran out 33-10 winners.
Rink scores: G Cook 28, M Walker 11; J Harrison 33, G White 10; A Goldsmith 7, D Maguire 23; M Davis 19, R Birmingham 18; J Horton 20, J Fairhurst 10; P Tizard 10, A Duckworth 17; J Ross 27, P
Birmingham 11; G Brown 20, M Stoker 7.
The following day was another victorious one for Sunderland when they hosted the Durham County presidents select in a friendly and ran out 134-85 winners.
Top rink was Anne Todd, Kathy Hulley, Laughlin Todd and Ronnie Hart who romped to a 42-5 win. The top Durham Select rink was Jimmy Blair, Sam Patterson, Jim Scullion and Tom Patterson.
Rink scores: G Gibson 12, T Patterson 19; J Harrison 26, K Coates 16; T Todd 21, B Rutherford 14; R Hart 42, B Armstrong 5; D Hulley 16, A Snell 13; E Peacock 17, J Layfield 18.
Sunderland hosted another successful mixed friendly, when 48 players took part in a men versus ladies fixture, which proved there is still interest left in the mixed format.
The top rinks for the men were John Todd, Tony Grimes, Laughlin Todd and Ernie Peacock while the ladies’ top rink was Betty Seymour, Mary Williamson, Ella
Manley and Ella Baker.
The Durham County Vet’s team have two crunch fixtures coming up.
Firstly they travel to Church Gresley to face Derbyshire in the Midlands Senior League, the Sunderland quartet of Alfie Ferguson, Joe Flett, Tommy Jopling and Jimmy Harrison have all been selected to play.
The County’s second fixture is in the Northern Counties League where Durham should retain the title if they avoid a whitewash to Yorkshire at Stanley. Joining the four previously mentioned players are Charlie McCain and George Brown.
Latest Northern Counties table: Durham (3) 28pts +82, Yorkshire (3) 20½pts +16, Lancashire (4) 11½pts -98.
There was more club competition action at Crowtree with the Men’s Singles quarter-finals.
Holder Gary R Smith had a comfortable 21-4 win over Ernie Peacock in a game that only lasted 13 ends. In the semi-finals, Smith will now
face David Bolt who had to recover from a 8-3 deficit to record a 21-15 win over Joe Flett.
Tommy Jopling eased past Billy Hearne 21-7 while George Brown had a surprisingly comfortable 21-7 win over Ray Robinson.
In the men’s pairs Gary Farquhar defeated Bobby Usher 14-11 and will now face Gary R Smith in the last eight.
Meanwhile two quarterfinal ties were completed when Billy Ferry defeated Peter Thomson 13-10 and Tommy Jopling defeated Jim Humphrey by the same score.
The delayed vet’s singles tie between Bobby Borthwick and Dennis Hulley was finally played with Borthwick running out a 21-13 winner.
In the vet’s pairs semifinal, holders Joe Flett and Tommy Jopling stayed on course to retain their title after beating Terry Todd 19-13.
At the Ladies National Championships at Lodden Vale the gallant run from Houghton’s Norma Collings,
Jenny Smith and Betty Johnson came to an end when they went down 17-15 in the last 16 to Northampton’s Diana Baggat.
The 2007 season was proving to be tough one, following all the off the green upheaval. There was disappointing news for the Sunderland club as several of its top male players decided to move to pastures new.
Although it proved to be a big loss to the Crowtree club it gave them a chance to start a rebuilding programme. A statement from the then club secretary said: “We are sad to see the players go but would like to thank them for their efforts over the years and wish the group of players all the best and every success.”
As the 2021 outdoor season approaches it has been confirmed two clubs have resigned from the Sunderland & District. Sadly its the end of the road for one of the great clubs Grindon Mill and former Storey Bowl winners Wearmouth.
Lee Johnson says he is not aware of any contract talks between Luke O'Nien and Sunderland at this stage.
Reports in the national media last week said that the Black Cats were on the brink of offering a new, long-term deal to the popular 26-yearold.
Sunderland undoubtedly want O'Nien to stay at the club in the long term, but Johnson said as far as he was aware there had been 'no change' in the situation at the club.
The Black Cats have a large number of players out of contract this summer, though it is believed that in some cases the club have an option to extend for a further season.
Johnson has already said that some decisions will be dependent on whether on not Sunderland win promotion or not this season, and what division they subsequently find themselves in next year.
The club were boosted significantly by the overturning of the League One salary cap following a legal challenge from the PFA, but there has still been some level of uncertainty over what that means in reality for clubs as a result.
Contracts will be the remit of sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, with input from Johnson.
The matter was set to be addressed again once the club had a better picture of what the abolition of the salary cap meant in practice.
Johnson said last month that the developments would in theory leave the club better placed to compete with Championship sides in the market, but warned that they would not be overspending.
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has put sustainability at the heart of his long-term vision for the club.
"Yes, it definitely gives you the option of retaining players and competing with clubs in the Championship,” he said.
"But at the same time, you can’t over-pay.
“A player is worth what he’s worth, and you’ve got to make a valid assessment on the market value of that player and make sure that every penny is spent really wisely, whether that be on a player’s contract extension or a new player coming in or promoting a young player from the academy and giving him his first pro contract.”
O’Nien joined Sunderland from Wycombe Wanderers in July 2018.