Susan desperately seeking first county singles title
triple skipped by Jeff Wilson 17-6.
The Pumas missed out on a clean sweep as James Sneller went down 15-13 in a livestreamed clash with Barnes Park’s Frankie Froud.
The remaining tie saw Sea ham Town’ s Bryan Henderson ease past Usworth’s Steven Copeland 22-8.
Even at this early stage, the Earl Cup4x 4 is already looking like a two-horse race. Holders Silks worth Pu mas had to work hard for a 5-2 win at Barnes Park, and Dairy Lane’s 19-shot 5-2 win over Roker Marine maintained their half-point lead over the Pumas at the top.
The remaining game saw Whitburn notch up their first win of the season 6-1 at home against Usworth.
In the Earl3x 4 league, holders Sea ham Town have yet to drop a rink point as they recorded a third 6-0 win, this time away at Washington.
North Biddick and Hylton Colliery also remain unbeaten after 5-1 wins over Pemberton and Thompson Park respectively.
In a Swan Cup top-of-the table clash, Silks worth Pu mas moved six points clear after beating holders Roker Marine 6-1. Dairy Lane returned to winning ways 6½-½ at Usworth, and Barnes Park hit Thompson Park for a ton in a 7-0 whitewash.
In the Swan 3x4, New Herrington moved up to second after a4-2w in overHyl ton Collier y Welfare, leaders Sea ham Town beat Washington 6-0 and North Biddick replicated that score at Pemberton. The other result saw Houghton Town beat holders H et ton Work men 4-2.
Week five in the Harold Howey saw division one holders Barnes Park impress in a 30-shot 4-0 win over bottomof-the-table Ryhope, Hetton Workmen’s won a thriller at Marine 32-21 and Houghton Dairy Lane A maintained their unbeaten record with a hardfought3-1winatWashingtonB. There were also wins forRok er Park and Houghton Town B.
Sea ham Town are the early pace-setters in division two. A 4-0 win over Sunderland puts them four points clear.
Second-placed North Biddick B tripped up at South Hylton as they lost 3-1. South Hetton beat Pemberton B 3½½, and there were wins for Hylton Colliery Welfare and Barnes Park A.
Round five of fixtures in the Storey saw new leaders as Hylton Colliery Welfare made it four out off our with a 6-1 home win over Houghton Town.
Newcomers to the league New Herrington enjoyed a trip to the coast as they beat Roker Park 5-2, and Hetton Workmen’s bounced back from last week’s heavy loss to Seaham with a 5-1 win at winless Thompson Park.
There has been plenty of action in the Bowls England competitions.
Intheover-55singles,Dairy Lane’s Alan Hind scored a 2112 win over Dunston’s Alan Jobling, and in the over-55 pairs there was more Dairy Lane success as M al Peach beat former team-mate Peter Hudspith20-14.However,Marine’s Ray Bell’s run is over after losing 19-12 to Jarrow’s Maurice Dunlop. In the women’s competition, Dairy Lane’s Joan Rodgers on won, but club mate Norma Stephenson went out, as did Sunderland’s Lorraine Breheny.
Usworth’s Brian Poulter moved into the next round of the champion of champions, beating Spennymoor’s John Wilkinson 21-11. In the women’s event, Dairy Lane’s Susan Forsterwentout21-11atPelton Fell to Joan Brown.
In the mixed pairs, Marine’ s Grace and Rod Maxwell won a thrilling last-bowl 14-13 clash at Dairy Lane against Ray Robinson, and in the mixed fours Mal Peach beat Pumas’ Jaxon McKenna 14-8.
County bowls action returns for the first time since Covid as the Durham County B team open up their Alsop Trophy defence at Dairy Lane today against Cumbria at 2 pm.
There is plenty of local interest in the selected team including a county debut for the Pu mas’ Peter Brick le and Dairy Lane’s David Armstrong.