Houghton Sancroft looking to create one Great upset
After suffering last weekend’s National semi-final loss, the Houghton Sancroft lads looked to bounce back this week and end the indoor season on a high as they faced Hartlepool B in the Seniors Inter Club play-off semi-finals at Darlington.
As it happens the semi-final was plain sailing for Sancroft as they eased to a 40 shot 5-0 win. Dale Or am steered Joe Sutherland, Colin Young and Peter Brickletoa 2 6-5 win over R.Browd with Or am rattling 18 shots without reply to set up the win.
A late surge got Ian Whorlton over the line; notching 10 shots without reply on route to a 18-8 win over A. Bridge water.
The clean sweep was completed by Frankie Froud, who beat T.Barnes 17-8.
The final was due to take place yesterday with Great Aycliffe the opponents. Aycliffe maintained their unbeaten season when they beat Ferryhill 4-1 (45-35), details of the final will appear in next week’s report.
The Hartlepool Opentook place over the Easter weekend with a shed load of local interest.
Hopes of a local win were still high as the host club’s Glenn Skipp and the Vipers duo of Jonny Forcer and David Bolt were in the last eight.
Sadly, both Forcer and Skipp lost, Forcer lost 2-1 on a tie break to England star Jamie Walker, while Ski pp lost in straight sets to Spalding’s Dominic McVittie 10-7, 10-5.
However, Bolt progressed tosemi-finalswitha1½-½sets win over Derek McClue.
In the semi-final, McVittie ended Bolts hopes in a thriller straightsets6-5,6-5win,while Walker beat another Spalding hope Jordan Phillpott 7-2, 8-1.
In the final, Walker took thefirstset7-3beforeMcVittie hit back to take the second set 9-1, it was McVittie who came out onto pin the tie breaker 2-1 to land the £1000 first prize.
After the EIBA National Championships, the EBF Championships have been taking take centre stage at Newark and already theBF qualifiers have made their mark on proceedings.
The Durham trio of Brett Arkley, Stewart Hubbard and Ian McIntosh landed the Jubilee Vase rinks title after a comprehensive 22-5 win over Norfolk’s Dan Seabourne.
Earlier, wins over A. Walton (Hunts), A.Pulford (Sussex) and Northant’s S.Law set up the final. There was a second Durham title in the Ladies rinks when Pat Browne, Anne Upsall and Pam Carlin beat Derbyshire’s E.Haddon-Holmes in a thrilling final 22-21.
However, there was heartache for Karen Paterson, Dave Pat er son and James Snell ar as they narrowly went down 21-19 in the mixed rinks final against Derbyshire’s K.Chapman.
The championships conclude this weekend.
The Vipers’ David Bolt returns to England duty this week as he heads to Bristol for the World Bowls Indoor Bowls Council Championships.
Over five days Bolt will compete in Singles and a Mixed Pairs, in the latter Bolt has been paired up with Isle of Man’s Janice Pilling.
The rest of the England squad are Andrew Walters, Ruby Hill and another local hope in Hartlepool’s Devon Cooper, in the Mixed Pairs Cooper will lead for Hungary’ s Zoltan Pavelka.
As the indoor season comes to an end the final standings in the various leagues at Houghton have been confirmed.
Men’s Leagues: Monday 10.30am Fours: Wright 36, Sim 34, Baker 32, Piggott 22, Rice 21, Barnes 16, Tindall 16, Close 14, Nicholl 14, Dinsdale 6, Holland 5.
Monday 6.30pm Fours: Brickle 37, Wright 30, Sim 29, Harding 26, Joicey 24, Johnson 16, Robinson 14, Thomas 13, New 10, Hockaday 9.
Tuesday 10.30am Fours: Brickle 52, Dix 35, Harding 34, Oakes 29, Armstrong 26, Barnes 25, Kerry 23, Close 16, Moore 12, Hockaday 10.
Tuesday 6.30pm Fours: Thomson 36 (+191), Brickle 36 (+188), Inch 30, Wright 27, Elliott 20, Johnson 19, Hicks 12, Connolly 5.
Wednesday 10.30am Triples:Froud37,Baker36,Whorlton26,Fletcher22,Johnson20,
Armstrong 17, White 17, Wright 14, Dix 14, Houghton 10.
Wednesday 6.30pm Fours: Sim 33, Froud 32 (+128), Brickle 32 (+127), Bowerbank 26, Armstrong 26, Childs 14, Harding 14, Dixon 13, Robinson 13, Grimes 12, Holland 5.
Thursday 10.30am Fours: Wright 47, Hendry 43, Young 36, McAdam 34, Rice 26, Armstrong 23, Stephenson 19, Cowell 18, Holland 11.
Thursday 6.30pm Fours: Froud 46, Carr 45, Wright 44, Grimes 32, Hicks 28, Inch 21, Joicey 18, Johnson 16, Thomas 14, Studholme 8.
Friday 10.30am Triples: Baker 34, Jobling 31, Wright 27, Kerry 21, Young 20, Forth 20, White 19, Childs 15, Piggott
14, Todd 12, Davies 6.
Friday 6.30pm Fours: Johnson 42, McAdoo 40, Hicks 30, Robson 26, Cowell 25, Thomas 19, Tindall 15, Noble 13, Walker 5.
Saturday 10am Triples: Job ling 47, Young 37, Grim es 27, Robinson 18, Todd 13, Davies 6.
Sunday 10am Fours: Sykes 44, Sim 41, Hutchinson 38, Carr 36, Simpson 22, Thuburn 20, Robson 16, Twidale 5.
Ladies Leagues: Monday 2.30pm Pairs: Forster 36, Bambrough 33, Phythian 27, Mitchinson 26, Glover 22, Pullan 6.
Tuesday 2.30 pm Fours: Rob son 36(+126), Baker 36(+114), Rodgers on 32, White 19, Fenwick15, Stephen son 4, Moore 4.
Friday 2.30pm Triples: Rodgerson 43, Stephenson 32, Robson 30, Glover 27, White 23, Todd 21, Nicholson 21, Breheny 7, Moore 7.
Other Leagues: Wednesday 4.30pm Mixed Triples: Nicholson 29, Brickle 27, Baker 22, Wilson 20, Robson 12, Wilcock 12, Wilkinson 4.
Thursday 2.30pm Open Pairs: Baker 42, Whorlton 34, Robson 32, Moore 32, Robinson 24, Phythian 23, Morris 22, White 21, Din sdale16,C hal mers 12, Bambrough 6, Moore 2.
As the outdoor season gets underway, the traditional DurhamCounty women’ s practice match between the Northern Trophy squad and the Stella Logan squad will take place on Friday at Sunderland BC.