The Vics Birkenhead League side went down to a third consecutive League defeat last night, when with only four winnings cards, they lost by 28 shots to Gladstone. On a night when thunder was in the air, especially when the Club Secretary got hammered again, the Vics did not do enough as a team to pose a serious threat to high flying Gladstone. Mally Johnson claimed another top ranked scalp, when beating Ian Hazlehurst 21-17, to be the only Vics winner in the first four blocks. The Vics faired slightly better in the middle four with Ian Sherbrooke winning 21-13 and Trevor Rodgers coming off a 21-14 winner but with two heavy defeats in the middle, the writing was on the wall for the Vics before John Devlin came up with a magnificent 21-04 win against Nick Burridge to give the Vics a slight whiff of an upset. Gladstone quickly put an end to those thoughts however when they won the remaining three games to run out easy 28 shot winners in the end. The fixture list has not been kind to the Vics with consecutive fixtures against Higher Tranmere and Gladstone, easily the best two sides in the League and with the next scheduled fixture cancelled because of Ledsham’s demise, the Vics will have to wait until the 26th May before they have a chance to add more points to their meagre total so far.
Whether it be Birkenhead League, Afternoon League or as last night the Wallasey League, when West Kirby Victoria take on Manor Road the result is the same, another win for the Vics. It was the turn of Mally Johnson’s big guns last night to storm Manor Road and come away with a familiar result this season, this time a 37 shot victory for the Vics and valuable away points. The Vics big stars produced the goods again with Matty Gilmore, bowling superbly, winning 21-08, Robby Hall, showing undoubted class, winning 21-11 and both Robby Fitzpatrick and Dave Gilmore, stamping their authority, to win 21-12, setting the Vics on the road to success again. Robby Franklin, not quite rampant but near enough, won 21-12, Eddie Clayburn won a tough encounter 21-16 to record 5 wins out of 5 against Manor Road for him this year, Craig Borbeneaux, proving to be a more than useful addition to the team this season won 21-17 and Ian Sherbrooke, who always seems to win every game, came off a 21-18 winner to continue the onslaught for the Vics as Mally Johnson contemplates his line-ups for next weeks two matches against Number 1 opponents Queens Royal in the Harold Jones Cup on Tuesday and in the League on Thursday. This Wallasey side is even stronger than the team that have won the title for the last 5 seasons and the Vics must be favourites to complete a 6th title on the run and set the seal on Mally Johnson’s reign as Captain.
Skipper Derek Thomas was understandably delighted with his afternoon “B” team on Wednesday, when 9 winners from 10 blocks added up to a 90 shot win and the aggregate point against Royden Hall at West Kirby. On a wonderfully sunny and hot afternoon, the Vics set about trying to gain their first extra point of the season, with all four winners from the first four blocks. Dave Bosworth and Ernie Peers were both in sublime form in coming off excellent 21-08 winners. Paul Lomax had a very tough 21-19 victory and C.K.Pau shrugged off his back injury to record his first victory of the season with a marathon 21-20 win. Eddie Dodd showed the advantage of practically living on the green, when he produced a stunning 21-03 victory, closely followed by Don Ibbotson, quickly getting over his Veterans Cup defeat, producing an equally emphatic 21-07 win. Ian Cameron back to something like his best form posted a steady 21-12 winning card and the back two of Brian Ibbotson 21-09 and Keith Etches 21-11 displayed no mercy for Royden Hall with dominating wins. Skipper Derek Thomas obviously showed some compassion for Royden by going down 19-21 in his game, a true gentleman !!!! These 2 sides meet for the third week on the trot in the Centenary Shield next Wednesday, when Derek Thomas will be hoping for the same again from his team.
Despite the Vics afternoon “A” team’s top three in the averages all winning yesterday, the rest of the side underperformed on the slow but excellent Upton Victory Hall green and the Vics went down to a disappointing 7 shot loss. With due respect to Upton Victory Hall, who suffered a 57 loss last week, The Vics should be winning away games like this if they are to have any real hopes of winning the 1st Division Title this season. Skipper Billy Atkinson will have been very upset at the final outcome even though he had another excellent 21-08 win. Vice Captain Robby Franklin continued his run of single figure wins with another rampaging 21-05 victory but Eddie Clayburn takes the plaudits for the day’s best performance with an excellent 21-17 win against Upton’s top player Tommy Bentley. Unfortunately that was it for the Vics in winning scorecards and the rest of the side must be thinking that an extra point here and there would have been sufficient to see the Vics home, certainly in my own game, I should have been able to score more than the 12 I managed and if the rest of the team are honest with themselves I think they will agree they underperformed on the day. The Vics will need to produce more winners away from home in future matches or the elusive title victory Bill Atkinson craves will be beyond them again.
The Vics Birkenhead League side, rudderless with the non appearance of Skipper, Trevor Rodgers, went down to an emphatic 81 shot defeat to Higher Tranmere last night. Against the top side in the League and having lost by 44 shots at home last week, the Vics got off to the worst possible start when Trevor Rodgers failed to show up with no one knowing who was playing or in what order, or indeed if we would have a full side. Things went from bad to worse all night for the Vics as with only two winners, Graig Borbeneaux and Neil Sherbrooke both winning 21-14 the final outcome of an 81 shot loss was no surprise. The only good thing about the evening was that the Vics did field a full side of twelve and therefore avoided the embarrassment of being short of a team for the first time ever in the Birkenhead League. The Vics have to bounce back against Cammell Laird on Monday in the Rose Bowl at Greasby, when Skipper Trevor will have some explaining to do to his team mates.
The Vics Wallasey side overwhelmed Sacred Heart last night when, with five single figure winners, the Vics took the “heart” out of their opponents early on in the match. Robby Franklin, displaying a mean streak he is not normally associated with, once again stormed to an excellent victory, this time allowing his opponent to manage 2 shots in the match. Skipper Mally Johnson, who has decided this is the season for a big push in individual competitions for him, showed his much improved form in the last week is no fluke, with a resounding 21-04 win. The Gilmore family, still trying to outdo each other in Vics colours, once again showed their quality in victories for Dave 21-05 and Matty 21-06. The contribution of these 2 bowlers to the Vics Wallasey League triumphs in the past 5 years has been immense and along with Anthony Thompson and Robby Fitzpatrick, who had another 21-09 win last night, the Vics have benefitted greatly in this League from their performances even if our Birkenhead League side are always glad to see the back of them when they are in opposition for Higher Tranmere. Craig Borbeneaux and Billy Atkinson both had 21-15 victories last night and Eddie Clayburn and Ian Sherbrooke (with borrowed woods rather than the cannonballs he normally uses) both won 21-16 to complete another comprehensive performance from Mally Johnson and his team. The next two League fixtures, Manor Road “A” away and Queens Royal “A” at home will go a long way to deciding the outcome of this season’s title race.
The Vics afternoon “A” team defeated Upton Victory Hall by 57 shots at West Kirby yesterday to continue their winning run at this early stage of the season. “Rampant ” Robby Franklin was at it again on a slowish Vics green, with a stunning 21-01 victory, to demonstrate to all and sundry what a modest, quiet, unassuming School Master (caretaker!!!!) can turn into when let loose on a bowling green. Poor old Eddie Clayburn must have been sickened having come off an excellent 21-03 winner to find out he had been pipped by another Franklin masterclass. Mally Johnson, still using woods from another era untouched by any kind of polishing agent throughout his ownership of them, continued his renewed zest for the game with a wonderful 21-06 winning performance. Bernie Owen bounced back to form, coming from 08-10 down to win 21-10 and prove that all his energies are not wasted as a “groupie” for the local Country and Western scene. Skipper Billy Atkinson had a routine 21-11 win and the “young kid on the block” Peter Dodd, finally got off to winning ways at this level with a handy 21-15 win. Elwyn Williams came through his toughest match so far with a hard fought 21-18 win to leave Upton chasing a difficult task next week in trying to pull back 57 shots.
The Vics afternoon “B” team went down to a narrow 10 shot loss at Royden Hall yesterday, to leave themselves in a handy position to gain a much needed extra point in next weeks return fixture. The Vics had four away winners on the tricky Royden green with Bernard Davies excelling with an impressive 21-05 winning display. Ernie Peers got off the mark for the season with a fine 21-13 victory followed by an equally good 21-14 from Skipper Derek Thomas. Last year’s Captain, Don Ibbotson weighed in with a tough 21-16 win and with C.K.Pau, showing improved form, only losing 18-21 and Dave Bosworth going down 16-21, the Vics have left themselves handily placed for a good day next Wednesday.
The afternoon “C” lost again on Tuesday, at Poulton, despite Lawrie Blackburn continuing his excellent form for the Vics. With all the first four blocks going down to defeat, the Vics were up against from it the off on the smallish Poulton green. Skipper Brian Buck 20-21 and Stan Ridgway 18-21, making a welcome return to competitive bowls, did their best but it was left to Lawrie Blackburn 21-13 and Eric Neal 21-16 to post the only 2 winning cards for the Vics. With 4 single figure losses the Vics eventually went down by 67 shots to leave an uphill task to try for the extra point next week at West Kirby. Skipper Brian Buck will be hoping to field his strongest side to get the team into winning ways as soon as possible.
The funeral arrangements for Chris are , 9-30am Friday 5th May, service at Hoylake Presbyterian Church and then onto Landican at Arrowe Park.