The Vics Wallasey League side completely overwhelmed Sacred Heart on Tuesday night to power into the Harold Jones Cup Final on July 15th. With the first seven winners of the night belonging to the Vics, Sacred Heart were never in the match and eventually succumbed by 75 shots on the night. Neil Sherbrooke 21-07 and Dave Gilmore 21-08 proved to be top dogs for the Vics on a poor Sandridge green at New Brighton. Ian Sherbrooke and Craig Borbeneaux both had comfortable 21-10 wins, with Billy Atkinson winning 21-12. Matty Gilmore, well behind Dad Dave again, this year, weighed in with a 21-13 win and Robby Franklin, not so rampant this time, posted a 21-14 winning card. Robby Fitzpatrick won 21-15 and Trevor Rodgers managed a 21-16 victory. Obviously the cares of being a Dad have blunted Anthony Thompson’s ruthless streak as he only managed to come off with a 21-17 winning card. All in all a comfortable win for the Vics against opponents who will start with a 60 shot advantage in next weeks Presidents Cup tie at Hoylake Central.
The Vics Birkenhead League side beat Kings 2000 and progressed to meet Harrison Park in the last 16 of the Cartwright Cup last night at a wet Lever Club green. Giving away 66 shots to the handicap, Colin Saville set the Vics on their way to victory with an excellent 21-01 win that was supplemented by Billy Atkinson 21-04, Peter Dodd 21-07 and Craig Borbeneaux 21-08 also producing crucial big wins. With the rain getting heavier the Vics in winning by 20 shots more than was required easily overcame their plucky 4th Division opponents and now have a similar task ahead of them on Wednesday when they have to give Poulton 63 shots in the Victory Cup at Kings 2000.
This years Club Outing took place on Sunday, when in pleasant but overcast conditions for most of the day, Eddie Clayburn and John Brandon powered their way to victory over Bill Hallows and Tony Ryding 15-11 in a fine Final. Both sets of finalists had clawed their way through an enjoyable days bowling in which all the pairs played 5 five matches in two groups to decide the two final pairings. Eddie and John proved to be the best pairing when in the final they came from 3-4 down to go 9-5 up before Tony and Bill pulled back to 10-11. In winning 4 points in the last three ends however Eddie and John clinched the match to win the trophies. Unfortunately the trophies have disappeeared since last year and if they can’t be recovered before the A.G.M. new trophies will be presented to Eddie and John then. Despite the excellent days bowling the day was tinged with a touch of sadness at the sight of George Morgan, who has been really very ill over the past 12 months and who looked even frailer than the last time we saw him a couple of weeks ago. George insisted on travelling to Christleton however and it was good to see that he was actually tucking into his meal with relish at the end of a tiring day for him. We all wish George the very best in his quest to conquer his illness and I am sure that I was not the only member present on Sunday who felt distressed at the sight of a man who has devoted a huge part of his life to bowls, having to sit on the sidelines and watch other people enjoying themselves. It was also noticeable on Sunday that our Club President, Syd Dutton, was also too ill to travel to a competition he has graced in the past and we all send our best wishes to Syd and hope to see him at the green in the near future. Thanks go to Dave Bosworth and Brian Buck who did so much to ensure that we all enjoyed another excellent Annual Outing.
The Vics Birkenhead League side could not consolidate after a reasonable start at Cammell Llaird tonight and despite a recovery with 3 winners in the back four, the four losers in the middle four meant a narrow 14 shot loss for the team. Ian Sherbrooke with a fine 21-09 win and John Devlin, involved in a tough 21-18 victory had helped to give the Vics a narrow lead after the first four blocks but no winners in the middle put the Vics too far behind even though Mally Johnson 21-13, Robby Franklin 21-15 and Neil Sherbrooke 21-19 did their best at the end with good winning performances. A disappointing night for the Vics who travel to Lever Club on Monday for a delayed Cartwright Cup match against Kings 2000.
After what seems like an eternity since their last League match, the Vics Wallasey League side returned to action last night with a ruthless destruction of Gladstone Squirrels. The Vics had eleven winners on the night to continue their relentless march to a 6th title on the trot and the Squirrels nuts were well and truly crushed by Mally Johnson’s ruthless squad. Eddie Clayburn, becoming more of a mean machine these days, was the star of the show with a quickfire 21-02 win that left rampant Robby Franklin reeling in his wake as Robby could only post a 21-03 winning card. Shergar might as well not have been at the races with Neil Sherbrooke only managing a 21-04 victory. Anthony Thompson, 21-07, Billy Atkinson 21-08 and Bernie Owen 21-09 all gorged themselves in winning relatively easily and Mally Johnson and John Devlin at least had the decency to allow their opponents to get into double figures before coming off with 21-10 wins. Karl Sherbrooke and Dave Gilmore both came off with 21-12 wins to show that they are a couple of softies really when squirrels appear on the green. Trevor Rodgers, embroiled in controversy again this week for certain reasons, came up against a tough opponent but still came off with a hard fought 21-17 win to leave poor old Craig Bourboneaux as the only gentleman in the team, for allowing Gladstone to escape a complete whitewash on the night.
The Vics Afternoon “B” team made a good start at Tixall yesterday when, with 3 winners in the first 4 blocks plus a handicap of 20 shots, they found themselves 28 up with 6 blocks to go. Don Ibbotson, Paul Lomax and Dave Bosworth all produced good 21-17 winning cards to give the Vics real hope of beating their higher ranked opponents, Harrison Park “B”. It was to be a false dawn however with only Peter Dodd, with an excellent 21-10 victory, producing another winning card for the Vics. Keith Etches 18-21, and Ernie Peers and Ian Cameron both 17-21 losers did their best to maintain the Vics lead but at the end of a disappointing and cold afternoon the Vics fell short by 6 shots. Absent Skipper, Derek Thomas will be hoping for better things at home to Oxton “B” in the League next week.
Skipper Billy Atkinson led his Afternoon “A”team into the last 16 of the Centenary Cup yesterday, with a crucial 21-02 victory just when the Vics needed it most. With 3 losing cards and having to give away 15 shots in Handicap, the Vics were struggling to overcome their 2nd Division opponents Marine Park on an immaculate but slow green at Upton. Andrew Stratton had pulled the Vics back into the match with a commanding 21-08 win, after a poor card in the Vics 1st four and this was supplemented by a couple of 21-12 wins for Robby Franklin and Mally Johnson. Dick Peake produced a steady 21-14 victory and Eddie Clayburn returned from his Isle of Man sojourn to record a hard fought 21-15 win. Elwyn Williams fought back from 10-15 down to win 21-19 to set up a close finish with the Vics only 8 up with the last 2 blocks on the green. Billy Atkinson allayed any fears the Vics may have had with another crushing performance to see his side into the next round more comfortably than at one time seemed likely.
Sorry but due to a few technical problems match reports for this week have had to be postponed. The League Results have however been updated and the averages are up to date. Normal service will be resumed next week.
The Vics Birkenhead League team suffered their sixth consecutive League loss last night at Lever Club and with only two winners they did well to keep the final score down to just a 40 shot loss. Billy Atkinson found the fast and excellent Lever Club green to his liking with a commanding 21-07 win. Ian Sherbrooke, proving that the ageing process, once he reached 40 last week, hadn’t harmed his game, came in with a comfortable 21-12 victory but that was it for the Vics as regards winners on the night. Trevor Rodgers lost his unbeaten tag despite featuring in a hard fought 20-21 loss and John Devlin also posted the same 20-21 losing card. Unluckiest player for the Vics was John Lloyd, who after last weeks fire against him contributed hugely to the Vics one shot loss, was once again fired off the jack when he was lying game with only one wood to come from his opponent. John lost the end and his game 20-21 to prove that lightening does strike twice sometimes. Hopefully the Vics can put their indifferent League form behind them when they take on Queens Royal in the Victory Cup at Royden Hall on Wednesday, even though they do start with a handicap deficit of 48 shots.
The afternoon “C” team came through a strange match against Albany “C” at West Kirby this afternoon with a 38 shot victory and two points. With five winners and five losers the Vics were indebted to Bernard Davies and Edward Dodd who both stormed to emphatic 21-01 wins on a fine afternoon and an excellent green. Without these two scores the Vics would have been involved in a much tighter tussle than they might have expected from Albany. Eric Neal completed an easy 21-06 win and Bill Tottey weighed in with a good 21-10 victory. The Vics only other winner on the day was Ken Bidwell, with a hard fought 21-16 victory. Brian Buck’s side are finding things a bit tough in this league so far with a constantly changed side because of the “A” and “B” team having to call on players from time to time. Hopefully this afternoons win will give Brian and his squad a much needed boost in confidence and if Bernard and Edward can produce this afternoons form away from home then maybe a much needed away win can be gained.