FOUR tight matches were played between teams all vying for the top place in Wellington Bowling Club’s Men’s League. The first of these games was between Bill Warnett’s Upstarts and Steve Bradnum’s Cavaliers.

Upstarts, who included Steve Lovell, Mike Copping, John Troake and Skip Tony Gibson, came to the match in second place in the league, so were pretty confident against fifth placed Cavaliers who fielded Ron Taylor, Bernard Barnes, Tony Weston and Skip Alan May.

The two leads, Steve Lovell for Upstarts and Cavaliers’ Ron Taylor both played well and set the tone for a close game. Cavaliers got away first and were 4-2 up after four ends. Then things began to balance out and by the eighth the teams were level on four shots each.

Things were fairly even as the match progressed although Upstarts chalked up a number of single shots to pull ahead, nine points to Cavaliers’ five. Upstarts skip Tony Gibson led his team well all game although he ran into strong opposition from Cavalier Skip Alan May.

The final score was mostly decided in the last four ends. Upstarts picked up the pace and took nine shots to cross the finishing line 19 to Cavaliers’ six. Steve Lovell was man of the match for playing an excellent game.

There was a major surprise in the game between John Bendle’s second placed Hemyock and Paul Kelly’s Wellington 2 who were in fourth. Wellington 2 suffered a blow from the beginning because they were a man short on the night which meant that they would have to play with three and would lose 25% of their score. Ian Stewart, Ken Foweraker and skip Terry Dickins had to do their best against the might of Hemyock’s Adrian Hay, Tony Ainsworth, John Stevens and Skip John Bendle.

It turned out that Wellington 2 had the bit between their teeth because they set off at a fast pace moving on to 18 – 6 after just 11 ends, and despite a late comeback by the Hemyock team they carried on to win the game comfortably 16-10 after deductions.

If that match proved pretty decisive, the game between Eddie Hawkins’ Newbees and Gerry Mangeolles’ Wellington 1 was a much closer affair. ewbees team included Derek Vile, Pete Nichols, Eddie Hawkins and skip Mike Connor while James Bradley, Mark Bond, Gerry Mangeolles and Skip Rod Troake took the rink for Wellington 1. This was the first time that Mark Bond had played in a league match and for a bowler who has only been playing for two months he played very well and showed great potential.

Newbees got off the mark first and were 6-2 up after six ends but by the eleventh Wellington 1 had overtaken them and were 11 shot to eight up. Skip Mike Connor and his Newbees men were not going to be walked over so easily and picked up a four in the 12th to make it 12 – 11. With just one end to go Welly 1 made a final effort and they pinched the vital shot to level it 12 -12.

The final match of the four was between Jay Merrell’s Bowlsheviks and Steve Horrill’s Spoofers.

The Bowlsheviks team was made up of Alan Moore, Bill Killick, Eddie Dilley and Skip Phil Ellis while Lew Burgess, Steve Horrill, Richard Manning and skip Darren Sparks made up Spoofers. Spoofers have recently taken over the top place in the Men’s League and they showed no sign of losing their grip this time around.

Skip Darren Sparks for Spoofers held a good team together to take most of the ends, sometimes by several shots. Bowlsheviks’ Skip Phil Ellis did all he could to encourage his team but Spoofers were just too good on the night, winning in style, 20 shots to eight.