Skittles Report – 2nd March
PURITON & DISTRICT SKITTLE LEAGUE
REPORT OF MATCHES PLAYED ON 2nd MARCH 2017
Division 1
No change at the top of the division with all 4 teams winning, Crusaders and Crown at home, Pirates & Farmer Boys away.
Pirates continued their quest for a 7th consecutive championship with a comprehensive defeat of Stop-Outs at New Inn, Wedmore. They pulled 33 pins on the first two hands and never looked back with Shane Hewart in sparkling form, only failing to clear the diamond once in his 82, which was 18 better than next best team mate Liam Birch. Jason & Andrew Ratcliffe were the best for the home team with 62 & 60 respectively.
Crusaders were also strolling in their home game against Wasters, going 27 pins up after 4 hands, until Wasters started a fight back, retrieving 18 of those pins in the next 2 hands to lie only 6 behind going into the last hand, but captain George Scott steadied their nerves when he started the last hand with a 15 spare and eventually they ran out winners by 17. Wayne Spencer was top scorer with 69 and all but Bert Beasley had scores in the 60’s for the victors. Waster’s anchorman Steve Hembery top scored in the match with 2 floppers and another spare in his 78, whilst Pete Scane finished with 3 consecutive spares in his 71.
Farmer Boys travelled from Alley 1 to Alley 2 at the Basonbridge Inn to take on Somerset Vaults and despite a magnificent 4 spare 87 from League Chairman John Hill for the home team, ran out winners by 43 pins. Will Puddy was the star for Farmer Boys with 3 spares in his 75, with Scott Puddy adding 70 and Jon Bray 69.
Crown and Barstewards played the closest game of the night, with Barstewards just failing to get enough pins on the last hand and going down by 2 pins. Lyndon Coombes was the star for the away team with 76, whilst Tony Finka led the way for Crown with 68.
It is still tight at the bottom with Polden Bears still 4 points adrift as they had a bye this week, but the next 5 teams up are within 4 points of each other as they all lost this week. Somerset Vaults, Wasters and Barstewards as described and Crown Jewels were thumped by 81 pins in their home game against Spitfires. Simon Heal was once again top scorer for the victors with 3 spares in his 78, with Leighton Davis hitting 67 and Kev Gooding 65. Best for the home team was Paul Ham & Colin Pople both with 62.
Wheatsheaf Boys did themselves a power of good with a 4 pin win over Oddsquad, despite dropping 17 pins on the last 2 hands as unusually for Oddsquad they finished strongly with their 2 highest hands of the night, but the work done in the first 5 hands, particularly from top scorers George Barber and Julian Froud who both hit 74, enabled them to run out victorious and claim the much needed 3 points.
In the lowest scoring game of the night Woolavington Boys beat Knowle Otters by 21 pins at Knowle Inn, Bawdrip. Chris Turner top scored for the victors with 56, whilst best score of the match was by the home teams Keiran Atwell.
Division 2
Congratulations to Foxes & Ferret, who have secured an immediate return to Division 1 after a comprehensive 76 pin home win over Polden Turkeys only dropping pins on the last hand. Les Macriner was top scorer with 64, with Mark Hill and Robert Simpson adding 63 each.
Foxes & Ferrets nearest rivals Huntspill Boys are now 6 points behind them with 3 games to play after a 27 pin defeat at Wanderers, who had Tom Boobyer excelling with 3 spares in his 71.
Nomads moved to only 1 point behind Huntspill Boys after a 48 pin away win at Rofugees with Phil Coggins once again top scoring with 3 spares in his 74 and Dave Douglas also getting 3 spares in his 72. Best for the home team was Jodi Garrett with 65.
Swannies remain in 4th place, 2 points outside the promotion positions after a draw at home to Haymakers, despite only having 7 men for the second time this season. After 3 hands Swannies had taken a 15 pin lead, but the visitors pulled them all back in the next 3 hands to have a slender 1 pin lead going into the last hand and only needed to hit 54 for victory, but a poor start with a pair of 4’s from their top 2 and a 3 meant that Haymakers captain Kevin Watts needed 14 for victory, but fell agonisingly short when only 4 pins fell on his spare ball.
Cross Your Hart remain in contention for promotion after a 24 pin home win against Herdsmen. Rob Lynham had 3 spares and a 4 in his top score of 74 for the victors, which was 2 better than team mate Steve Watts; however Dave Deller of Herdsmen was top scorer in the match with 77 that included a double flopper 21 and a flopper 17. Ian Nicholls was next best with 3 spares in his 71.
Landlords Rejects nearly inflicted a whitewash on visitors Ruggerites, pulling pins on 6 of the hands and only dropping 1 pin on the other hand as they ran out 39 pin winners. Daryl Underhill top scored for the victors with 63, whilst Martin Leeming was the only away team player to hit a spare in his 59. Poor Darren Abbott could obviously not come to terms with the tricky White Hart, Chilton Polden alley as he could only muster 34 for the visitors.
Bottom side Three Cees was again tasted defeat, this week by 63 pins at Ring O’ Bells, Moorlynch against Odds & Sods. The home teams captain Alex McNeill led from the front with consecutive floppers on hands 2 to 4 in his top score of 74, with Dave Sharp adding 71 and William Briggers 68. Best for the visitors was Graham Sugg with 66 and Nigel Dawson with 65.
Mike Garbutt
