THE latest round of Redditch Skittles League action saw the formbook ripped up after the three top teams all lost.
Nomads, Engineers and Lodge Farmers – the league’s top-three sides – all tasted defeat in their respective matches.
Nomads suffered a narrow one-pin defeat against Bernie’s Bolts as the latter side registered their first win of the season.
The Bolts took a 12-pin lead after leg one only for Nomads to level the game at the end of leg three.
However, the Bolts reclaimed the lead by nine pins in leg four while Nomads set their opponents 58 pins to win in the final leg.
And last man for the Bolts, Craig McSweeney, took all nine points with the final throw to earn victory for his side.
For the Bolts, Dan Goodman (38, 12 stack), Paul Blayney (37, 11 stack) and Andy Gill-Smith (36) top score.
And for Nomads, Mac Eaton (37, 12 stack), Eddie Upright (37) and Jordan Bunn (35) all impressed.
Elsewhere, Engineers produced their lowest score of the season in defeat against C and G Show.
The two teams shared the first leg before C and G Show won each of the next three legs to take a commanding 24-pin lead.
Engineers made their best score of the game in the final leg which left C and G Show needing 47 pins for victory.
And C and G Show almost threw the points away as final bowler Dave Orton held his nerve to earn his side the win.
For C and G Show, Lily Orton (36, 11 stack), Jay Attwaters (36) and James Pineer and Angela Guest (both 34) top scored.
And for Engineers, Luke Sanders (41, 14 stack) and Andy Clewlow and Brandon Kelso (both 36) all impressed.
Lastly, Lodge Farmers could only take three points from their fixture in defeat against Jumbo Jet Set.
Jumbo Jets made a quick start as the game’s first bowler, Rich Johnston, made a 15 stack as the team finished the leg on 74 pins.
The Farmers trailed by 22 pins at the end of the first leg while Jumbo Jets won legs two and three to stretch their lead to 28 pins.
Lodge Farmers won leg four but only by a single pin and needed a mammoth 86 pins for victory in the last leg.
The Farmers took the final leg but finished 26 points adrift of the required total.
For Jumbo Jets, Johnston (40, 15 stack), Darren Summers (38) and Mick Stanton (36) top scored.
And for Lodge Farmers, Mark Reason and Jamie McGill (both 33) and Lynne Pemberton and Sue Morris (both 32) all impressed.
Results
Nomads 315 (4pts) – Bernie’s Bolts 316 (7pts)
C&G Show 309 (8.5pts) – Engineers 304 (2.5pts)
Jumbo Jet Set 328 (8pts) – Lodge Farmers 303 (3pts)
