IN ENDING table-toppers Engineers’ six-game winning run in the Swan Studley Skittles League, Maudslay kept alive their hopes of catching second placed Alcester Nomads, who themselves slipped to a surprise loss to Alley Cats.
Maudslay’s Tom Roberts was in great form as he scored 51 pins (16 and 15 stacks) and was well supported by Keith Fryer with 38 and Geoff Mayneord’s 36.
In reply, Engineers needed good scores from John Bool 40 (13-stack), Dennis Compton (39) and Ian Greenway (37) to avoid making their season’s lowest team total.
Despite making a low team total, Alcester Nomads, having overturned an early deficit of nine pins to lead by 13 after the fourth legs, put in a poor final leg total but still looked to have scored more than enough to beat Alley Cats.
However, requiring 65 pins in their last leg for a win, Alley Cats cruised home with 78 pins which included two stacks of 12 and 14 respectively from Tony Moore, who finished with 38 pins, and Sam Billyard who totalled 36. Team-mate Loz Gazeley chipped in with 35.
Nomads’ best scores came from Gordon Povey (39), Eddie Upright (35) and Geoff Lout (34).
Well Developed climbed into equal fourth spot with a very comfortable win over a Swan team who suffered a fourth straight loss as they recorded their season’s lowest match score.
Swan’s Helen Racki made 33, Al Lumb 32 and Phil Bussey 31, which was never enough to rattle Well Developed who were 33 pins up after three legs and for whom Martin Brennan scored 36 and Shirley Searle and Terry Buck 34 each.
Having lost the first leg and still behind after two legs, it took Lodge Farmers until the next leg to get their noses ahead of bottom team Swingers before they accelerated away to win easily and complete the double over their opponents, who are now on a run of nine successive losses.
Lodge Farmers’ Steve Smith made 42 (15-stack), Roger Powell 37 and Jason Kirk and Chris Prichard 35 apiece.
There were 36 pins each for Swingers’ Brenda Morris and Paul Clifton.
Chris & Gerry Show completed the double over Team BG thanks to making their season’s highest team total but, in a congested league table, the win was not enough to stop them slipping two places.
The game was close for two legs before C&G Show pulled away to lead by 21 pins with only the final legs to bowl.
An indifferent last leg score by C&G Show could have let in Team BG but scoring 78 to win was too much for the losers.
Chris Williams made 38, Craig Sears 37 and Paul Hollis and Dave Charlesworth 36 each for the winners, whilst Rob Baker scored 41 and Ray Cartwright and Carl Baker 36 each for Team BG.
Results: Maudslay 8 (339) Engineers 3 (315); Alcester Nomads 3 (304) Alley Cats 8 (318); Well Developed 9 (313) Swan 2 (277); Swingers 2 (308) Lodge Farmers 9 (340); Team BG 4 (317) Chris & Gerry Show 7 (326).
