Ron Hams Cup - Ladywell v Southwark Sports bowls match report

A top of the table clash saw Ladywell face their toughest Round Robin match yet in the Ron Hams Cup bowls competition against an unbeaten Southwark Sports on Wednesday 2nd July.

Ladywell started the match top of the table, one point ahead of their opponents but having played a game more. So they needed a good win to retain their lead. And, with a singles, pairs and triples match all worth two points and an extra four points on offer for the overall winning score, there were ten points to play for.

In the singles match, Ladywell Club Captain Phil Welch faced a strong opponent, who started strongly with four shots on the first two ends. Phil got on the board with a score of two on the third end and added a single on the following end to reduce the deficit to one point. But his Southwark Sports opponent played a flawless fifth end, leaving all four woods within two feet of the jack to gain a maximum score and pull 8-3 ahead. Both players were playing some excellent shots, but the Southwark Sports player always seemed to have the edge, and he pulled away to a 15-5 lead after ten ends. Phil narrowed the gap to 17-8 over the following three ends, but his opponent was well into his stride and with scores of two on both the 14th and 15th ends, he gained a comfortable win by 21-8. So, it was first blood to Southwark Sports.

The pairs match saw the Ladywell pair of Norman Lewis and Steve Marlow hold their own for the first three ends of the 18-end contest, before their opponents won a run of five scoring ends without reply, easing into an 11-2 lead. But Norman and Steve hit back with a string of five scoring ends of their own to leave the score at 11-8 to the away team after 13 ends. Both teams were playing some terrific bowls, and the following two ends saw first Southwark Sports and then Ladywell score two shots, leaving the gap at three points with three ends to play. The away team stretched their lead to four points on the 16th end, but Ladywell responded with a shot of their own on the penultimate end. Norman and Steve tried their best to reduce the three-shot deficit on the final end, but their opponents edged it, to win by 15-11 and gain Southwark Sports another two points.

This left the Ladywell triple of Christian Denearaz, Terrie Sibley and Skip, Robert Dunn to gain Ladywell some much-needed points. But it was their opponents who gained an early lead, gaining three shots on the first two ends. The Ladywell team hit back with a shot of their own on the third end and, despite their Southwark Sports opponents extending their lead again on the fourth end, two ends later Ladywell had tied the scores at 4-4. The away team pulled two shots ahead again on the following end, but a strong finish to the first half saw Ladywell take a 7-6 lead into the tea break. And the home team continued this form, winning the first four ends after the break with single shots to open up an 11-6 lead with five ends to play. Their opponents narrowed the deficit with a shot on the 14th end, but Ladywell responded magnificently with a score of three on the 15th end to extend their lead to seven shots. The away team tried their utmost to claw their way back into the match over the final three ends, gaining three shots on the 16th and another shot on the penultimate end, leaving Ladywell's lead at three shots with one end to play. And another gain of two for Southwark Sports left them agonisingly short, leaving the final score at 14-13 in Ladywell's favour.

So, finally Ladywell were on the board. But unfortunately it was too little, too late, as Southwark Sports took the overall tie by 8 points to 2. But against opponents who had previously only conceded one point in the three matches, Ladywell more than held their own and, on another day, might have reduced the margin of victory further. And even though the result didn't go their way, it still leaves Ladywell in a strong position to qualify for the Cup final.