Season Summary

Again, its that time of year again – blinked and you missed it!

Its been a solid season for the club, although we retained the Millennium trophy for the 2nd season running we failed to maintain our league form in each league. We can be pleased with finishing 6th in the South West Durham League, as it was our 1st season in the 1st Division. Our final game in the Durham and District League ruined what was almost a very successful run, we need 7 points to win the league and we lost 1-0 at home to Wolsingham. The Sherwood League saw us finish 3rd which was ok but after doing the league/cup double last season in was quite a drop back.

Despite all this our biggest success was gaining 5 new bowlers, not only were they an asset on the bowls green, they are probably showing more interest in the club on a social side that our old regulars. This can only help take the club forward – we have 3 social events planned over the winter and will be ordering club shirts in the close season.

Links to final results and league tables can be found on our fixtures page!

See below this seasons successful competition bowlers, a massive well done to all but an even bigger well done to Barry Hopkins Jnr who became only our 6th ever Durham County Champion Winner:-

Mick Coleman Shield
Winner – Stacey Pattison
Runner-Up – S. Morland

Stan Johnson Plate
Winner – B. Hopkins Jnr
Runner-Up – Sam Pattison

George Hill Trophy
Winner – J. Pattison/Sam Pattison
Runners-Up – K. Bousfield/M. Hole

Fred Hopkins Trophy
Winner – S. Hopkins
Runner-Up – B. Hopkins Jnr

James Morrison Trophy
Winner – S. Hopkins
Runner-Up – S. Morland

Centenary Shield
Winner – J. Pattison/Stacey Pattison
Runner-Up – Sam Pattison/G. Gamble

Glass Bowl
Winner – P. Bailey/R. Price
Runners-Up – S. Morland/R. Pattison

Henderson Shield (Quoits)
Winner – M. Hole
Runner-Up – J. Pattison

Sherwood Triples
Runners-Up – S. Morland/M. Hole/K. Bousfield

SW Durham League Singles
Winner – B. Hopkins Jnr

Durham County George Turley Champions of Champions
Winner – B. Hopkins Jnr

Sherwood League Champion of Champions
Winner – S. Hopkins

Durham County Ladies Under 25 Singles
Runner-Up – J. Hopkins

For all 2014 season photos click here.

We Retain Millennium Cup

After another fantastic season in the Durham & District Leagues Millennium Cup we managed to battle by Spennymoor after an extra end to retain the trophy for a 2nd year.

Last years team that included the exited Mathew Raftree gave way for Dave Beck to enter to fold and he stepped up to the task fantastically.

7 players took part over the competition – Dave Beck, Simon Brodie, Jane Pattison, Scott Morland, Barry Hopkins, Sandra Hopkins and Barry Hopkins Jnr. All played a massive part along the way with some massive games especially against Houghton Dairy Lane, an extra end against Pelton Fell and also in the final against Spennymoor. All of these teams have some great bowlers and to achieve this for the 2nd year in fantastic for our club!

Durham Competition Draw 2014

Theres no easy games when you are vowing to qualify for National recognition and the chance to go to Leamington Spa so theres no surprise to see the following tricky ties:-

Our under 25 star Barry Hopkins Jnr has a home tie against a D. Ridley from Herrington WMC, we have no idea who his opposing player is but at home it would be disappointing for Barry not to win.

Barry also is our representative in the Champion of Champions, he has a very tricky tie away to multi championship winner Bill Shand from John Whitehead Park. Bill is a very difficult opponent to beat on his home green but Barry performs he never has anything to fear.

The Singles see two tricky ties for Scott Morland and Barry Hopkins Jnr, Scott away At Stockton West End against D. Mallaby and Barry is at Elm Tree Stockton to D. Fenwick. We are not knowledgeable on Stockton players to give further details unless D. Fenwick is the famous multi national winner Dave Fenwick which will give Barry an enormous 1st round task.

The 2 bowls singles has left a very difficult game also for Barry, he faces England Trialist and multi EBA Competition winner Glenn Skipp from Elm Tree Stockton. Glenn is one of the best local bowlers who beat Barrys Dad in the final of the Singles many years ago. Scott is away from home awaiting the winner of Liam Macey who is now an outstanding young talent or Vic Tunstall who since leaving Whessoe and moving to Hundens has turned his steady bowling ability into a decent one using the experience of people such as Graham Peacock to learn his trade.

Our triples rink of Barry Hopkins Jnr/Mathew Raftree and Barry Hopkins has a home game to Stuart Clarkes Hundens rink, possibly with Graham Peacock and Vic Tunstall at a guess. Never an easy game but it depends on our rink of 3 finding the best way around to play, all 3 like to skip so its a case of getting the square pegs into square holes, if they get it right Stuarts rink would find a trip to South Park very difficult.

Our 4’s rink consisting of our Triples rink + Scott Morland is very strong (again positioning important) but we have our work cut out going to Elm Tree facing W. Hall of Elm Tree. Again we know little of our opposition but expect them to very strong.

Fun Day Pencilled In!

Our annual fun day has been scheduled for 29th June 2013 2.00pm Start – All members welcome, £1 a go round robin format. Normally these consist of 2 trophies where the top half of the table play for one trophy and the bottom half play for another. This enables us to have 4 different prize winners on presentation night and gives all abilities a chance to pick up a prize.

Competition Update

Scott Morland EBA run came to a dramatic end at Woodland where Stuart Clarke got throught to the County Stages of the competition.
We also have 4 new club champions:-
Glyn Jones
Sandra Hopkins
Jane Pattison
Sam Pattison
These are the winners of our open days to date.