Whitby's Geoff Watson battles back to earn Robin Hood’s Bay Over-60s crown green bowls merit win
On Friday an Over-60s crown green bowls singles was held at Robin Hood’s Bay, re-arranged from Whitbynote-0.
Although maybe not quite as cold as on Sunday conditions were still far from pleasant. In spite of this 21 bowlers braved the elements, writes David Muir.
In the main competition the preliminary and first round games were played off scratch but, given the rather gloomy conditions, later games were played with 3 on the card.
In the consolation, Tea & Biscuits (T&B), competition played as a drawn pair there was 10 on the card.
Only one of the five preliminary round games was close and this one was a marathon contest between Ashley Brunton-Douglas (Eastfield) and Daphne Fewster (Robin Hoods Bay) which lasted about 80 minutes and finished with Brunton-Douglas winning 21-18.
In the first round Marion Dudman (RH Bay) had a good but close 21-17 win against Ronnie Noble (Borough) while Ian Richardson (North Cliff) went through 21-14 over Joyce Harland (Whitby).
John Collinson won an all-home club game against Peter Fewster 21-7, his “reward” being a quarter-final against Chris Dobson (Dukes Park) who beat Robert Child (N Cliff) 21-17.
Geoff Watson (Whitby) was pushed by Larry Dixon (Westgate) but went through 21-17 to face Brian Dalby (Borough) who had a 21-12 win against Ashley Brunton-Douglas (Eastfield).
The final quarter-finalists were Barrie Watson (Borough) who beat Alan Boland (Whitby) 21-10 and Mary Smith (Whitby) who came through a close game against David Muir (Eastfield) 21-19.
In the first quarter-final Richardson beat Dudman 21-7 to face Dobson who beat Collinson 21-15. Dalby pushed Geoff Watson hard but eventually lost 21-18 while Barrie Watson used his good long game to beat Smith 21-8 to set up the sixth Watson v Watson game this winter.
All the subsequent games were hard fought affairs, Richardson recording a 21-18 win against Dobson while Geoff won his fourth “Battle of the Watsons” of the six by 21-17.
The final started with Richardson leading 11-3 but Watson then pulled this back to a 14-12 deficit after 13 ends.
The next 7 ends saw Watson draw level at 17-17 after which he won 4 of the next 5 ends to win 21-18.
A total of 14 bowlers entered the T&B.
In the first quarter final Pam Moment (N Cliff) & Larry Dixon won 21-20 against Tommy Roberts (Whitby) & Peter McCrory (Borough) to set up a game against the pair with a bye.
Geoff Leatherland (Whitby) & Rita Bland (Borough) beat Joyce Harland & Robert Child 21-18 while Dave Moment (N Cliff) & Steve Dover (Whitby) beat home pair Anne Warnes & Daphne Fewster 21-111.
In the first semi-final Peter Fewster & Ronnie Noble beat Pam Moment & Dixon 21-12 while Dave Moment & Dover won 21-15 against Leatherland & Bland.
In the final Fewster & Noble worked hard for a 21-18 win against Moment & Dover.