Handy Andy Deighton sinks Kenny Wale in final Open Singles Merit of the summer
The final East Coast of Yorkshire Crown Green Bowling Association Open Singles Merit of the summer was held at at Whitby, relocated from Robin Hood’s Bay as their green was still under maintenance, but run by Robin Hood’s Bay.
In the first round Kevin Gates (Dukes Park) defeated sister Jo Gates (Borough) 21-15 and Josh Emmerson defeated his mother Sue Emmerson (both Whitby) 21-13.
Andrew Wlker (Brid Bay) pushed Peter Harvey (Whitby) before losing 21-18 and Katie Gates (Dukes Park) lost 21-19 to Ed McCormack (North Cliff). Larry Dixon (Westgate) won a close game against David Muir Eastfield) 21-17 while Richard Gowan won an all-North Cliff game against David Hill by the same margin.
The closest game though saw Geoff Coleman (Whitby) win 21-20 against Jim Norris (Sheffield).
In the second round Joyce Harland (Whitby) won 21-17 against Dave Birch (Hunmanby) to face Daphne Fewster (Robin Hood’s Bay) who beat Louise Birch (Hunmanby) 21-15. Lynne Humpleby (Brid Bay) won comfortably, 21-11, against Anne Warnes (RHB) while home bowler Kenny Rodgers won 21-15 against Albert Beggs (Brid Bay).
Tim Purcell had a good 21-14 win against Lisa Watson (Hunmanby) while Ian Richardson won by the same score against James Arnold (RHB).
Harvey won 21-7 against Peter Fewster (RHB) and Andy Deighton (Dukes Park) beat McCormack 21-12.
Kevin Gates beat Dixon 21-10 to face home bowler Geoff Watson who had a 21-9 win over Dave Moment (North Cliff).
Josh Emmerson lost his second all-Whitby game against Coleman 21-12 while his father Emmo Emmerson went through 21-17 against Gowan. Jo Leeman won one more all-Whitby game against Peter McCrory 21-9 to set up another against the winner of yet another homesters game where Alan Boland beat Steve Dover 21-12.
Tommy Roberts (Whitby) won 21-11 against Tony Bland (Borough) only to face another Whitby player in Kenny Wale who beat Andy Adamson (Borough) 21-16.
The third round saw Harland eliminate Daphne Fewster 21-17 and Rodgers go through 21-13 against Humpleby. Richardson beat Purcell 21-18 for the dubious reward of facing Deighton who crushed Harvey 21-7.
Kevin Gates won 21-13 against Geoff Watson and Coleman won the first of a sequence of three all-Whitby games against Emmo Emmerson 21-13.
The other two in this sequence both finished 21-11 with Leeman beating Boland and Wale winning against Roberts. In the first quarter-final Harland cruised through 21-9 against Rodgers while Deighton also won comfortably, 21-12, against Richardson. Gates had an easy passage winning 21-7 against Coleman but Leeman pressed Wale harder before going down 21-15.
The two semi-finals were well fought games, Deighton winning 21-16 against Harland and Wale being taken to 21-19 by Gates.
The final was a close affair throughout with both players holding the lead at points.
Deighton led 12-10 after 8 ends. Wale then pulled 1 back only for Deighton to win the next 3 ends for a 15-11 lead. Wale then proceeded to score 7 to 2 in the next 5 ends to lead 18-17.
Deighton then scored a single which Wale replicated to lead 19-18 only for Deighton to run off 3 singles to win 21-18. The prizes were presented by Robin Hood’s Bay Competition Secretary Tim Purcell.
Sunday sees the conclusion of the summer merit programme with the Summer Championship at Dukes Park with a Tea & Biscuits.