Nigel Trotter beats North Cliff clubmate Robert Child to earn Robin Hood’s Bay Singles Merit win

In the first round Ronnie Noble (Borough) won 21-20 against home bowler Andy Braid and Robert Child (North Cliff) did the same against Hunmanby’s Phil Todd.

Kenny Wale (Whitby) staged a big comeback to beat Ian Richardson (N Cliff) 21-20) while David Muir (Eastfield) squeezed out a 21-19 win against Alan Horton (Hunmanby). Chris Dobson (Dukes Park) was pressed by Whitby’s Tommy Roberts before going through 21-19, Gary Thornton (Borough) was taken to 21-20 by Ray Leeman (Whitby) and Peter Fewster (RH Bay) won by the same score against Eastfield’s Ashley Brunton-Douglas.

In the second round Jo Leeman (Whitby) ended Noble’s interest 21-15 and Child had a strong 21-13 win against Wale. Paul Morgan (Whitby) won 21-18 against Muir to face Geoff Oldham (Hunmanby) who won 21-10 against another Geoff, Coleman, from Whitby. Nigel Trotter (N Cliff) won comfortably against Ross Daniel (RH Bay) to face Thornton who won 21-14 against Dobson. Jennie Allen won a Hunmanby “derby” against Pam Watson 21-16 and Barrie Watson (Borough) won 21-11 against Fewster.

The close games continued into the quarter-finals with Child being taken to 21-20 by Jo Leeman and Morgan to 20-19 by Oldham.

The scores in the bottom half were both 21-10 with Trotter beating Thornton and Watson ending Allen’s hopes.

The semi-finals were both close affairs though with Child winning 21-19 against Morgan and Trotter surviving a comeback from Watson to win 21-20 by firing off a touching Watson wood.

The final between the two North Cliff bowlers was a close fought affair. After 5 ends the scores were level at 9-9 and, after a slight surge by Child, they were level again at 14-14 after 13 ends.

Trotter then pulled away to lead 17-15 after 17 ends only for Child to level again before Trotter scored the 4 he needed in the next 3 ends to win 21-17.

In the Saturday Singles League Division 1 North Cliff A opened up a 12-point lead over Whitby with a 10-2 (188-146) home win against Borough A who now stand third, 2 points behind Whitby.

Hunmanby A are in fourth position after beating Whitby 8-4 (183-15) also at home.

The other two matches were away wins with Dukes Park A winning 8-5 (172-157) against Borough B and Hunmanby B winning by a single point, 8-5 (174-173, at Eastfield.

In Division 2 Bridlington Bay A have a commanding 13 point lead over North Cliff B with a match in hand having had their rest week.

North Cliff B lost 8-4 (195-125) at Westgate A who are 7 points behind in third place but, again, with a match in hand.

Fourth-placed Borough C were their club’s only winning team with a 8-4 (201-142) home win against Westgate B while Brid Bay B won 7-5 (167-159) at home to Robin Hood’s Bay.

This Friday there will be an Over-60s singles merit at Borough while on Sunday there is a Mixed Doubles at Bridlington Bay.

Entries for all merits during the summer must be made in advance with the appropriate Competition Secretary for the host club.