Battle for third heats up
With the leading two sides sitting the weekend out of the Manx Petroleum sponsored Outdoor Winter League Bowling Club, the focus was on the three behind them as they were separated by an average points margin of just 2.3 at the start of play.
First into action were Mooragh Lakers who are fourth and Louie’s Angels who occupy fifth, and it was Angels who revenged an earlier defeat to close the gap on their rivals to only 10 points.
That was the opener of two three-team sessions so the victors were straight back onto the green, this time against bottom placed Castletown Cannons and Angels notched up a score of 120 against under strength opposition.
The Cannons next had to take on a team who were determined not to let third spot go without a fight and Lakers did in fact match the total set by Angels to end the day with that slender advantage.
Results for Saturday, January 24: Mooragh Lakers 101 (2) Jenny Moore, Louie’s Angels 116 (4) Margaret Tasker; Louie’s Angels 120 Margaret Tasker and Tricia Bull, Castletown Cannons 88 (2) Peter Curtis; Castletown Cannons 80 (1) John Alderson, Mooragh Lakers 120 (5) Jenny Moore.
Sunday saw third placed Bowling for Soup sweep into action but not before two teams who are having their own little battle for positions and were locked on the same average.
Govags had a slight advantage, but saw that disappear, first they lost out to their closest rivals Erin Porters by a margin of four, before recording a below average tally against Bowling for Soup.
The final encounter had a very tight result last time the two teams met with B4S just getting the better of Porters, and it was similar this time round. The southern outfit did however do enough to move up above Govags.
Results for Sunday, January 25: Govags 105 (3) Phil Parker, Erin Porters 109 (3) Caroline Whitehead and Bernard Thackrah; Bowling for Soup 118 (5) Bob Berry and Phil Kerruish, Govags 95 (1) Doug Allan; Erin Porters 102 (3) Bernard Thackrah, Bowling for Soup 110 (3) Ben Dugdale and Nigel Thomas.
This latest set of fixtures leaves an average points gap of just 1.5 separating third to fifth, B4S on 113, Lakers 112.1 and Angels 111.5. Keeping a close eye on those three are Castletown Corkers not far behind on 109.7.
Looking at the remaining fixtures, Angels have a slightly easier run-in than Lakers, so they could well overall their northern rivals and snatch that fourth position and I am sure haven’t yet given up on third if B4S make any mistakes.
There is now just one more outing for Erin Porters and with the club on schedule having now passed through the 100 fixture barrier, there will be a free day this Saturday, when weather permitting a round robin will be held.
Meanwhile gang of 26 attended the latest regular midweek gathering, which was played as two sets of doubles. Winners of the black jack gang were Bernie McPhee and Jean Thackrah, second place went to Erwin Gelling and Allan Cromwell; and in third it was Philippa Taylor and Les Halsall.
Brian Needham and Sylvia Kennaugh topped the other group, ahead of Alan Kennaugh and Tricia Bull, with third spot going to Shirley Corrin and Peter Karran.