Onchan on a Charge – Game 4
Bowls is back! If the first few entertaining weeks fixtures were the appetisers last Monday’s gargantuan war of attrition between South Ramsey A and Marown A was most definitely the main course, and after such a delight it leaves me wondering what truly spectacular mouth watering dish will be served for dessert.
It is very rare in an eight aside bowls match for the entire fate of the game to rest on the solitary figure standing on the mat, lying game down, with the final bowl of a 296 point affair in his hand, but last Monday it happened.
They say cometh the hour cometh the man and Dido Kelly was more than ready to prove the old adage true as at 20-19 ahead he found himself lying two down after a brilliant fight back from a very worthy adversary, five times Island Champion Colin Kelly.
As things stood if Dido failed to change things Colin would seal a well earned 6-4 win for the visitors, but Dido never knows when he is beaten. With one of the best bowls you will ever see full corners he trailed the jack to his back bowl to win his game, tying the match on aggregate and ensuring it was his side who were on the right end of a well fought 6-4 victory.
This was just one of the many highlights of one of the most evenly matched entertaining encounters you could ever wish to experience. Carlsberg don’t do bowls matches but if they did it very well might play out like this one. Credit goes to all 16 players who stepped onto the green and it’s a shame either side had to lose,
Oblivious of events up north league champions Onchan A ruthlessly went about their task of defending their title with a 10-0 dismantling of Castletown B. Winning big at home is the key to any victorious championship quest and with both of their openers at the park ending in maximum victories where they concede on average 71 points against they have definitely thrown the gauntlet down to the challengers.
Both Marown and South have the pedigree to beat Onchan in head to heads but it is the champions devastating consistency which could be the key to their success.
Douglas A followed up last week’s hard earned draw with South Ramsey with an extremely impressive 9-1 away victory over Castletown A to leapfrog the men from the crofts into third place.
At the top of division two it was first against second as league leaders South Ramsey B travelled to the Villa Marina to take on an inform Douglas B side. Despite young Stefan Kelly’s performance of the night for the visitors, beating Roy Williams 12-5, it was the home side who took victory with an extremely impressive overall team performance seeing them come away with a comfortable 8-2 win. They will be tough to beat this season if they keep this form going and now top the table with the visitor’s four points behind in second place.
Port St Mary B had to fight at home to overcome a spirited Onchan B side 6-4 and now find themselves in third spot.
With Peel C, Ballaugh C and Douglas C all picking up good 7-3 home victories its very tight at the top of division three with them on 22, 22 and 21 points respectively from the first three games.