Guns not firing from all barrels
League leaders Guns for Hire extended their advantage during the one set of fixtures held last weekend in the Manx Petroleum sponsored Outdoor Winter Bowls League, recording two 5-1 victories to maintain their unbeaten start.
The first outing on the list saw Castletown Cannons up against Bits n Bobs and it was the latter who romped home with a forty-plus points margin.
In action at the same time, Bowl Rollers had the task of taking on the leaders and they did manage to win one game in an 89 to 121 defeat.
Perhaps the biggest surprise in the next fixture was that Guns for Hire never recorded a maximum against Castletown Cannons, who did well to win the doubles; however, the southerners slipped into bottom spot below their stablemates Castletown Corkers.
The final battle saw Bowl Rollers recover from their earlier loss to maintain their league position just ahead of opponents Bits n Bobs courtesy of a 116 to 98 points victory.
Results for Sunday, November 3: Castletown Cannons 80 (1), Bits n Bobs 121 (5); Bowl Rollers 89 (1), Guns for Hire 121 (5); Guns for Hire 122 (5), Castletown Cannons 76 (1); Bits n Bobs 98 (2), Bowl Rollers 116 (4).
Even at this early stage only four players have a maximum number of wins; some remain unbeaten but have missed games for their team for one reason or another.
Leading the way with eight from eight played is Dido Kelly (Guns for Hire), followed on four are Jenny Moore and Frank Watson (both Outsiders), along with Gordon Corrin (Govags).
Two round robin sessions took place prior to the league games and at the midweek one held on Wednesday, 42 players took part in three groups.
Just three chalks separated five pairs in the doubles with Steve Kelly and Sid McKnight emerging as the winners.
Things were more open in the two triples, with Irene Goodall, Gordon Corrin and Sue Gawne taking one group, and Dave Faragher, Elaine Moore and Kevin Firth winning the other.
Saturday’s session had a gang of just 16 compete in one group, with the pairing of Steve Parker and Lynda Cadamy taking the spoils.