Soup too hot for opposition
Bowling for Soup took control of third spot and three teams had the end to their season delayed as the weather played its part over the weekend in the Manx Petroleum sponsored Outdoor Winter League Bowling Club.
The forecast for both days was not great but Saturday ended up being a dry session in which Louie’s Angels all-but saw their chance of a third place finish disappear.
Unfortunately for them they were a player short after a withdrawal near kick-off and ended the afternoon 48 points adrift of their rivals B4S.
A similar fate saw Govags take part with only four members, after two of their team failed to show and as a consequence suffered two heavy defeats.
Louie’s Angels and Bowling for Soup were locked on the same points total at the start of play and with the latter dropping only three during the opener, compared with a score of 98 for Angels it was advantage B4S.
The two then played each other and although B4S had a 15 point advantage due to the walk-over, Angels fought hard to keep the inevitable gap down and dropped only another nine in the games played.
The losers slot into fourth spot with a slender margin of eight over Mooragh Lakers, all three with two fixtures left, however I don’t see any change of positions in the top half between now and the end of the campaign.
Bottom placed Castletown Cannons were also in action but struggled to only 75 points in their first encounter, before notching up a welcome victory over Govags.
Another close battle continues further down the table where Erin Porters have a six point lead over Roller Bowlers, this was due to be settled on Sunday, but the rain put paid to that and the postponed matches will now be played on Sunday, March 8.
Results for Saturday, February 21: Govags 79 (2) Doug Allan, Louie’s Angels 98 (4) Margaret Tasker; Bowling for Soup 123 (5) Bob Berry, Castletown Cannons 75 (1) Barbara Young; Angels 102 (1) Louis Callister, Bowling for Soup 125 (5) Tony Dugdale; Castletown Cannons 114 (4) Barbara Young, Govags 83 (2) Connie Pettegrew.
There was not much change at the top of the merit after the latest set of fixtures and at this stage only three of the team winners are known – John Kennish (Rule Breakers), Nigel Thomas (B4S) and Kim Hargraves (Bits n Bobs).
The remaining nine are yet to be decided, with no less than 27 players in with a strong or an outside chance of winning their team’s merit.
The midweek round robin attracted an entry of 26 which was split into two groups of doubles with the successful pairings being Derek Clarke and Bernard Thackrah, along with Louis Callister and Alan Kennaugh.
Missing out in second were Rita Callister and Les Halsall; also Bob Berry and Pauline Worrall.