News Update
Marine Gardens BC – report for week ending Sunday 30/06/19
(June 30, 2019)“Mighty Mariners settle for silver”
Sunday 23 June – Each year Pagham BC hold a Mixed Fours Open Tournament, with teams competing for the Alan Williams Shield plus cash prizes.
12 teams entered with quartets coming from mid-Sussex and even Hampshire. Marine Gardens were represented by Bryan & Jan Hartley, Pauline Hughes and Ivan Godsmark – aka the Mighty Mariners!
The Mariners have form in this competition and scooped the top prize two years ago. The day comprised 4 matches of 7 ends duration for each team. The Mariners were just off the pace in their first game, losing by a mere 2 shots. But the mighty part of their name was justified in the next match; a win by 17 shots to 3 against the Pagham Captains foursome.
The good form continued in the afternoon with two more wins. This meant the Mighty Mariners finished a very creditable 2nd, just 3 points behind the champs. The journey home was spent pondering how to use their £80 winnings. Presumably the Marine quartet will be registering with HM Revenue & Customs and declaring their status as professional bowlers!
Tuesday 25 June – Marine made the long trek up the A24 to play Horsham BC, in the away leg of the annual Centenary Bowl. The home game will be played later in the summer; total shots combined over the two matches will determine the winter home of the prestigious Bowl.
Marine managed to win just two rinks, but kept the scale of the defeat to only 12 shots, eminently retrievable come the home encounter. Top rink honours for the visitors went to Ivan Godsmark; victorious by 28 shots to 13. Excellent support came from old hand Dave Holden, rising star Pamela Chambers & ever-reliable Mike Collins.
Also cantering around the winner’s enclosure was Steve Davis, who enjoyed unflinching help from the steely Wendy Wilson, Comrade Hughes and Magnum Tattersall. They prevailed by 18 shots to 15 in a tense encounter which saw Horsham strike back well, but the Marine quartet held their nerve & the lead.
Honourable mention must go to the rink comprising Roy Mills, club President Jill Colbourn, John Nettleingham & skip Bob Cole. They were 10-3 down after 10 ends; 19-5 down after 15 ends, but skip Cole led a late Marine charge which saw them win the final six ends, garnering 10 shots in the process. The final analysis may say lost, but that fightback ensured Horsham’s overall winning margin was just 12 shots & that may prove significant come the home leg.
Rink score summarised below –
Dave Holden, Pamela Chambers, Mike Collins & skip Ivan Godsmark – 28 shots v L Grogan 13 shots
Bill Hebert, Pamela Sayer, Jim Gray & skip David Sayer – 12 shots v D Stearn 27 shots
Roy Mills, Jill Colbourn, John Nettleingham & skip Bob Cole – 15 shots v G Donck 19 shots
Jan Hartley, Shaun Coppard, Alan Patterson & skip Harry Smith – 15 shots v M Norris 22 shots
Wendy Wilson, David Hughes, Harry Tattersall & skip Steve Davis – 18 shots v D Marden 15 shots
Bryan Hartley, David Smith, Albie Marsella & skip Mike Hitchin – 14 shots v M Ryan 18 shots
Marine Gardens 102 shots, lost to Horsham BC 114 shots
Wednesday 26 June – Marine Gardens entertained visitors Southwick Park for a 4-rink friendly. Played in lovely sunshine a very close game unfolded, with the hosts winning by the squeaky margin of just 2 shots.
This was due in great part to the top rink of Jenny Ashman, Comrade Hughes, Sailor Bill Spinks & gimlet-eyed skip David Sayer. They won by 27 shots to 11. Also, on the winners’ podium was Ivan Godsmark and his rink comprising the elegant Jill Campbell, cheeky Albie Marsella and the imposing Frederick Knight. They won by just 1 shot; 19 to 18 but given the overall winning margin it was a jolly important 1!
Rink scores summarised below –
Jill Campbell, Albie Marsella, Fred Knight & skip Ivan Godsmark – 19 shots v J Croft 18 shots
Roger Parrish, Pat Carey, Dave Mugridge & skip Albie Leatham – 18 shots v I Jenner 20 shots
Jenny Ashman, Comrade Hughes, Bill Spinks & skip David Sayer – 27 shots v G Sandercock 11 shots
Steve Davis, Lynn Leach, Eric Hayward & skip Mike Hitchin – 9 shots v L Gray 22 shots
Marine Gardens 73 shots beat Southwick Park 71 shots
Thursday 27 June – Marine were away from home, playing at the attractive Lancing BC in a Brodie Tray clash. Usual format; 1 pair, 2 triples and 1 rink, 18 ends on each. The wonderful sunshine and well-paced green brought out the best in the visitors, with Marine winning on 3 rinks and bagging 8 league points to the hosts 2.
Jan Hartley & skip Ivan Godsmark had a dreamy afternoon in the pairs game, marching to an impressive win by 31 shots to 5. Their tally included a terrific “hotshot” on the 15th end; all eight of the Marine bowls being closer to the jack than any delivered by the home duo. That was followed up by 5 on the next end as Jan & Ivan permitted their hosts no respite.
Also winning comfortably was the trio comprising Anne Knight, club secretary Jenny Ashman & skip Terry Urben. They went into tea just a shot up; 10 to Lancing’s 9. But post-tea they collected 16 shots compared to the host’s 2. Urben was a lucky skip; little to do but admire the excellent bowling by Anne & Jenny and keep the scorecard neatly.
Mike Hitchin’s trio; the front end was Bryan Hartley & John Nettleingham enjoyed a much closer affair throughout and went into the last end 1 shot adrift. But the Marine boys were not to be denied and 2 shots collected on the final end meant victory by 1 shot, but a valuable 2 league points extra.
The rink skipped by Brian Fuller, backed up by Bob Cole, David Hughes & Steve Davis had a tougher time against experienced opposition who exploited home knowledge to the full. They eventually lost by 29 shots to 8 but were always battling.
Rink scores summarised below –
Jan Hartley & skip Ivan Godsmark – 31 shots v C Johnson 5 shots
Anne Knight, Jenny Ashman & skip Terry Urben – 26 shots v D Raymond 11 shots
Bryan Hartley, John Nettleingham & skip Mike Hitchin – 16 shots v R Goacher 15 shots
Bob Cole, David Hughes, Steve Davis & skip Brian Fuller – 8 shots v A Wadey 29 shots
Marine Gardens 81 shots (8 points) beat Lancing BC 60 shots (2 points)
Saturday 29 June – Marine played away to Pulborough in a West Sussex League Division 2 clash. The home team have worked incredibly hard on their ground; the green was in top condition and ringed by attractive gardens and an extended pavilion. The beer was jolly cold inside, but outside the whole scene was baking nicely in 30+ degrees of heat.
Nevertheless, the visitors kept cool heads and bowled well; after circa 14 ends they were only 3 shots down across the four rinks. But it was the hosts who staged that vital surge over the final quarter and fully deserved their eventual win by 81 shots to 72. Pulborough took 8 league points, while the visitors; with only 1 winning rink, had 2 points to show for their toil in the sun.
Marine’s sole winning rink came courtesy of skip Ivan Godsmark, with staunch support from the wise trio of Len Tebby, John Nettleingham & Albert Leatham.
Rink score summarised thus –
Noel Stevenson, David Sayer, Jim Gray & skip Dennis Martin – 13 shots v J Brown 20 shots
Dave Holden, Terry Ashley, Mike Collins & skip Harry Smith – 16 shots v P Day 22 shots
Harry Tattersall, Dave Mugridge, Terry Urben & skip Mike Hitchin – 22 shots v I Salmon 25 shots
Len Tebby, John Nettleingham, Albert Leatham & skip Ivan Godsmark – 21 shots v S Adsett 14 shots
Marine Gardens 72 shots (2 points) lost to Pulborough 81 shots (8 points)
Sunday 30 June – Marine concluded a busy week by welcoming new opponents Southwater for a friendly comprising 4 lots of triples. It is policy at Marine to afford opportunities for all playing members to appear; particularly in friendly as opposed to league fixtures. This is fair and appreciated by all, but it sometimes results in a reversal of fortune, especially if the visitors are stronger than average.
And so it proved on Sunday afternoon with Southwater good value for a comfortable win on all four rinks; 90 shots to Marine’s 46. No top rink honours for the home side, but skip Brian Fuller, supported by George Tracey & Fred Knight was competitive throughout and lost by just 2 shots.
Rink scores summarised thus –
George Tracey, Fred Knight & skip Brian Fuller – 13 shots v Ray 15 shots
Dave Holden, Dennis Crossweller & skip Steve Davis – 12 shots v Mike 27 shots
Shaun Coppard, Albie Marsella & skip Bob Cole – 7 shots v John 23 shots
Jean Stratton, Ian Dalton & skip Harry Smith – 14 shots v Ian 25 shots
Marine Gardens 46 shots lost to Southwater 90 shots