News Update
Marine Gardens BC – report for week ending Sunday 14/07/19
(July 14, 2019)“New bowlers to the fore for Marine”
Monday 08/07 & Marine were off to Waterloo Park for the away game versus Bognor “B”. Although well beaten by the host’s “A” team on the Saturday, the experience of playing on the tricky green was to prove critical as the visitors started well.
By the time the last bowl came to rest Marine had carved out a fine win on two rinks and secured overall victory by 9 shots. Another crucial 6 league points squirreled away.
Skip Mike Hitchin led his rink to pole position; securing a 5 on the 9th end they moved into a lead they were never to relinquish, eventually winning by the comfortable margin of 25 shots to 10. Mike received dynamic support from Harry Tattersall, Noel Stevenson & Terry Urben.
Also signing off with a strong win was Ivan Godsmark. His rink secured a 4 on the final end to run out winners by 22 shots to 15. Ivan benefitted from the staunch company of the usual three amigos; Len Tebby, John Nettleingham & Francis Fahey.
Harry Smith’s rink of Terry Ashley, Norman Deegan & Mike Collins battled hard throughout, but the hosts just pulled away in the closing ends to reach a deserving win by 20 shots to 14.
Mellow skip Dennis Martin kept up the spirits of his troops; Jim Back, David Sayer & Jim Gray but they found themselves pitted against tough opponents and on a particularly ragged rink. Nevertheless, they plugged away and their 14 shots were instrumental in landing the win overall.
Rink scores summarised thus –
Harry Tattersall, Noel Stevenson, Terry Urben & skip Mike Hitchin – 25 shots v J Rexstreon – 10 shots
Len Tebby, John Nettleingham, Francis Fahey & skip Ivan Godsmark – 22 shots v T Gaskin 15 shots
Terry Ashley, Norman Deegan, Mike Collins & skip Harry Smith – 14 shots v L Hall 20 shots
Jim Back, David Sayer, Jim Gray & skip Dennis Martin – 14 shots v J Blacow 21 shots
Marine Gardens 75 shots (6 points) beat Bognor “B” 66 shots (4 points)
Wednesday 10/07 and Marine welcomed Worthing Pavilion for a 4 rink Stracey league match. The visitors don’t possess a weak team and their quality showed in the final result; 94 shots & 8 league points to Pavilion; 62 shots and 2 league points to the hosts.
The sole winning rink for Marine was skipped by tenacious veteran Mike Hitchin with excellent support from David Hughes, Eric Hayward & Dave Mugridge. They prevailed by 22 shots to 18; 1 shot down after 17 ends they bagged a 5 to help close out the match. The Pavilion rink was skipped by their men’s club champion Simon Warr, so the Marine win was all the more impressive.
Ivan Godsmark’s rink was 13 shots to 9 up after 14 ends, but then the good times rolled for the visitors as they bagged 15 shots on the closing ends to win by 24 shots to 14. Ivan was supported by Dave Holden, Steve Davis & David Sayer. The rinks skipped by Jenny Ashman & Pauline Hughes were both comfortably beaten despite their best endeavours.
Rink scores summarised thus –
Dave Holden, Steve Davis, David Sayer & skip Ivan Godsmark – 14 shots v Richard Krupa 24 shots
Bill Spinks, Albert Leatham, David Smith & skip Pauline Hughes – 11 shots v K Chapman 26 shots
David Hughes, Eric Hayward, Dave Mugridge & skip Mike Hitchin – 22 shots v Simon Warr 18 shots
Shaun Coppard, Albie Marsella, Pauline Sayer & skip Jenny Ashman – 15 shots v A Palmer 26 shots
Marine Gardens 62 shots (2 points) lost to Worthing Pavilion 94 shots (8 points)
Thursday 11/07 – Marine welcomed Bognor “A” for another West Sussex League match. Due to some machinations by the Fixture Secretaries Marine Gardens played Bognor “A” and Bognor “B” both home & away over six days! Thankfully familiarity bred respect & not contempt.
Bognor “A” are top of division two and obviously aspire to regain division one status. On this showing they have the squad to do it as the visitors fully merited their win on three rinks and by a margin of 23 shots.
It was not all doom & gloom for the hosts; grizzled skip Mike Hitchin rode his luck and emerged as the sole winning rink, salting away 2 league points in the process. Mike was helped by Terry Ashley, Leon White & Terry Urben who all contributed to a good team win. That completed a hat-trick of top rink wins for skip Mike.
Harry Smith and his team-mates; Harry Tattersall, Norman Deegan & Mike Collins enjoyed a very close battle with their opponents. After 21 ends only 29 shots had been scored. Unfortunately, from a Marine perspective, the visitors had 16 of them and the hosts 13!
Dennis Martin’s rink comprising Jim Back, David Sayer & Jim Gray fought hard, but were always a little off the pace; eventually losing by 15 shots to 24. The normally reliable Ivan Godsmark & his rink of Len Tebby, Noel Stevenson & Francis Fahey suffered a rare defeat against strong competitors. They lost by 30 shots to 11.
Nevertheless, Marine are still in with a fighting chance of retaining division two status and will keep battling away.
Rink scores summarised thus –
Terry Ashley, Leon White, Terry Urben & skip Mike Hitchin – 27 shots v R Gardner 19 shots
Harry Tattersall, Norman Deegan, Mike Collins & skip Harry Smith – 13 shots v A Richardson 16 shots
Jim Back, David Sayer, Jim Gray & skip Dennis Martin – 15 shots v M Edgecock 24 shots
Len Tebby, Noel Stevenson, Francis Fahey & skip Ivan Godsmark – 11 shots v J Keeps 30 shots
Marine Gardens 66 shots (2 league points) lost to Bognor “A” 89 shots (8 league points)
Saturday 13/07 – Marine played away to Beach House Park, where 16 gentlemen of Worthing BC awaited for a West Sussex League match. Worthing comfortably beat the visitors in the match at Marine Gardens in early May, so logically this should have been a routine win for the hosts.
But bowls and logic are not always close bedfellows! Marine did indeed lose on 3 rinks, but the margin of overall defeat was modest; 87 shots and 8 league points to Worthing, 76 shots and 2 league points to Marine.
Sunday 14/07 – Marine played a new fixture; journeying to Billingshurst for a friendly comprising 4 lots of triples. The visitors lost on three rinks and by a comfortable margin of 30 shots. Nevertheless, it was great to see new members Tilly Hennings, Paula Seymour, Mark Berriman & Clive Wooton all putting themselves forward for an away match in what is only their first season. Also present were Pamela Chambers & Lesley McMurdie, both in their 2nd year of bowling. Most clubs struggle with support for away matches; Marine is no different, and it would be terrific if more experienced members followed the example of the newbies.
Marine’s winning rink was skipped by Steve Davis; he won by 15 shots to 11, with excellent support from Paula Seymour and Lesley McMurdie.
Rink score summarised thus –
Tilly Hennings, Fred Knight & skip Shaun Coppard – 6 shots v Ray 20 shots
Paula Seymour, Lesley McMurdie & skip Steve Davis – 15 shots v John 11 shots
Mark Berriman, Pamela Chambers & skip Mike Hitchin – 11 shots v Alan 20 shots
Clive Wooton, Bill Hebert & skip David Hughes – 13 shots v Geoff 24 shots
Marine Gardens 45 shots lost to Billingshurst 75 shots