BOWLS: Westlecot crash out of Wessex League play-offs
6:00am Saturday 16th March 2013 in Latest News
WESTLECOT men’s hopes of winning the Wessex League title for the fifth time are over for another year, writes DAVE EATON.
Their indifferent form since the beginning of February continued as they crashed out in the first round of the end-of-season play-offs.
The Old Town side lost by 37 shots as they were thumped 93-56 by the coastal region champions Moonfleet 2000 (Weymouth).
Westlecot made a good start and led the Dorset side 24-14 across the board after five ends and were just two shots down 37-35 at 10.
But then Westlecot crumbled, scoring only eight shots across the board in the next five ends and conceding 39 to trail 76-43 at 15.
They never recovered and finally lost 93-56, although several ends away were not played.
Neil Smith’s rink at home at Westlecot was the sole winner. They led 8-0 after five ends and 11-4 at 10 and although pulled back to 11-9 at 15, they eventually won by six shots.
Ian Jefferies’ away rink were only 11-7 down at 10 ends but trailed 19-13 at 15, before fighting back to being 20-16 down at 18 ends.
Unfortunately Westlecot’s other two rinks suffered heavy losses, none more spectacular than Dave Snell’s quartet at Westlecot.
They led 10-0 at four ends and 12-3 at nine but then lost the next seven and eventually lost 36-14.
In Weymouth, John Thomas was 6-4 down at five ends but only scored another three singles and dropped 18 shots to lose 24-7.
“It was disappointing to lose in the first round of the play-offs,” said Westlecot team manager Denis Holborow.
“We were holding our own for the first 10 ends but then we went on to lose. The wheels fell off and we had to give way to the better team on the day.”
Holborow added: “I am now standing down as team manager.
“I would like to thank all the players and selectors and officers of the club for all their help and wish the new team manager all the best in the future.”
The annual indoor club championship finals will be staged at Westlecot this weekend and completed on Monday evening.
Denis Holborow has reached three of the finals while Neil Smith, his youngest daughter Katy, Mike Titcombe Jnr, Kevin Embling and Ian Jefferies are involved in two each.
The Smith girls contest the ladies’ final with Lucy defending her title, while dad Neil will be looking to book his place in next season’s national champion of champions competition, when he defends his men’s singles title against John Anderson.
