WON 47-45: 8 Points
When playing any League game it is always important to understand that you are part of a team. That means not just the rink that you are playing on but across all three rinks and that is what Redland did last night (although, to be fair, Olveston seemed to be playing to the same play book).
On Jim’s rink with Andy, Nigel and Keith C, a good start picking up a 4 on the first end was followed with some very good consistent play from Redland with further 4’s on ends eight and fifteen, This rink ran out 24-8 winners.
Unfortunately on Larry’s rink with Charlie, Rick, playing I believe his first, first team game and Mark P, it was the opposite story. After losing the opening end, Olveston dominated the rest of the game with 3’s on ends two, four, six, eight, eleven and fifteen. The important thing however was that Redland never lost hope on the game overall and kept plugging away so when this team lost 8-24 the overall scores were tied and all eyes turned to the final rink.
On RKJ’s rink with Phil, Pete J, playing his first, first team game this season and Vince they went 0-8 down after four ends. Picking up a 3 on end six however steadied the ship and by end nine the score was 7-8. It was then “nip and tuck” up until end fifteen with the score 12-13. At this stage the other rinks had finished and therefore Redland were trailing by one shot overall, not just on this rink.
On the sixteenth end Vince bowled a great bowl to secure shot and then with his last bowl (and dare I say it a little luck, but in bowls sometimes you make your own luck), Roger managed to sneak through the head with a small wick to secure the second shot and go into the last end with Redland now leading on the rink and overall by one shot.
Playing the last end Phil started well securing the shot but Olveston played some great bowls so that when Roger went to deliver his bowls Redland were 2 down. With everyone watching from around the green and the tension palpable Roger delivered his first bowl and with a number of short bowls in the way again managed, with a wick, to somehow find a way through to secure the shot! The Olveston skip then had an opportunity to promote one of the short bowls but failed on his first attempt.
Roger then, in consultation with Vince, very sensibly stayed well away from the head covering behind with his second bowl so the whole match came down to the very last bowl. (Amazing to think that after 407 bowls this was the case, but in bowls it happens much more often than you might imagine).
Despite playing a good bowl into the head luck was not on Olveston’s side and Redland had secured the rink and the the overall match with 8 points in the bag – a great result and many congratulations to the whole squad. 👏 🥳
Next week is another tough challenge at home to GBBs. 👍