Match Report: B&D League Division 1 08/08/24

🏆🏆🏆🏆 CHAMPIONS! 🏆🏆🏆🏆

The following report was written by Kevin French:

Well, well, well we are Division One Champions! and in the way we’ve played, our attitude and spirit from across the whole club, deservedly I would suggest 🥳

This is the first time we have won the league since 1991 and the first time in 13 years a club, other than Olveston or GB Britton have been top.

Without wishing to usurp Pete Jones report, capping a fantastic day for Redland our North East team also gained promotion 👏

At a similar stage in the season 2 years ago I was writing a rather depressing report, confirming our relegation to B & D division 2, and in my / our wildest expectations did not expect, within 2 seasons to return to and then top the league…..

Onto the game, with Bristol still in with a chance of league success the outcome of this game was crucial, and in windy and rainy conditions, (as can be seen from the state of the scorecards, although Jake must be commended for keeping his in a near pristine condition) and with the start of the game delayed while a decision was made regarding the green, it might have become a bit of a lottery in terms of bowling especially at the start, but ultimately there was some good bowling from both teams.

On Jim’s rink with Will ,Trev and Andy and Jim afterwards saying it was the worst he’d played all season (Jim, as with Josh a few weeks ago, we forgive you!) they went behind, were always trying to get back into it, but crucially when we were only 4 up on the overall game and with all the other Redland players looking, bowled a very cagey last end to concede only one shot. Finished 10 20

On RKJ’s rink with Mike, ,Jake and Calvin and Roger suggesting “I might struggle tonight” – you struggled alright Rog – to stop bowling great woods end after end, although it must be noted that the whole rink bowled some cracking woods to win 15 8.

On Josh’s rink with Mark, Larry and Kev, were always in front, but with both Larry and the opposition forgetting to mark the card until the 8th end who knew the score?, but Larry with some of the great bowls you played – we forgive you too!

On end 14 with only 3 shots in front on the game, I regret that I have to report once again Josh bowled a “match changing wood” to get shot and save us from being 6 down (I say regret because I will doubtless have to hear about it from Josh for the next few weeks/months or maybe even years 😂)

We ran out 18 12 winners.

P.S  After the game Mark “macho” Powell announced “I was the only one who could get it up all night” – I don’t know what game Mark was playing – I leave you to draw your own conclusions but it is not always whether you can simply get it up but where you finish that counts…….and we have finished top! 😍

I will leave my end of season thoughts, thanks and “pearls of wisdom”? until after our last game next Thursday home v Willmott Park

Next one to get under our belt is the Glos Cup Section Final v Kingswood and Hanham, tonight at Redland 6.00 start 🤞

Match Report: Clarence Davy Semi Final 04/08/24

What a cracking win this was  against an always competitive Bristol team, again an example of keeping the opposition scores down on some rinks  and hoping for a pick up of shots on the others.

On RKJ’s rink with Mike, Jake and Jon perhaps the deficit was slightly more than we would have liked but they were up against a skip who won the under 25 National Pairs title last year and is part of Somerset’s Middleton Cup team, but all bowled well  enough to keep the losing ends down to a reasonably manageable level and ended 10 20.

On Larry’s rink with Nigel, Vince and Calvin were behind early on, but with everyone contributing kept winning ends in the last quarter of the game to finish 15 19.

Editor’s Note: Nigel was the designated three on this rink but from what I heard/saw I think Calvin was playing at lead but fully supporting/helping with the responsibilities of three as well 😂 👏

On Jim’s rink with Will, Trev and Andy I don’t know what this rink is “on”, but I wish the whole squad could have some of it as yet again their dominance was quite remarkable, they are doing it time after time and more importantly once getting in front they do not let up at all and winning 15 ends in total including 2 fives ran out 37 10 winners 👏

On Josh’s rink with Mark Powell, Dave Sunter and Kev, now this rink is used to Josh, in almost every game, claiming that he’s bowled a “match winning wood” (although we are sometimes struggling to remember them!). In this match we were 10 behind on 9 ends, but this time, on end 15 and 6 shots down Josh actually did bowl a brilliant wood for shot and certainly a “match changing result” (at this point, even with Jim’s rink score, dropping a 6 we would have only been one up on the game). Inspired by this wood, the rink won the next 6 ends to finish 19 18.

P.S. With Kev’s woods not having any effect on the game he decided his contribution would be to “get carried away in the moment” and tried to remove the opposition’s toucher from the ditch but fortunately his shenanigans were noted by other players (mainly our own team on another rink!) and he had to admit, shamefacedly, his error and replace the wood – read the rules Kev!

Editor’s Note: But ten out of ten for your enthusiasm/excitement in that moment!

Excellent playing by everyone…… 🥳

Final against Olveston on Sunday 25th August 10.00am at Bristol Bowls Club.

Before that however vital League games for both our sides coming up this Thursday, let’s keep up our winning ways and claim those titles, 🏆 🤞

Finally thanks to Phil Bunker for standing by as substitute and Gerry for his support.

Match Report: NE Division 2

The following report was written by Pete Jones:

This was a classic top of the table clash and there was no room for any avuncular favours, quasi or otherwise!!

On Nick’s rink, with Mike W, Vince and Nigel, the scoring was very ebb and flow, 1-7 after 6, 15-7 after 10 and finally 16-16 after 16! Nick bowled a great wood to put us into the lead on 17, but their skip somehow snatched a win with his last wood!! A very unfortunate loss, 16-17.

On Ian’s rink, with Mark D, Dave S and Pete, we were trading shots for the first few ends, but then we started to pull away, and a 5 on the 13th pretty much secured the victory as we continued to build up the shots, winning 23-7.

On Keith’s rink, with Phil, Rick and Jon, we looked in command after 5, 7-1 up, but they clawed back to make it 7-6 after 7. After that though, thanks to some great bowling from Phil at lead, and support from Rick, we secured a 17-14 win.

This was a great result which keeps us at the top, but with Page Park winning convincingly as well, our match against them next week is another crucial challenge.

Match Report: League Division 1 01/08/24

The following report was written by Kevin French:

Despite Andy’s egregious comments about my vocabulistic short comings as opposed to the North East League reports, here we go 😃

The top team playing the bottom should hopefully lead to a  convincing win, in the end we did win well, but midway through the match it was possibly too close for comfort being only 5 shots up overall at 9 ends.

On Jim’s rink with Will, Trev and Andy the main point of interest was the season “debut” of Trev’s shorts and legs (and grey socks).

They do say once you’ve seen something horrendous it’s impossible to forget, but the rink obviously managed to put these thoughts aside and whilst being only one shot up at 9 ends then did their usual trick of winning the next 8 out of 9 ends, forging ahead to win 21 6 👏

On Josh’s rink with Mark, Larry and Kev they seem to adopt a different policy from Jim’s, to start really strongly then squeeze out the last few ends, so going 12 2 up were pegged back to only 4 in front but managed to keep this advantage to finish 20 15 👍

On kj’sj rink with Mike, Jake and Calvin this was very close all the way through, 10 all at 11 ends and with the other rinks finished and the game won we looked on to see if we could get the extra 2 points but we just couldn’t get the upper hand and ended 12 16 😪

We now enter the business end of the season and with our last two games being against 2 of the top 4 teams in the League, and them having a game in hand as our “rest week” falls at the end of the season, the combinations of possible outcomes are numerous (just ask Will!), but everything is fully in our own hands. It is simple – we just have to win our games! 🤞

Firstly let’s win the Clarence Davey cup semi final against the mighty”? Bristol bowls club this weekend 

St Annes Park Sunday 10.00 start – for those playing – Whites.

Match Report: Glos 2 Rink 28/07/24

The following report was written by Kevin French:

A slightly disappointing end to an otherwise successful week.

Cheltenham are a very strong club and whilst we were facing the B  team this was a very tough match.

On Jim’s rink with Will, Larry and Andy a sterling effort was made to  finish with a draw when we conceded the match at 16 ends.

On Josh,s rink with Mark, Keith and Jon this was a different kettle of fish and conceding two counts early it proved difficult to get back into the game.

You can’t win every game you play ,and  sitting on the sidelines I was very proud of the way the guys on this rink, (who afte rall are still relatively new players learning the game) ‘took it on the chin”, showed a lot of class, very sportmanlike, but with the air of; ok we lost today but next time we are confident and good enough to win…..

The 2 rink is not to be ours this year, but still many competitions/titles still to play for 👍

Match report: County Cup 26/07/24

The following report was written by Kevin French:

Our third win of a very successful week against very strong opposition, in fact we seem to be having lots of good weeks lately and long may it continue 🤞

Now contrary to popular  opinion it is possible for us to win without Andy being in the team ( I say popular opinion in fact it’s only one person’s opinion -his) and with Andy being “rested” so was the rest of the team’s ears!

Editor’s Note: I didn’t realise I was being “rested” 😜

We started well, were pegged back but then we pushed on again for the win, these are the games a few years ago where we might have drifted away, but because we are now playing with great confidence (editor: and skill!), we are now recording good wins.

We were 5 up on end 5

17 up on end 10

7 up on end 14 (at this point a game can go either way).

 But confirming my comments above, across the board we won 7 out of the last 9 ends to finish 19 shots in front.

On Jim’s rink with Will, Trev and RKJ were 8 1 in front at 5 ends, despite conceding a 5 and dropping 8 over 3 ends it was 15 all at 14, but once again the class of this rink told (even without the “Special One”) and winning the last 3 ended 20 15.

On Larry’s rink with Keith, Jake and Calvin after being behind at end 6 then scored on 7 out of the next 8 wen t15 5 up and ending with a 5 finished 21 9.

On Josh’s rink with Mark, Mike and Kev were 3 in front on end 10 but dropping the next 5 ends went behind ( * spoiler alert* – one of my truisms coming up!) those 5 ends only a single on each was conceded and as I’m always banging  on about: if you’re only dropping ones you are in with a chance of pulling things back and so this proved to be the case and sneaking the last 2 ends won 16 15 👏

Once again well done all.

Home to Kingswood and Hanham in the next round (Friday 9th August).

Tomorrow Redland’s “bowls circus” rolls up to Cheltenham for the Glos 2 rink…..

Good luck to all ☘️

Match Report: League Division 1 25/07/24

Two historic events occurred tonight……

Firstly Calvin made a profit in the sale of rolls for the first time this season 👍

Secondly we beat Olveston in the league for the first time I can remember in many years 👏👏

This was a proper top of the league team clash, played in the right spirit with respect for both teams bowling from all involved. The advantage/lead  went back and forth and at any particular point either team was set for 10 points or nothing.

On Jim’s rink with Will, Trev and Andy “Shania is the one” Gadd, were in front until end 11 but conceding a 4 we went 3 behind, things were however quickly back on track and winning the last 5 ends on the trot finished 20 15.

Editor’s Note: I have to make special note of a take out shot that Jim played near the end when we were a couple down to remove two Olveston bowls and leave us with shot – brilliant……..

On RKJ’s rink with Mike, Jake and Calvin, again were in front until end 11 (what is it about the 11th end?) went behind briefly but quickly got the lead back to run out 18 16 winners.

Overall at 5 ends we were 3 up

At 10 ends 2 up

At 12 ends 6 down

At 14 ends 2 up

So on Josh’s rink with Mark, Larry and Kev (who were an end behind) it was important to grind out every end and coming from 5 down on end 12 picked up the last 5 ends to finish 14 11

A really excellent result, well done all, next week away to Long Ashton. We do however need to keep our concentration for our last 3 games of the season and not behave in a quasi avancular way! 😃

Editor’s Note – What can I say? 😜

 P.S After last years promotion from Division 2 when I started this years match reports at the beginning of the season I deliberately decided not to refer to our campaign to remain in the first division. I think I  can now safely say we aren’t going to be relegated!

Match Report: NE Division 2 25/07/24

This was a must win fixture with Olveston and Page Park coming up in the next 2 weeks, and we duly delivered.

On Ian’s rink, with Mark, Dave S and Pete, we were ahead throughout, a 5 on the 8th effectively securing the win against a 4 including an 11 year old who pinched shot wood on the last end due to Ian’s quasi avuncular thoughtfulness! A 19-12 win.

Editor’s Note: Now that is the standard of Match Report we should aspire to – Kevin French in particular note: “quasi avuncular” – pure class 👏

On Nick’s rink, with Phil, Vince and Nigel, we raced to a 10-0 lead after 4, which we never looked like relinquishing. A couple of nervy ends right at the last, but we held on for an 18-13 victory.

On Keith’s rink, with Mike, Rick and Wendy, everything was absolutely even after 13 ends and we even nudged ahead after 14, but 15 and 16 went against us, though not as heavily as it might have been, and despite some valiant efforts on the last it ended as a 10-13 defeat.

It is testimony to the squad that 8-2 was seen as a disappointing result. However, with our nearest rivals stuttering last night we now have a 10 point lead going into those 2 matches. 👍

Match Report: Clarence Davy Cup 22/07/24

The following report was written by Kevin French:

Another strong performance to continue our welcome winning ways.

St Anne’s are a competitive team with a number of up and coming new bowlers and clearly will be pushing for more sucess in the future.

On Larry’s rink with Nick, Ian and Calvin and with all the rink, but especially Larry, having a good game we were always in front and ended 20 14

On Jim’s rink with Will, Trev and Andy they seemed to have forgotten we now do expect them to win by a large margin, and going 5 8 down at 6 ends, we weren’t very happy with them, however they then “got with the programme” and scoring 5 lots of 3 over the next 6 ends, then resumed normal service to end 30 14

On Josh’s rink with Mark, Nigel and Kev were always ahead and just got on with their usual workmanlike bowling to win 26 12

On RKJ’s rink with Mike, Jake and Jon this was more of a struggle when we were down 2 10 at 5 ends, it’s easy to get into a downward trend and concede shots hand over fist (as the opponents of Jim’s crew have discovered over the last few games) but crucially with Roger’s rink winning the next 4 ends put a stop to the rot to get themselves back in the game and eventually finished a respectable 17 20 down.

Again well done to all/

Now into the semi final against the “mighty?” Bristol bowls club, Sunday 4th August at St Anne’s Park