29th May B&D : Away @ Olveston Kestrels (Lost 46-48) – 2pts
This was very, very disappointing. Ok you lose games but we were in control of this one heading for an 8 point win, but on the same end dropping 10 shots over 2 rinks turned the game completely. ☹️
On Larry’s rink with Keith, Roger and Calvin we were in front until end 10, but then conceding the next 6 out of 7 ends slipped behind to finish 11-18 down.
On Josh’s rink with Mark, Mike and Kev with a middle of the game section winning 6 out of 7 ends and it has to be noted that Josh bowled some really class woods, the quality you expect from a Middleton cup skip 👏
The shine came off this rink with a 6 dropped and then a further 5 ends conceded to run out 13 17 down.
On Jim’s rink with Will, Nigel and Andy, dominated from early on to go 20-5 up at 11 ends and as mentioned earlier we were 21 shots up overall, until we dropped that 10 across the other 2 rinks…..
We still went into the last end 2 up but the opposition played some great woods and with Jim trying to retrieve things with his last 2 bowls it didn’t quite work out with us losing a 4 and the overall advantage in the game but winning the rink 22-13.
(Jim beat himself up a bit about those 2 but Jim your rink had already done its stuff; so no need for any recrimination yourself). 👍
As I said disappointing, we should note that across the board we conceded 16 out of the last 18 ends, last year it was a different story with us often winning the bulk of those last ends.
No need to panic (yet), but we need to get our “focus” back 🤞
Next game home to Keynsham – an important one I would suggest?
29th May NE League : Home v Olveston Harriers (Won) – 8pts
Finally got off the bottom of the table thanks to Rick’s stunning last bowl on the very last end!
On Vince’s rink, with, Mike, Bob, and Barry it was fairly even until the last few ends, losing 13-10
On Rick’s rink it was also very close, but Rick delivered in the end.
On Nick’s rink, after a dreadful start, 7-0 down after 5 we pulled it back to win 16-11.
Peter Jones
28th May LL : Away @ Bristol St Andrews (Won) – 8pts
Gone are the heady days of selection !! thankyou Kath and Julie for playing.
Gill with Sue Karen and Kath took the lead in the first end and lost it on the 4th, picked up a 2 on the 5th end and stayed ahead until the end of the game finishing 17-12.
Wendy, with Lin Julie and Nina were 7-1 ahead by the 4th end , but we let them catch up, drawing level at the 9th. We then got a grip and stayed on top finishing 20-10. We were still playing as the clock struck 9 o’ clock, no idea why we took so long !
26th May BE 2 Rink : Away @ Avonvale (Won 38-32)
Another win as our confidence, hopefully is building 👍
On an always testing Avonvale green – no criticism – it just has to be adjusted to, which good bowlers should do?
On Jim’s rink with Will, Nigel and Andy (not, by his own admission, having one of his best games but going on holiday in the bowls season doesn’t help 🇨🇦) this didn’t get off to a good start going 8 – 1 down and at this point it is very easy to get even further adrift; but winning 2 ends and then picking up a “full house” 8 this changed the game. The lead was then swapped several times, with Avonvale picking up 10 shots over the next 6 ends so the overall game was possibly getting tighter than we could have liked.
On Josh’s rink with Mark, Larry and Calvin, they went storming into a commanding lead to be 19 – 3 up at 12 ends and with Josh having a brilliant game 🤩 (this time it wasn’t only in his own opinion, but confirmed by the others on the rink!). We lost our way slightly over the next 6 ends, but kept it tight enough to counteract the small deficit on Jim’s rink (it’s very important to remember it’s a team, two rink overall score game) and recorded a good win 🥳
Well done 👍
Next round Away to Olveston or Cam Mills
22nd May B&D : Home v Page Park (Won 52-38) – 8pts
We needed that!,
After a faltering start to the season we recorded our first B&D win and remind ourselves that we are a good team.
Early in the game things didn’t look so good, however we kept at it and eventually prevailed 👏
With our esteemed editor back from his travels 🇨🇦 and with his additional quips and comments and the team back on song hopefully these match reports will be more upbeat 🎉
On Josh’s rink with Mark, Mike and Kev we were behind early on but picking up a six on end 9 managed to keep the momentum to end 23-11
PS Josh will probably tell everyone about how he got the jack out of the rink when we were 5 down – well done Josh, but what about the end when we were holding 2 and you gave the shot way? 😃
On Larry’s rink with Keith, Roger and Calvin we were in front until the 12th end, but after a long discussion with the opposition regarding whether the rink scores were correct, this seemed to throw us off and conceding 4 out of the last 5 ends we finished 12-15.
On Jim’s rink with Will, Nigel and Andy (welcome back oh Special one!) we struggled early on to be 8-2 down at 7 ends, but as we know you can’t ever dismiss the quality on this rink and winning 8 of the last 10 ends won 17-12.
Well done all, next week away to Olveston Kestrals – let’s hope we can clip their wings! 🪽
Editor’s Note: I like to start the season as I mean to go on so with my usual flair I managed to bowl a wrong bias and then followed it up with another one in the Gloucestershire Triples game on Friday evening at Olveston. The simple fact is that I really must concentrate more and to try and do that as in previous years if over the year I bowl a total of 10 wrong bias bowls in any competitions then it is drinks all round on Presentation night 🍺 🍷(I really do hope that I do not do that….)
21st May LL : Home v Bradley Stoke (Won) – 7pts
They arrived and started doing warm up exercises on the green… maybe we should learn the Hakka?? We really needed to win this game to get ahead of them and be top of the table.
Gill, Sue, Carol and Nina started winning the first end with 4 shots and kept on top of the game, keeping the jack long gave them the advantage and they finished 21-7. Their win was never in doubt.
Wendy, Lin, Colette and Karen started by winning a 6 on the first end, clearly long jacks were the answer (we had started with a full length jack after both leads failed to deliver a legal jack). But we didn’t get the long jacks and despite being 10-0 up after three ends we lost the jack and they were better than us on the shorter length. By the 7th end we had slipped behind 11-12. A run of 4 more ends where we kept them to ones, by the 12th end we were 12-16, but we picked up a 4 and were right back in the game. We went into the final end 17-19 down and they were holding one until we moved the jack back and were holding 5, then we were holding 6 …and their skip drew her last bowl in leaving us with 2 shots ending 19 all and a draw, but with the 4 points for the overall score……I didn’t know we could all be that quiet, when their skip delivered her last bowl I think we were all holding our breath !!
16th May LL : Away @ Yate (Won) – 6pts
The green was much better than the last time I played at Yate, which was probably 4 or 5 years ago !!
Both rinks started well, at 9 ends one rink was ahead 22- nil and the other score was 8-7. But Yate then got into their stride and it was the 16tth end before they scored again , 9-27.
The other rink kept the jack long, finishing on a measure to win 28-9, so we just squeaked the overall score, gaining 6 points . Redland now second behind Bradley Stoke …which is next week’s home game.
10th May BE Top Club : Home v Frampton (Won 5-0) – Concession at 14 ends
With Jake winning the 2 woods (16-9) and Jim winning the singles (21-12) we put ourselves in a very strong position to gain an overall win.
The three other disciplines were all pulling in front and with Frampton conceding at 14 ends we gained an impressive victory.
4s – Mike, Nigel Kev, Phil |(15-8)
Triples – Josh, Calvin, Gerry (26- 5)
Pairs – Will and Larry (21- 4)
Our next game in this competition is away v K&H or Wotton under Edge
8th May B&D : Away @ Weston (Bath) (Lost 30-53) – 0 pts
After the highs of last year we seem to be struggling to recapture our form of last season but we haven’t suddenly become a bad team, so – stick with it and hopefully we may see a revival over the next few weeks.
On Jim’s rink with Will, Trevor and Jon, things never really seemed to be going our way. Sometimes you can bemoan your luck and often it means the opposition are actually playing better! and sometimes it just doesn’t go your way and this appeared to be one of those nights, finished 6-21.
On Josh’s rink with Mark, Mike and Kev we got off to a slight lead but couldn’t get further ahead, although at one down going into the last end, 2 points were still on the cards. Holding 3 it looked good but the opposition skip bowled a great wood for shot and we ended 14-16.
On Larry’s rink with Keith, Nigel and Calvin, whilst losing the first 7 ends we were keeping it tight and were coming back from 9 nil down & managed to get back to level after 15 ends. However we just couldn’t prevail on the last 2 ends and ended up losing 10-16.
Next week Wilmott Park are struggling to get a team out so our match maybe rearranged – if possible.
Tomorrow (Saturday 10th) Top club v Frampton on Severn, 10.00 start, bacon butties etc from 9:15 (ish)
Any supporters welcome