Just the one match to report on this week - the Pairs Final. It was an all-Littlemoor affair, and so the Valley Road bowling club was the obvious choice of venue. 

The surname of Allan has already been on this trophy six times in the past, according to the records I hold, and it was guaranteed to be on it once again, as this time around, there were three Allan's in contention. John has won it three times previously, once with his son Peter and then twice with his brother, Ralph. This time, John paired up with long-time team-mate Graham Tudor; but was now in opposition to the afore-mentioned Ralph and Peter. The fact that Ralph and Peter had beaten the winners for the last two seasons, Stephen Kershaw and Edward Lawson; meant that they were probably the pre-match favourites. 

First up was Graham against Peter. Graham didn't waste much time in making up the 15 start he concedes to Pete on their handicaps, but once there, the lead wasn't extended much at all. It was level scores for a lot of the way. However, with a late flourish, Graham managed to beat Peter 201-184 and so this meant that instead of John conceding 45 to Ralph, the concession was reduced to a more comfortable 28. 

Given that this was a final and also probably due to the fact that there was some sibling rivalry, the game didn't exactly "sparkle" and, in fact, at times, in between a good few outrageous flukes from both and a very occasional good shot, it was rather drab! I must say, it wasn't that entertaining to referee and must also have been something of a disappointment for the four spectators, plus barman Alan! I could be wrong on this but I don't recall anyone managing a 20 break all night... Sorry guys, I'm only reporting it as seen! Anyhow, once John had made up the handicap difference, it was almost one way traffic in terms of scoring chances, with John probably getting the better running of the two. John & Graham were the deserved winners though by 400-358. So, the trophy will now bear John's name four times, which must be a record... very well done to him.

This coming week will see the semi-finals of the Individual Merit and in that we are guaranteed a Hirst in the final, as brothers Dave and Mick will oppose and a Bradford player will also be in the final as the Deaf Centre's Ian Ford will play Princeville's James Butcher in the other side of the draw. Good luck to all four of you. If either of you require a referee, I'd be happy to help out... Just get in touch. but try make it a bit more entertaining than the Pairs final!

David Howarth

League Secretary

This week saw the final of the Team Knockout competition. The venue was decided a couple of weeks ago, when St Andrews A won a coin toss and elected to play the match at their home venue. A copy of the results card can be found on the Team Knockout page.

As per the competition rules, the names of who played whom were drawn from a hat and the playing order was decided by each team captain alternately. Both teams top two players were drawn against each other (which has happened a good few times this season!) and were called up first... So it was St Andrews A's Graham Pearson versus Littlemoor's John Allan. 

John got off to a real flyer scoring 100 points in the first 20 minutes. Graham came back into it a little for about 10 minutes, but John then steamed ahead again, scoring 82 in the last 20 minutes. Three steady breaks into the twenties for John meant that there was little Graham could do, so a net 40 point win got Littlemoor off to a great start. In the next game, Graham Tudor carried on Littlemoor's good form and played probably some of his best billiards all season in defeating Neil Lee by a net 21. The excellent running for Littlemoor continued when I beat Gary Rogers by a net 44 points. To be fair to Gary, he was left many times with nothing to go at though. In the final game, Nigel Brayshaw had a huge mountain to climb if he was going to make any impression on Littlemoor's 105 point lead. His handicap start on Ralph Allan is just 20 points, meaning he needed to beat Ralph by 86 points or more. Although Littlemoor's grip on the cup was still very firm, Nigel made a good effort to loosen it, even just slightly, in a game where the scores maintained parity almost throughout. Ralph eventually held Nigel off to win by just 10 to retain the title in comfortable fashion for Littlemoor.

At the league meeting on Friday, we drew the Individual Merit semi-final matches. There will definitely be a Congs player in the final as Dave Hirst was drawn against his big brother, Mick. The other half of the draw will definitely see a Bradford player in the final, as Bradford Deaf Centre's Ian Ford was drawn at home to play last year's semi-finalist, Princeville's James Butcher. Those matches will be played a week on Thursday the 2nd May 2024. They may, of course, be played before that date if so desired by mutual agreement.

This coming week will see the final of the Pairs competition, in which Littlemoor will dominate proceedings once again, as John Allan and Graham Tudor will take on John's "little" brother Ralph and John's eldest son, Peter. Good luck to all involved... and I suspect yours truly will be called upon to referee what I expect to be a very hard fought "civil war". Any spectators who wish to drop by will be warmly welcomed and, as per usual, bar refreshments will be available at the usual very reasonable cost. I am advised that although the bowls season is now underway, there will not be a match played on Thursday evening... there could well be a few practicing though.

David Howarth

League Secretary

This week was another very eventful one.... On Friday last week, I reported on the "first leg" of the last league match of the season between St Andrews B's Dave Smith and Congs' Richard Bowes. That game was won by Dave Smith and in doing so, he ensured that his team was still in with a very slim chance of claiming the league title. All Congs needed from the very last match to actually claim the title was to acquire half a point. 

The "second, third and last legs" took place on Monday. Most of you will probably know what happened after reading my Facebook post. However, for those of you who didn't see it, here goes.... St Andrews B did not make it easy for Congs at all... First up, St Andrews B's Steve Boocock showed why he is well up there on the Players Table and put in another solid performance to see off Dave Hirst with a stonking 200-142 win that included a well worked 27 break. Dave simply had no answer. So, that was 2-0 to the home team and with it, an almost unassailable lead for the aggregate point. Next up was St Andrews B's Steve Clark against Phil Hirst. In a classic Steve Clark game, he lived up to his reputation and Billy Whizzed around the table. To be fair to Phil, he got very little in the way of running and this left Clarky to charge to a 200-159 win, and with it now a 3-0 lead, and giving not much hope at all for Congs to try get the aggregate point. Knowing that Congs John Hirst was going to be late, Norman Procter was advised to also arrive later. Norman actually arrived just before John and both were immediately given the news of what they needed to do on their arrival, as the previous game was already concluded. Both made virtually the same comment in response...which I will not repeat here!

Showing no pressure at all, to the nail-biters watching, John couldn't have set off any better, hitting a 20 break at his very first visit. That gave him a lead, and although it was only slender one initially, he stuck to it and gradually pulled a further 10, 20 and eventually 40 points clear. The tension, that was tangible from those looking on, gradually ebbed away. Norman played his usual canny game, with some excellent individual potting and also showing little pressure. But he simply had very little answer to John's more regular scoring. John finally knocked in a crucial break of 11 to win the game and the title for Congs, for what I believe is a record third season on the trot. Very well done to John and to Congs and commiserations to St Andrews B who put up a valiant showing to test Congs stamina to the limit.

On Wednesday, in the first one of the Pairs semi finals, the winners from the last two seasons, Princeville's Stephen Kershaw and Edward Lawson took on Ralph and Peter Allan. I wasn't at this one, but clearly Ralph and Peter must have played well as Peter beat Ed 200-182 and then Ralph beat Stephen giving the Littlemoor pair a 400-361 win. 

In the second Pairs semi, on Thursday it was another Princeville v Littlemoor affair. This time John Bedford and Peter Turner welcomed John Allan and Graham Tudor. First up Peter played Graham. Peter often has quite a big start on his opponents and in this one, his scoreboard lead was 55. His opponent took his time (no clock!) but gradually whittled down the deficit with only an occasional double figure break and very little scoring responses from Peter. Graham eventually won 200-170. The next game started much quicker with Littlemoor's John Allan soon getting into the swing, buoyed by the fact that the scoreboard position was level after his partner's 30 point win. Nothing went right at all for John Bedford though and he became more and more frustrated at having nothing to go for a lot of the time. Littlemoor's John eventually "crawled" to a comfortable 400-335 win to end his opponents misery.

So, this week we have "new" league champions and an all Littlemoor Pairs final to look forward to. This coming week Littlemoor will feature again, but St Andrews A will be standing in their way when the Team Knockout final will be contested at St Andrews. Spectators are welcome and a start as soon as possible from 6:30pm is scheduled. NB - in this competition, the decision on who plays whom will be drawn from a hat and the order of play will be decided alternately by the opposing captains. The 50-minute rule is applied and all players start from zero with the handicaps being added at the end. Good luck to all involved.

The final Players Table is now up to date and I have also written a few lines about that just above it.

David Howarth

League Secretary

As the season is progressing towards its natural conclusion, things have slowed down quite dramatically for a good few of us. However, those still left in the Individuals and Pairs and the KO Cup final still have something to play for, before we fully wrap things up next month.

This week, I agreed to referee the top board game in the long awaited, and previously postponed league match, between St Andrews B and Pudsey Congs. It wasn't possible for this match to be played on the 1st February and we have been working hard to try get it played ever since. However, due to other league matches, the Individual Merit and Pairs comps "getting in the way", combined with un-availabilities; it's still not fully concluded. Crucially, where the league title will be going does hinge on this match as well. So, it's far from a dead rubber. A start to bring it to a conclusion was made on Wednesday evening, when St Andrews B's Dave Smith took on Richard Bowes. 

On a table that although Richard has warmed to very well this season (he made an excellent break of 126 on it earlier on this season), this time he seemed to struggle a fair bit... he miscued 3 times and despite a well worked 33 break in between, he wasn't able to stop Dave from scoring regular double figure breaks. Richard never really got going and wasn't able to reduce the huge handicap difference. Dave therefore won quite comfortably 166-114 when the 50 minutes was up. So, although Congs required just half a point to claim the title, that is still in abeyance... The remainder of this match will be concluded at St Andrews on Monday the 8th April. 

Straight after that, Richard and Dave Hirst proceeded up to Congs where they played their Individual Merit match (one night early). The only details I have from that match is on the Facebook page and that Richard made a 76, but again this can't have been enough to reduce another large handicap difference as Dave won this one 200-149. So, it was a good evening if you're called Dave, but not if your moniker is Richard!

In the last of the four Individual Merit quarter finals, that went to James Butcher as a walk over as I believe Graham Pearson had transport difficulties and wasn't able to get to Princeville and so conceded. The other two matches were played early last week. The semi finalists are therefore Dave Hirst, James Butcher, Mick Hirst and Ian Ford. The semi-final draw will be made later this month.

Next Thursday will see the semi-finals of the Pairs. Both matches are at Princeville, who have a strong home contingent against two equally strong Littlemoor pairings. Stephen Kershaw and Edward Lawson have won this competition for the last two seasons and so ought be strong favourites to beat Ralph and Peter Allan. Princeville's John Bedford and Peter Turner will also be taking on John Allan and Graham Tudor. Good luck to all involved. I will more than likely be there as your "roving reporter" and will do my best to be impartial!

FURTHER UPDATE TO ABOVE PARAGRAPH (Sunday morning) - I am advised that the match between Stephen & Ed against Ralph & Peter will be played earlier on Wednesday as Stephen is venturing off to Ireland to play in a couple of tournaments there. We wish him a pleasant and successful trip.

The Players Table will be updated once the St Andrews B v Pudsey Congs match has been fully concluded next week.

David Howarth

League Secretary