Hodson earns Classic victory

MARTIN HODSON . . . most important success so far.

MARTIN Hodson’s stealthy progress on bowling’s open handicap circuit reached its highest point so far when he won the £350 top prize in the John Willie Lees Springbank Classic.

The 21-year-old home-green player, whose father Alan won the Oldham Evening Chronicle Handicap earlier this season, saw off Staffordshire’s Mark Garbutt 21-18 in a tense final.

Earlier, Martin had beaten top Chadderton player Darren Griffiths 21-15 and Hollinwood’s George Shaw 21-15.

Finals-day results:

Wilf McDermott (Oldham) 13, Shaw 21; Hodson 21, Griffiths 15; Chris Kewley (Failsworth) 8, Paul Heap (Saddleworth) 21; Garbett 21, Copeland 9.

Semi-finals: Shaw 15, Hodson 21; Heap 9, Garbett 21.

Final: Hodson 21, Garbett 18.

Not to be outdone, Hodson senior won the Greater Manchester Bowling Association’s Blesma Trophy for the second year in a row, beating team-mate Paul Heap 21-19 in the final at Springbank.




GARY Ellis continued his all-conquering season with victory in the Manchester Premier League’s Order of Merit for the Alan Wilkinson Trophy.



The Tonge ace beat Jason Lockett (Pierpoints) 21-12 in the final at the Lloyds Hotel, Chorlton, after trailing 11-5.

Earlier, Ellis defeated Ryan Goodman (Tottington) 21-17, Graham Hickey (Lower Hopton) 21-18 and Danny Barwise (Richmond) 21-17.

Victory in this prestigious event added another £200 to the bulging Ellis coffers.




TONGE retained the Manchester Premier Cup with a 193-164 defeat of Springbank in the final at Moorside Cricket Club.



Tonge will represent the county in the British Team Championship next April.

Final results (Tonge names first): N Brooks 19, A Buckley 21; C Lane 21, J Hynes 17; L Hallett 14, D Robinson 21; D Crabtree 21, D Buckley 14; M Gillies 21, W McDermott 14; M Dwayre 21, S Copeland 18; G Ellis 21, M Hodson 9; D Griffiths 17, M Clough 21; T Dobson 17, P Heap 21; S Squire 21, A Hodson 8.




TONGE’S Jimmy Derby and Thomas Dobson are in action in the finals of the New Street BC pairs tomorrow (5.30pm).



Also on show at the Littleborough green are Failsworth’s Lee Lawton and his partner, Andy White (Worsley).

The draw is:

A Shackleton and P Wakeling v C Chapman and N Greenhalgh; R Lorimer and D Moulton v G Gwilliam and A Murray; B Sowerby and K Bottomley v L Lawton and A White; J Derby and T Dobson v G Hickey and D Scott.




NIMBLE Nook’s Andrew Buckley and Darren Griffiths picked up £700 despite being beaten in the semi-finals of the Mirfield Old Bank pairs.



Their conquerors, former Tonge player Graham Hickey and Paul Firth, went on to win the £1,400 top prize with victory over Andrew Spragg and Chris McDonald in the final.