Locals star in central success

Alan Hodson

LOCAL players were to the fore as Central Lancashire and Pennines regained the British Parks championship.

Winners in 2005/6/7, Central missed out last year. But they bounced back on Sunday with a title-clinching success over East Midlands, the home side at Royton leading the way with a massive 104-chalks victory.

Springbank’s Steve Copeland and Alan Hodson won comfortably, while there were also victories for Tonge’s Jimmy Derby, Matt Gillies and Mark Dwayre.

Central’s away team lost by 39 chalks on a difficult green at Stretton, near Derby, but when all the individual and aggregate chalks were added up, Central came out on top, 20-11.

At Royton (Central names first): Peter Craig 21, Calvin Jackson 9; Steve Copeland 21, David Carter 14; Jimmy Derby 21, Neil Hines 6; John Wade 21, John Dewey 9; Alan Hodson 21, Robert Sweet 10; Ian Bottomley 21, Alan Johnson 13; Andy Lowe 21, Paul Chamberlain 7; Colin Lane 16, Simon Mills 21; John Taylor 21, Mick Grattan 4; Matt Gillies 21, Jim Shorthouse 20; Barry Collinge 21, Brian Jordan 16; Mark Dwayre 21, Philip May 14. Central 247, East Midlands 143.

At Stretton (East Midlands first): Darren Carter 15, Andy Cairns 21; Steve Adams 17, Steve McHugh 21; Neil Worthington 21, Ian Holden 13; Andy Fearn 21, David Scott 11; Richard Goldby 20, Peter Stott 21; Andy Thompson 21, Ben Stapleton 8; Graham Bailey 21, Llew Roberts 18; David May 21, Nicky Brooks 9; Brian Smith 21, Keith McHugh 13; John Insley 21, Thomas Dobson 14; Tim Barnett 19, Nigel Smith 21; Matt Kelly-Walley 12, Gareth Gwilliam 21. East Midlands 230, Central 190.

Overall: Central 437, East Midlands 373.

NIMBLE Nook father and son David and Jonathan Copeland won the £300 top prize in the Thwaites men’s pairs at Norden.

The Copelands defeated Rochdale’s Mark Armson and Darren Holt 21-17 in the final after beating Darren’s brother Tim and Michael Clough 21-18 in the semis.

Nimble Nook’s Joanne Little shared £100 with Lynn Rimmer (Whitworth) after they were beaten 21-9 by Maureen and Veronica Lyons in the final of the A C Ventilation women’s pairs at the same venue.

GARY ELLIS enjoyed a weekend to remember with two major open handicap victories.

The Nimble Nook and Tonge star pocketed a cool £1,000 after winning the Craven Classic at Skipton on Friday night.

His 21-14 final victory over Barrow’s Barry Lowden followed a 21-13 semi-final verdict against Kendal’s Martin Gilpin.

Ellis added £800 to his weekend winnings when he landed the Bellingham Classic title in Wigan on Sunday evening.

After beating Simon Coupe (Preston) 31-27 in a topsy-turvy semi-final, Ellis edged out Ian Nicholson (Kendal) 31-29 in a superb final.

CROMPTON ‘A’ won the Saddleworth League’s Swallow Cup with a 193-169 defeat of Nimble Nook in the final at Springbank.

In the semi-finals, Crompton (handicap 2) beat Friezland ‘A’ (6) 183-158, while Nook (25) overcame Milnrow Memorial Park (24) 234-172.

SPRINGBANK’S Alan Hodson booked his place in the finals of the £3,000 Moorside Classic with a dramatic third-round victory over Keith McHugh (Hopwood).

Hodson trailed 19-12 and at 20-20 was staring defeat in the face, but a precision strike with his last bowl saw him safely through to the last 16.

First round: Brian Welsby w/o; Tony Riley 5, Andrew Cairns 21; Jeff Brown 15, Roger Crowther 21; Dave Hallam w/o; Johnathan Welsby 9, Chris Mordue 21; John Gatley 8, Steve Leach 21; Lee Dale 20, Richard Howson 21; Graham Hickey w/o; Chris Baker 4, Peter Craig 21; Tom Loundes w/o; Llew Roberts w/o; Ian Howarth 11, Jimmy Derby 21; Alan Hodson 21, Vic Allcock 5; Colin lane w/o; Dave Carpenter 16, Keith McHugh 21; Dave Crabtree 13, Paul Firth 21.

Second round: B Welsby 7, Cairns 21; Crowther 14, Hallam 21; Mordue 21, Leach 19; Howson 17, Hickey 21; Craig 21, Loundes 4; Roberts 10, Derby 21; Hodson 21, Lane 13; McHugh 21, Firth 12.

Third round: Cairns 18, Hallam 21; Mordue 6, Hickey 21; Craig 21, Derby 19; Hodson 21, McHugh 20.

The finals will take place on Friday (6.30pm) when the draw is:

Alan Hodson v Andrew Buckley; Graeme Wilson v Kevan Shaw; Peter Craig v Roy Nicholson; Matt Gillies v Dean Ferris; Paul Sigsworth v Richard Dandy; Anthony Aldridge v Paul Dudley; Darren Griffiths v Terry Glover; Dave Hallam v Graham Hickey.