In the latest round of Middleton Cup group games Durham bounced back from the Cumbria loss with a 18-4 win over leaders Lancashire at Dairy Lane. Across the green Durham won on four of the six rinks with Blackhall’s Paul Hartley racking up a 32-9 win over Rhys Vaughan. The home clubs Dale Oram won 28-12, RA’s Barry Hopkins won 19-10 and team manager Silksworth’s David Bolt won 24-13. The other result saw Cumbria beat Northumberland 20-2, the latter will be Durham’s final opponents on July 4.
Latest Standings – Durham 3-41, Cumbria 2-36, Lancashire 3-30, Yorkshire 2-19, Northumberland 2-6
There was not so good news for the women’s Johns Trophy squad as they were beaten 20-2 by Yorkshire at Redcar. The result ends Durham’s hopes of qualifying and will go into the final group game against Northumberland just playing for pride. The only Durham win came from Dairy Lanes Norma Stephenson. Northumberland could still qualify but will need the Cumbria-Yorkshire clash to end up a tight point’s affair.
There was great news for the county young guns in the White Rose as they secured a place at the national championships at Leamington in August. The regional event was held at Redcar where the Durham squad went through unbeaten to finish top. An opening 6-0 over neighbours Northumberland was then backed up with a tight 4-2 win over Cumbria. Game three saw Durham beat Lancashire 6-0 to set up a last game clash with Yorkshire. With Durham’s shot difference better they only needed a win on the pairs or triples plus to keep it at eight shot loss overall. The pairs got over the line 16-6 which actually sealed the deal, the triples drew so Durham won 5-1. The Durham squad was made up of Layton Sykes, Alex Wood, Dylan Railton, Owain Moss-Wilkin and Liam Brodie. Durham qualify for the last eight, the next step for this squad is to make their mark on the big stage. This success comes on the back of women’s Walker Cup and Amy Rose qualifications.
In the Bowls England (BE) Top Club there was disappointment for two local teams. Silksworth Pumas narrowly lost 3-2 at Jarrow West End A while Houghton Dairy Lane lost 4-1 at Lyndhurst. The area semi finals of the BE Double Rinks take place on Sunday, New Herrington host Lyndhurst and Silksworth Pumas head to Darlington RA.
The area semi finals of the BE Mixed Pairs features two local pairs. Silksworth’s David Bolt heads to Consett Park to tackle David Warnaby and New Herrington’s Garry Wallace Jnr will host White Le Head’s Ann Baggett. There was disappointment in the Mixed Fours for Wallace senior as they lost 23-11 at Consett Park.
The Roker Marine Thomson brothers booked a spot in the area final of the family pairs beating Darlington South Park’s Liam Brodie 12-7, in the area it be either Mark Serginson (Stockton West End) or Alex Wood (Darlington RA).
This season’s County competitions are progressing along with plenty of local interest. In the Quarter Finals of the men’s singles five former winners are still running, the draw is as follows – P Thomson v D Fenwick, M Higgins v D Bolt, C Carson v A Kirtland, S Baker v J Lane – Ties at Stockton West End on Monday July 6.
Round 6 in the Swan Cup proved a good one for holders & leaders Houghton Dairy Lane, a 4½-1½ win at New Herrington coupled with defeats for nearest challengers Barnes Park and Silksworth Pumas has opened up a 8½ point lead at the top. Second placed Barnes lost 6-0 at home to Roker Marine while Silksworth lost 5-1 at home to Seaham Town. The other game saw Hylton Colliery Welfare beat North Biddick 6-0 to move out of the bottom two.
Earl Cup leaders Barnes Park racked up win number seven beating Roker Marine 6-0. Barnes now have a 8½ point lead over Silksworth Pumas who beat Sunderland 5-1. In Division 2 leaders Hetton Workmen lost their unbeaten record as Usworth inflicted a 6-0 defeat on them.
In Division 2 leaders Simonside maintained their unbeaten start with a 5-1 win over Houghton Town, the leaders head to second place Pemberton this week. There was finally a win for South Hylton, after five defeats the Hylton lads beat Washington 4-2.
The remaining unbeaten record in the Harold Howey Division 1 came to an end as holders Barnes Park lost 4-0 at Hetton Workmen. Leaders New Herrington B won 4-0 at Washington B and Whitburn B moved up to second with a 4-0 win over Seaham Town. Hylton Colliery Welfare broke their duck with a 4-0 home win over Roker Marine A.
Silksworth Pumas remain unbeaten at the top of Division 2 after a 4-0 win over bottom of the table Roker Marine B. Ryhope’s 3-1 win at Thompson Park lifted them up to second to end the Park’s unbeaten start. Usworth returned to winning ways with a 4-0 win over North Biddick B.
Holders Seaham Town cemented their place at the top of the Storey Bowl, a 7-0 home win over Houghton Town moves them six points clear at the top. Thompson Park’s 7-0 win over Jarrow West End lifted them up to second. The other game saw New Herrington end a three game losing run as they beat Hylton Colliery Welfare 5-2.
At the half way mark in the women’s SWBA league holders New Herrington have yet to drop a rink point, a 4-0 win at Washington Glebe makes it twenty out of twenty. Sunderland’s 3-1 win at Roker Marine keeps them within seven points of the leaders, Whitburn B’s 3-1 win lifts them to second.
Super Fives Quarter Final Line up – New Herrington B v Roker Marine A, Houghton DL B v Hetton Workmen, Washington A v Houghton DL A, New Herrington A v North Biddick A (Ties to played on Friday July 3). The semi finals will take place at Barnes Park on Friday July 24.