In a rearranged Vet’s Inter club fixture Houghton Gilpin maintained their winning start to their campaign with a cracking 4-1 home win over leaders Gateshead. Top rink was Phil Robinson, Richard Thorpe, Howard Smith and Paul Bennett who were always in control beating P Newby 17-10. Peter Hicks, Les Todd, P Holliday and Dave Robson had a battle against Alan Jobling, a good five on end thirteen helped Robson to a 18-16 win. The only Houghton loss saw Paul Bambrough, Phil Saunders, G Stephenson and R Wilson go down 17-12 to Ian Smith. Overall however it was a 47-43 Gilpin win which sees them leap frog Gateshead at the top. Next for Gilpin is a trip to Durham A while Sancroft host Durham B.
Gilpin line up – P Bambrough, R Thorpe, I McConnell, R Johnson, D Surtees, A Ross, P Bennett, H Smith, P Hicks, L Todd, G Stephenson, D Robson.
Sancroft line for the Durham B clash is – W Roberts, G Loadman, P Brickle, F Froud, C Blake, R Potts, C Watson, D Wright, M Baker, M Galley, I Whorlton, R Mckie
Latest Division 2 Table – Houghton Gilpin 2-9, Gateshead 3-8, Houghton Sancroft 2-7, Durham A 2-6, Ferryhill 2-4½, Shildon 3-4½, Durham B 2-1
There was disappointment for the Durham County seniors as they were beaten 17-5 by Yorkshire in the latest round of Midland League fixtures. Across the York green Durham only won on two of the six rinks, Hartlepool’s Steve Slaughter got home on the last end 17-15 against J Phillips and the Vipers Dale Oram beat A Sorsby 22-7. Stanley’s Keith Minnis sneaked a last end 19-19 draw against P Lund. Durham are not back in action until February, the final group game at Darlington against Yorkshire will most likely determine the winner of the section.
On Saturday the County Under 25’s are in double fours action as they take on Yorkshire, the home leg is at Darlington and the away leg at York both 1230pm starts.
At Darlington – Will Farnaby, Matthew Mosley (both Hartlepool), Abi Porter, Nail Thompson (both Darlington)
At York – Charlotte Williams (Sth Shields), Dylan Railton (Gateshead), Amica Fordy (Hartlepool), Layton Sykes (Sth Shields)
In the latest round of the Denny Cup the Hartlepool away rinks put in a five star performance to help beat the Vipers 82-59. At Shields Gary R Smith’s quartet romped to a 34-9 win over Ian McIntosh and Mark Higgins held off a late comeback to beat David Bolt 18-13, those scores gave Hartlepool an impressive 34 shot advantage. Down the A19 despite a spirited effort the two Shield’s squad never looked likely to overturn the margin. Paul Hartley beat Marc Squirrell 23-14 and Josh Minto narrowly went down 16-14 to John Mansfield to leave the Vipers seven shots up. The win sends a very good looking Hartlepool out fit into the next round where they will tackle York or Doncaster on 3 January.
There was better news for the Vipers in the women’s Yetton plate as they beat Hartlepool 87-63 with all four rinks recording victories. Top rink was Maureen Charles who beat Janet Redpath 27-12, the win sets up a regional final against Scunthorpe also on 3 January.
There was no rest for the Vipers as the following morning they made the trip over to Carlisle for the Top Club. It was a better morning for the Vipers as they ran out 12-4 winners despite losing both of the two bowl singles ties. In the mixed pairs Jack Stewart Tallack & David Bolt beat Kenny Johnstone 24-11, Charlotte Williams, Dale Oram and Paul Hartley beat Stu Irwin in the mixed triples 16-9. The win was sealed in the mixed fours when Pat Browne, Anne Upsall, Gary Farquhar and Josh Minto beat Daniel Pool 22-7. The Vipers will go head to head with Hartlepool in the regional final after Hartlepool beat Hornsea 10-6.
There has been more local action in the Area One national competitions. In the pairs an all Viper affair saw Josh Halcrow and James Sneller beat Jaxon McKenna and Barry Hopkins 16-13. There was a tremendous 20-12 win in the triples for Houghton’s Colin Milburn, Chris Blake and Peter Thomson against the Vipers Paul Hartley, Gary Farquhar and David Bolt.
The Houghton quartet of Colin Milburn, Richie Mckie, Peter Thomson and Patrick Thomson turned round a 13-9 deficit to beat the Vipers Chris McGready 16-14. The Vipers young gun Layton Sykes had a cracking 21-14 win at Stanley in the two bowl singles against James McKenna.
In the Over 60’s fours the Houghton quartet of Bryan Sanderson, Michael Wright, Colin Watson and Frankie Froud won a thriller 14-13 against Gateshead’s Kevin King.
The Vipers Shaun and Ian McIntosh progressed into the next round of the Family Pairs with a 17-14 win at West Denton against John & Mark Heron. Club mates Trevor and Joah Halcrow also at West Denton 21-14 against Karl & Luke Jamieson.
The EIBA have announced the various international teams, in the men’s team there was good news for the Viper duo of Paul Hartley and David Bolt as both retained their places in the same rink, Cumbria’s Mark Dawes is also included for the Series that takes place at Belfast in March. Cumbria’s Elly McCubbin is included in the women’s line up.
The Under 25 series takes place at Ffrith, Wales in February, locally Hartlepool’s Marcus Mosley has been selected while club mate Amica Fordy and Cumbria’s Elly McCubbin both make the women’s team for the series at Desborough in February.
There are two inclusions in the England Para trial team, the Vipers Stevie Angus and Graeme Robinson are both included in the twenty seven strong line up. The trial takes place at Bromsgorve on 21 December with the series set for Solihull in March.
This weekend two more WBT qualifying events take place at Hartlepool, on Saturday the UK Open and Sunday the UK Masters, both days are being streamed via the Wrongbias Podcast FB & Youtube platforms.