It has been a good finish for three Houghton squads in the various Inter Club leagues. In the latest round of Inter County fixtures Houghton hosted The Parks and made home advantage pay off with a 5½-½ win to finish the year off top of the table. Colin Watson steered Chris Blake, Ian Armstrong and Gary McPheators to a 30-12 win over Ian Whittaker. Billy Roberts, Gary Loadman, Peter Brickle and Frankie Froud were always in control against D Palmer eventually winning 22-11. Tony Grimes, Paul Bennett, John Webster and Richie Mckie were behind for most of the game against Graeme Robson, thanks to a late charge they got home 17-13. The remaining rink of Ray Potts, David Robson, Mal Baker and David Wright had to dig deep to grab a 15-15 draw against B Robertson. Overall it was a good 84-51 win and the 5½ points ensures a top of the table end to 2025. Houghton are not back in action until February when they make the trip to Durham.
Latest Table – Durham 3-11, Houghton 2-10, The Parks 2-6, Stanley 3-3
In the Seniors Inter club Houghton Sancroft beat Durham B 5-0 to briefly move to the top of the table. Mal Baker, John Webster, Ian Whorlton and Richie Mckie only dropped two ends in a 30-3 win over S McCaffery. Tony Grimes, Gary Loadman, Peter Brickle and Colin Watson collected a full house eight on the eleventh end en-route to a 22-8 win over S Smith. The remaining rink of Chris Blake, Ray Potts, Billy Roberts and David Wright looked in trouble against D Gill as they trailed 12-5 with only three ends left. Even at 12-9 down going into the last end the Sancroft lads would have took a draw but Christmas came early as Wright collected a four to get over the line 13-12. Overall it was a 65-23 Sancroft win that propelled them to the top albeit for twenty four hours. Sancroft will head to Ferryhill in the New Year.
The following day Houghton Gilpin knocked the Sancroft lads off the top after they recorded a cracking 4-1 away win against Durham A to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. Phil Robinson, Ian McConnell, Howard Smith and Bob Johnson turned around an 8-4 deficit to beat Alan Musgrove 13-11. Richard Thorpe, Phil Saunders, Paul Bennett and Ronnie Wilson turned a bigger deficit 12-3 around by racking up twelve shots over the final five ends to beat Mark Goodyear 15-12. The only rink to miss out was Peter Hicks, Les Todd, G Stephenson and David Robson who narrowly went down 12-10 to R Scanlon however the Houghton quartet at one stage were 12-2 down. So overall it was a 38-35 win which leaves Gilpin top of the table by a single point with Sancroft in second. Next up for the leaders is a home tie against Durham B.
Latest Table – Gilpin 3-13, Sancroft 3-12, Gateshead 4-12, Durham A 3-7, Shildon 4-5½, Ferryhill 2-4½, Durham B 3-1
There has been more national action, in the singles the Vipers Josh Minto saw his run come to an end with a 21-16 home loss to Stanley’s Brett Arkley. The Stanley lad will have home advantage against the winner of the all Vipers clash between Paul Hartley and David Bolt.
Pairs line up – P Hartley v D Sykes, D Paterson v J Halcrow (all the Vipers).
Triples line up – S Hubbard (Vipers) v C Knott (West Denton), P Thomson (Houghton) v J Morgan (The Parks)
West Denton’s Nick Armstrong progressed in the fours, a 16-13 win over the Vipers James Sneller sets up a trip to Houghton to tackle Peter Thomson. The other tie in the fours will see West Denton’s Clive Knott host the Vipers Gary Farquhar. It is an all Vipers affair in the Two Bowl singles, Paul Hart plays Chris McGready and young Layton Sykes plays Paul Hartley.
In the over 60’s singles Stanley’s Brett Arkley beat club mate Brian Houghton 22-7 and will face either the Vipers John Leeman or Alan Lawton. In the Over 50’s Triples Mal Peach, John Leeman, Paul Hartley beat club mate Paul Hart 19-9 and will face the winner of the Vipers Dave Paterson and Gateshead’s Alex Bryden clash.
The Vipers Steve Angus (pictured) moved into the next round of the Para Open Singles after beating Thornaby’s Chris Bell 21-14. In the next round Angus will face Hornsea’s David Houghton.
After confirming his qualification in the Under 25 singles Layton Sykes has been drawn against Riverain’s Hayden Chambers, the latter stages takes place at the Bournemouth based Dolphin club on 31 January.
The same weekend will see the latter stages of the champion of champions played out at the same venue. In the ladies West Denton’s Karen Weites will face Bassetlaw’s Margaret Whiteman. Former Duhram member Anne Bernard now playing out of Isle of Wight will face St Neot’s Rebecca Moorbey.
Houghton ladies are in Mason Double Fours action on 2 January, the following team has been selected.
At Houghton – J Watt, M Godfrey, L Galley, J Rodgerson
At The Parks – P Bainbridge, J Todd, J Baker, N Stephenson
Following the recent England U25 squad day Hartlepool’s Marcus Mosley gets the non travelling reserve but has years ahead of him to make the break through. There was better news for club mate Amica Fordy who has made the women’s team.
Sadly the year ends with some sad news for the local bowls scene as one of Washington Glebe’s stalwarts Trevor Joicey passed away. Trevor was a member of the club for forty years and his name appears many times on the clubs honours board. He served as Secretary and then President for a number of years. A true gentleman who was well known and much respected in the wider bowls community and will be missed.