Eastenders extend lead at top of Boston Indoor Bowls League

There were a number of close finishes to the games in week 13 of the Evening League at Boston Indoor Bowling Club, proving that the final ends of a match require just as much concentration, if not more, as the opening or middle ends if a team is to be victorious.

Holland Fen, third in Division One, have had a poor couple of weeks by their standard, but bounced back decisively this week by beating second-placed Invaders 6-0.

Les Feary’s rink took control from the off to post a win by 27-10.

The Fenmen started and finished well on Steve Skelton’s rink to win 21-17.

They quickly went 10-4 up, then Invaders rallied and eventually snatched a one-shot lead with two ends to go.

However, five shots over the final ends secured the win for the Fenmen.

Eastenders took all six points off Royal Mail to extend their lead at the head of the table to nine points.

Adrian Field’s rink steadily built their advantage to win 24-10, but the second rink was a closely fought affair.

After trailing for most of the game, the Mailers took a one-shot lead after 16 ends, only to lose the last two ends to one shot apiece, the final result being 18-17 to Chris Gill’s team.

Breakaways are now in fourth place in the table after beating Cosmos 6-0.

Derek Butwright’s rink built a useful seven shot lead over 11 ends, then their advantage was whittled down to just two with two ends to go.

A final burst of seven shots then sealed the win 22-13 for Breakaways.

The scores were close on the other rink until seven shots scored in the eighth and ninth ends pushed the match firmly in favour of Neil Harrison’s Breakaways.

The final score was 14-10.

Nomads took two two points off A40 by winning Barry Beagles’ rink 18-11, by establishing an early lead and building on it steadily.

The second rink and the aggregate points went to A40, 28-13, as Jean Cammack’s team dominated the scoring from the start.

As in the previous week, just one point separates IBC and Strollers in sixth and seventh after they each posted 6-0 wins against Parthians and Central respectively.

For IBC, Tony Powell’s rink won convincingly 28-11.

Gary Morris for IBC and Parthians’ skip Keith Nix had a competitive game, the lead changing hands several times, with IBC running out winners after taking the last four ends by 10 shots to 2.

The final score was 27-20.

Andy Warne for Strollers skipped his rink against Central to win 35-3 in a thoroughly commanding performance.

The second rink was a game of two halves, Strollers taking the first 10 ends 17-5, and Central winning the next six ends 13-0.

Four shots over the final two ends snatched the win for Alan Everitt’s side, 21-18.

Division Two is still headed by Golfers, 15 points ahead of second place, after this week’s encounter with U3, which they won 4-2.

David Marshall’s rink were always in control and ran out 29-11 victors for Golfers.

The teams were closely matched on the second rink, with Golfers ahead 13-11 after 13 ends, before U3 skip Michael Teasdale won the last three ends to take the score to 14-13 in their favour.

Amateurs, previously second, slipped to fifth place after being beaten 6-0 by Shipmates. Burtons, Hotspurs and Dynamics, all won by 6-0, to leap-frog above Amateurs in the table.

The margin of victory for Shipmates on both rinks was just a single shot, 14-13 for Ted Vere and 13-12 for Mick Ross.

In both games, Amateurs started well, then stalled, as their opponents found some form.

The Burtons put in a dominant performance on both rinks against Autos, to win 27-7 for Chris Hill and 26-6 for Dave Bailey.

They are now second.

Hotspurs moved into third by taking all the points off Vectors.

Mike Long’s rink took a few ends to hit their stride, then pulled away to win 21-13.

Neil Owen’s rink were always ahead and won 15-9.

Dynamics won Graham Wilkinson’s rink convincingly 31-11, but were made to fight hard to the very end to take the second rink, eventually winning it 16-15 for skip Margaret Kirk.

Vikings are in seventh place on shot difference from Autos after taking all the points off Patriarchs, winning the one rink to play by 22-14.

Down by four shots after 13 ends, they produced a burst of 12 unanswered shots to take the game for skip Terry Marshall.