Patterson's national heartache (From Dorset Echo)

Patterson's national heartache

6:20pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in Sport By Echo Reporter

MOONFLEET’S Barry Patterson experienced national final heartbreak as he just missed out on becoming the National Over-60 Singles champion at Melton Mowbray.

Patterson was defeated 21-11 in the final by Lea Blackham from Sudbury in Suffolk.

The experienced Moonfleet star was looking to add the singles title to the Over-50 triples crown he won in 2001 and 2011.

He began his quest with a 21-16 victory over R McMath from Cumbria and then followed this up with two wins the next day.

Firstly, he eased past David Boast from Crystal Palace 21-12 and then won a tight tussle with Weston St Andrew’s Barrie Forse 21-16 in the quarter-finals.

The following morning, Patterson took on Melton’s Don Welch and Barry showed his class to convincingly beat the home favourite 21-13 to reach the final.

The seasoned county ace took an early 5-0 lead against Blackham, but the Sudbury man took control and scored 12 shots without reply. Patterson did manage to fight back to be only 15-10 behind but Blackham ran out the victor, 21-11.

Although disappointed to lose in the final, Patterson had a superb run at the finals and once again proved his talent with results at the top level and should be proud of his achievements. He will surely be back next year to the nationals and be challenging for titles again.

NATIONALS – ROUND UP The qualifiers for the men’s National Championships in Nottingham from Area 28 have been decided as Moonfleet’s junior international Martin Puckett booked his place at three of the four main finals.

However, his attempt to qualify for the last 32 in the country for all four disciplines was foiled in the pairs by Dorchester’s Jamie Lockwood who won the national pairs outdoors in 2008 and junior international Nick Voss.

Playing at Dolphin, the Dorchester duo fully deserved their 19-12 victory.

With the game level at 11 apiece after 15 ends, Chris Cook and Puckett held three tight shots before Voss with his last bowl, turned the head round to give the Dorchester pair a two, which they backed up with four shots on the following end.

The Moonfleet pair had no response to the all-round solid performance by Lockwood and Voss who go on to challenge for the title in Nottingham in April.

Dorchester’s Martin Pavey took on Puckett in the singles at Dolphin and after a tight start, Puckett took control with 10 in three consecutive ends to lead 15-5, eventually winning 21-9.

Steve Gait and Doug Rumble teamed up with Puckett in the triples at Dorchester to play Dave Sutton’s Yeovil trio and even though Sutton led 3-1 at three ends the Moonfleet triple were never in trouble as they went 19-4 ahead at 12, running out 23-8 victors.

Gait, Cook, Rumble and Puckett then took on club-mates Mick Moxham, John Crabb, Dave Ralph and Barry Patterson in the fours area final.

Playing at Moonfleet, the Puckett four started well to lead 15-3 at eight ends, but the Patterson rink fought back to be only 18-11 behind with four to play.

But Puckett’s four would not be denied as they went to claim a 22-11 victory.

Puckett will begin at Nottingham with the singles and then be joined by his team-mates for the fours, followed by the triples as he searches for national glory.