Bowls: Moonfleet earn victory over their B side

MOONFLEET opened their Wessex League Coastal Region season with a fixture against companion side Moonfleet B, and they kicked off their campaign with a comfortable victory.

However, there was a surprise rink win for the B side when Brian Martindill, Phil Goater, Neville Trott and skip Jim Hamilton defeated Mick Moxham, Harry Nash, Ron McCarthy and the vastly experienced Barry Patterson.

The Hamilton rink trailed 8-1 after five ends but recovered to pick up 10 shots to lead 11-10 after 11.

They held a narrow two-shot advantage by the 15th end and extended this to eight to record an impressive 24-19 success.

But the Moonfleet quartet of Roger Bolton, David Warwick, the experienced Doug Rumble and England under-25 ace Martin Puckett, the rink skip, were far too strong for Alan Churches, Lee Carrera, Roy Paul and skip Jack Mathie.

Puckett’s men were in charge throughout and finished with a comprehensive 32-9 win.

Meanwhile, the rink of Warwick Brown, StJ Corben, Chris Cook and skip Jamie Lockwood were involved in a very competitive game against Ashley Welch (skip), Mike Day, Phillip Emeny and Dennis Monelle.

It was 3-3 at five ends, although by the 10th the Lockwood rink had moved 10-6 ahead.

But this lead was reduced to three by the 15th and only two on the last to give Lockwood et al a 16-14 vic-tory.

The other game involved skip Alf Sawkins’ rink of Brian Burroughs, Pete Read and Mick Durrant against Pat Rod’s four which featured Tony Colton, Barry Payne and Howard King.

Sawkins’ four forged ahead and although the Rod rink was still holding on by the 17th end, the Moonfleet men finished comfortable 20-10 winners.