The Rail Holiday Maker- The Rail Holiday Maker
Whacko Jacko, Uptown Top Rankin and Wham Bam I am a Man!
Last week I showed you a photo of Ossett Flying Horse star Ian ‘Speedy Gonzales’ Shuttleworth leading out the block, cheekily suggesting you would have to wait until this week to see his lead. Well, you’ll have to wait even longer than usual to see that special delivery as Fly’s game away at league leaders Lower Hopton ‘A’ was postponed due to Covid reasons. On a serious note, here’s hoping anyone isolating is okay and that your return to health is also speedy.
Could Thongsbridge capitalise on Hopton’s absence by leapfrogging them into the hotseat? A difficult away game at Pudsey BC stood in their way. ‘Top Club Not Just Geography’ will rue a couple of 20-21 defeats that got away, but came out on top 8-4 winners. Top ‘Top Club’ man was Kevin ‘Uptown Top’ Rankin with 21-6 on his first Mirfield top division run out. Incredible scenes. Dad’s army responded for Thongs, Richard 'Jacko' Jackson collecting the kitty with 21-14. Special mention though to all-round bowls legend, Ian Ross, the All-England champion from before tha were born, who delivered a 21 on a rare appearance in this division. Rolling back the years, Rossy. Pudsey 8 Thongsbridge 4.
Dearne Sports are in irresistible form at the moment. Having rolled over Denby Grange away from home last week, the boys from Bolton-on-Dearne hammered their visitors from Littlemoor. The only cheer on an otherwise miserable night for the Moor came from Paul Wilch…Wilsh…Wilcz….aw, feck it, you know who I mean, with a 21-17 win. Stand-out performer for Dearne once again was Rob ‘Joe Le Taxi’ Wiltshire with 21-8. Dearne Sports 11 Littlemoor 1.
The Crossgates fried chicken chompers needed to batter struggling Denby Grange to continue their fight to remain in the title race, but Denby had other ideas, sneaking four winners including a couple of close games. Bang on form and sending bowls in his sleep, last weekend’s Pudsey Classic winner Gareth Coates produced a sublime 21-12 for Denby. Steve ‘Drumstick’ Gilroy and James ‘Regular Fries’ Wilcox both won 21-9 for ‘Gates, who will have felt short-changed with the final scoreline. Crossgates 8 Denby Grange 4.
That creditable away performance from relegation-threatened Denby was trumped by their main rivals, Lower Hopton ‘B’. Five winners away at tricky wicket Crosland Moor is a great return, the star man for Hopton ‘B’ being Graham ‘Class on Glass’ Hickey with 21-8. Two single-figure home wins, a 21-7 from Mike Sweeney and a 21-2 from Ray ‘Wham! Bam! I am! A man!’ Whitwam secured the aggregate for the home side. Crosland Moor 7 Lower Hopton ‘B’ 5.
Positions after 16 games:
Thongsbridge C&BC 119
Lower Hopton WMC ‘A’ 117 (played 15)
Pudsey BC 116
Crossgates BC 112
Dearne Sports 104
Littlemoor 85
Crosland Moor 84
Lower Hopton WMC ‘B’ 77
Denby Grange 75
Ossett Flying Horse 59 (played 15)
In Division 3 Ossett C&AC lost ground on the leaders and will probably need to regroup for another promotion charge next year. A heavy defeat at a strong looking Cleckheaton Sports leaves the lads from Dimple Wells too far adrift the leading pack. Sam Beresford (21-15) and Laurie Woodlock (21-10) did the business for Cricket. Joe Bray and experienced campaigner Paul Gill both won 21-8 for Cleck. The final score Cleckheaton Sports 10 Ossett Cricket 2.
Horbury WMC’s tough season got even tougher over at title favourites Shipley Club. Only Mark Young managed 21 for the boys from Cluntergate. For Shipley Chris Bedford, Paul Kaye and John Sample all won 21-6, but all were outshone by Matty Jacques’ 21-3. Shipley Club 11 Horbury WMC 1.
A local derby in Division 4 saw league leaders Thornhill travel to Dewsbury Road to face Ossett Flying Horse ‘B’. This one was a tight affair, with just five chalks in the aggregate in the favour of Fly. Gordon Hird (21-7), David Armitage (21-8) and Simon Anderson (21-9) swayed the game for the home side, although Paul Sweeney and Clive Hirst led the Thornhill fightback, both winning 21-9. Ossett Flying Horse ‘B’ 7 Thornhill C&BC 5. Only Farsley can catch Thornhill, who look odds on for the title.
Denby Grange ‘B’ still prop up the division after a narrow home defeat to Kirkheaton Con ‘B’. James Makepeace was the pick of the homesters with an impressive 21-10. Andy Lumb won the Kirkheaton sweep with the same winning scoreline. Denby Grange ‘B’ 5 Kirkheaton Con ‘B’ 7. Denby will have to win their remaining two games to escape the drop.
Two weeks to go, folks, and it’s hotting up! See you round the greens next week.