ANOTHER GREAT WEEK FOR HARPENDEN

 

Harpenden ladies pulled off a remarkable victory in the area semi-final of the Top Club, beating a strong Bushey team in a match which culminated in an exciting nail biting finish.  Dena Roberts (Harpenden) was level with Mavis Hendry (Bushey) at 10 - 10 at halfway in the singles, but then her opponent piled on the pressure and Roberts did not score another shot, losing 21 - 10.  Eleven shots was a lot to recover but  Harpenden's pairs, Linda Newby and Linda Brooks, took charge from the start and led 13 - 2 at halfway but, although dropping five shots on the 16th end they picked up four on the 17th and ran out comfortable winners 24 - 14, almost wiping out the deficit.  The triples was tight all the way and the teams were level at 12 - 12 after 17 ends.  On the last end Lesley Tutt (Harpenden) trailed the jack into the ditch for what looked to be an unbeatable lie.  However, the Bushey skip, Brenda Farr, played a fantastic last wood of the match, which just teetered on the very edge of the rink to draw shot to win 13 - 12.  The fours dropped six shots on the second end and were playing catch up for the first half, but by the 13th end they were ahead 14 - 13 and after 20 ends they led 22 - 18, the overall score at that point being Harpenden 68 - Bushey 66, Bushey needing two shots on the last end to force extra ends, but they scored only one shot.  So, two rinks each but Harpenden won by just one shot overall, 68 - 67 and will play Rosedale in the area final at home on 11th July.

Details:

Singles:  M Hendry (Bushey)  21;  D Roberts (Harpenden)  10 

Pairs:  D Whybrow, J Selleck (Bushey)  14;  L Newby, L Brooks (Harpenden)  24

Triples:  C Sage, S Dobson, B Farr (Bushey)  13;  V Thomson, L Tutt, J Holland (Harpenden)  12

Fours:  M Southam, W Bennett, A Broadfield, V Dawe (Bushey)  19;  J Leyland-Naylor, J Redford, B Birch, L Ratcliffe (Harpenden)  22

 

Harpenden men also had a successful week.  In the Bob Vise Trophy away against St Albans they won all four disciplines.

Details:

Singles:  S Wilson (St Albans)  12;  N Roberts (Harpenden)  21

Pairs:  K Harding, K Budd (St Albans)  14;  T Muir, N Muir (Harpenden)  23

Triples:  A Turner, O Wall, C Burden (St Albans)  18;  C Driscoll, K Brazier, A Redford (Harpenden)  20

Fours:  A Brittain, T Morris, D Church, D Kiff (St Albans)  15;  M Kirkby, E Roberts, E Pentecost, R Muir (Harpenden)  22

 

In the County Team Ten, away against Whit Hern, Harpenden men won the singles, triples and fours, but lost the pairs.  Noel Roberts (Harpenden) played an excellent singles match against John Thompson (Whit Hern).  In the closing stages Roberts was 17 - 18 down and, with six woods clustered closely round the jack, Thompson was holding two shots.  With his last wood of the end Roberts played a "do or die" shot which could either have won him the match or lost it.  He fired and hit Thompson's shot woods at exactly the right angle to score three shots, then scored one shot on the next end to win the match 21 - 18 to give Harpenden a great start.  The triples and the fours forged ahead from the start, both having comfortable victories.  The triples scored a six on the first end and were never behind, winning 24 - 18, and the fours were always well ahead, winning 30 - 10, including a hotshot on the 19th end.  However, the pairs never really got going, winning only six ends to go down 15 - 23.

Details:

Singles:  J Thompson (Whit Hern)  18;  N Roberts (Harpenden)  21

Pairs:  S Kenway, P Carlyle (Whit Hern)  23;  W Donoghue, N Muir (Harpenden)  15

Triples:  A Bruton, B Milsom, R Spence (Whit Hern)  18;  T Muir, K Brazier, A Redford (Harpenden)  24

Fours:  A Merry, M Chow, G Noto, R Jones (Whit Hern)  10;  R Newby, E Pentecost, D Hall, S Burgess (Harpenden)  30

 

Harpenden men started their County League campaign with a good win away at Welwyn & District, winning one rink and losing one, but with an overall victory by one shot, 46 - 45, gaining 4 points to Welwyn's 2.

Details:

D Ratcliffe, J Lee, S Smith, C Sherriff (Welwyn & District)  24;  T Muir, E Pentecost, S Burgess, W Donoghue (Harpenden)  22

M Poole, T Webb, B Smith, P Russell (Welwyn & District)  21;  C Driscoll, K Brazier, J Osborn, A Redford (Harpenden)  24

 

In the London & Southern Counties Lonsdale Tom Muir (Harpenden) beat Paul Wilshire (West Ealing) 21 - 19 to reach the area quarter-final but in the London & Southern Counties Triples, although winning 12 of the 18 ends, Rob Newby, Kevin Brazier and Tony Redford lost 17 - 21 away at Newport Pagnell, the home team scoring two fives and two fours among their six winning ends.  Simon Burgess (Harpenden) beat Peter Thomson (Townsend) 21 - 14 to reach the neutral green stage of the County Singles.

 

In a friendly match against Townsend, Harpenden won 70 - 65, top rink: Trevor Rabson, John Taylor, Doug Hall and Dick Muir.

 

RESULTS (men)

 

London & Southern Counties Lonsdale

T Muir (Harpenden) 21;  P Wilshire (West Ealing)  19

 

London & Southern Counties Triples

Newport Pagnell  21;  R Newby, K Brazier, A Redford (Harpenden)  18

 

London & Southern Counties Fours

R Catchpole, D Hall, S Burgess, W Donoghue (Harpenden)  24;  Herts 9

 

District Officers Singles

D Brooks (Harpenden)  21;  D Church (St Albans)  7

R Newby (Harpenden)  21;  G Matthews (North Mymms)  15

 

RESULTS (ladies)

 

County Unbadged Singles

H Liddle (Holwell)  17;  L Ratcliffe (Harpenden)  21

 

District Singles

Janet Hubball (Harpenden)  21;  Jean Hubball (Harpenden)  19

J Leyland-Naylor (Harpenden)  21;  G Polley (Hatfield)  13

 

R. Newby 27th June 2010

 

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