By Stephen Helliwell
Alwyn Guide won the Sowerby Bridge Association’s Roberts Rose Bowl Handicap for a second time on his home green at West End, defeating Greenroyd’s Mick Walker in the final.
Guide, whose earlier success was in 2015 began against Pat Grant and was 6-12 down before drawing level with three consecutive pairs. After a single scored by Grant, Guide reached 19 with a seven break and although Grant reduced the lead to 2 points at 17-19, Guide went on to win by 21-17. His quarter-final, against Mark McLoughlin was closely contested with the scores level at 10 and 14. McLoughlin held a narrow lead at 18-17 but Guide ran out to snatch victory by 21-18. In his semi-final, against team mate, John Hamer Guide took an early 11-5 lead but Hamer recovered to within 2 chalks at 9-11. After Guide had pulled away again to lead by 18-3, Hamer again responded to within a single chalk at 17-18 and 18-19 before Guide finished off another narrow victory by 21-18.
Walker raced to a 14-5 lead against Mark Lufford in his first game before going on to win by 21-16. In his second game against Peter Denton, the scores were level at 13 but Walker seized the initiative with a break of six to reach 19 and an eventual 21-15 win. After a 21-7 quarter-final win against Julian Dawson, Walker faced his toughest game against Ian Crossland. After the scores were level at 8, Crossland gradually eased ahead to lead by 16-12 before Walker drew level again with consecutive pairs. Crossland moved on to all-but with his opponent on 18 but Walker finished the stronger to scrape home by 21-10.
In the final, Walker made the better start to lead by 7-3. After Guide had drawn level, Walker again pulled away to go ahead by 13-8. Guide recovered again to level the scores at13. Walker went ahead once more to lead by 16-13 but Guide finished the game off with four consecutive pairs to claim the title for a second time with a 21-16 victory.