By Stephen Helliwell
Stainland Park ‘A’ won the Halifax Association’s Total Active sponsored Rose Bowl competition at Sowerby T. & B. C. on Friday when they defeated Asa Briggs ‘A’ by 199-187 in the final.
A close outcome was on the cards from the start with only two points difference in the handicaps, Stainland being the beneficiary. Asa Briggs Andrew Heenan gave his side a good start with a 21-13 result against Scott Haynes but Richard Lunn retrieved the situation for Stainland with his 21-8 against Simon Page. The next two games both went Stainland’s way but
only by the slimmest of margins. Stainland’s Paul Senior held a 12-4 lead against Stuart King but King fought back to lead by 14-12. In a close finish, the scores were tied at 17, 18, 19 and 20 but it was Senior who clinched the deciding single. Lorraine Hurst trailed by11-17 and 17-20 against Dave Jowett before running out to snatch another 21-20 victory for Stainland.
After the first four games Stainland led by nine but Glenn Mc Cafferty turned the tables in Asa Briggs favour with a 21-6 victory against Peter Hopkinson but Bob Senior’s 21-13 against Jordon Brown restored Stainland’s advantage. Asa Briggs hopes were raised as Scott Samson raced to a 10-1 lead against Richard Severn but the experienced Severn stormed back to gain an improbable 21-20 victory. Bob Dickenson, behind by 8-12 and 16-18 to Andy Denton, finished strongly to win by21-19 and putt Stainland ahead by five with two games remaining.
Jason Watters had looked to be restoring Asa Briggs advantage when leading by 8-0 and 13-4 against Mark Barron but Barron fought back to lead for the first time at 20-19 before clinching a 21-20 victory. Finishing at the same time Charlie Holt-Conway, 11-12 down against Mark Hirst, produced a break of seven and went to complete a 12-point victory for Stainland.
Full scores: Asa Briggs (11) v Stainland ‘A’ (13) - A. Heenan 21 S. Haynes 13; S, King 20 P. Senior 21; D. Jowett 20 L. Hurst 21; S. Page 8 R. Lunn 21; S. Samson 20 R. Severn 21; G. McCafferty 21 P. Hopkinson 6; J. Brown 13 B. Senior 21; A. Denton 19 B. Dickinson 21; J. Watters 21. Barron 20; M. Hirst 13 C. Holt-Conway 21. (187-199).