BOWLS: FOLLOWING three losses in a row, Warwickshire welcomed Derbyshire to Welford on Avon BC to register their first victory in the Midlands Counties League.
It wasn’t all simple for Warwickshire though as Derbyshire battled hard to come from behind to challenge the hosts in the closing stages of the game.
Matt Wells (Rugby), Chris Barton (Kings Heath), Keith Wooding (Avenue Coventry) and Tom Millership (Rugby) hit two fours and a trio of threes on their way to a 19-9 halfway lead.
A five and six helped them double their advantage with four ends to go, final score a comfortable 36-17 victory for Millership and co. Mark Smith (Avenue Leamington), Harry Billington (Whitnash), Craig Carter (Rugby) and Andy Smith (Avenue Leamington) limited the visitors to four shots in the opening ten ends while scoring fifteen of their own.
Derbyshire hit ten unanswered shots to reduce the lead to just one shot.
With two ends to go Smith’s rink led by two and finished with a brace of singles to win 21-17.
Liam Pearcey, Lee Maughan (both Rugby), Martin Timms (Welford) and Calvin Wells (Rugby) trailed 6-1 after five ends but hit midway level.
They opened up a six shot lead over the next six ends but dropped a two and six to trail by two with three ends to play.
Back to back twos turned the advantage to Bears and they held on to win 21-20.
Darren Ward, Brian Boardman (both Rugby), Neil Brereton (Welford) and Dan Box (Little Compton) held a slender one shot lead after thirteen ends.
Two ends later they had extended that to eight shots but Derbyshire fought back to reduce it to one heading into the final end, with his last wood the Derbyshire skip took the shot to earn his side a 21-21 draw.
Alan Prickett (Little Compton), Martyn Murley (Avenue Coventry), Rob Robinson (Erdington Court) and Alan Apsey (Welford) trailed 8-0 after five ends.
By twelve ends the Bears had reduced that to two and after seventeen ends the gap was three.
A three, pair of twos and single saw Derbyshire canter over the finish line, winning 24-13.
Mal Evans (Sherwood Park), Steve Taylor (Avenue Coventry), Neil Hancock (Little Compton) and Colin Jacox (Avenue Coventry) were locked in a tight tussle with their opponents, seven all after six becoming eleven all after fourteen.
By the time Hancock delivered his second wood the visitors were holding three.
The Derbyshire skip tried to move the shot wood with his first wood but failed, Jacox then drew a second shot.
Bears won the game 125-121.
