PWLDGamesPoints
Pendle & Craven971191-7115
Chester963093-6912
Westmorland963092-7012
Bury North952288-7612
Llanfairfechan7**32266-608
Bowdon934281-798
Bury South935177-857
Culcheth935169-917
FYLDE8*26064-804
Southport8*07151-911
* Void matches:
Fylde v Llanfairfechan;
Southport v Llanfairfechan

FYLDE 0 llanfairfechan 0

Sunday Night: Overcast with a chance of rain, then rain after midnight. Low of 9C. Windy. Winds from the East at 20 to 35 km/h. Chance of rain 90% with rainfall amounts near 21.1 mm possible. Monday: Overcast with rain. High of 13C. Windy. Winds from the East at 25 to 40 km/h shifting to the SSE in the afternoon. Chance of rain 100% with rainfall amounts near 18.8 mm possible.

With neither club in contention, time running out and so many miles to drive the League Manager gave his blessing for this match to be nullified.

Posted by Peter, 24th September 2012

FYLDE 11 WESTMORLAND 7

FYLDE: Peter Wilson (4), Ian Theakstone (6), Betty Bates(c)(6), Geoffrey Lipshaw (11)
WESTMORLAND: Jim Alcock (4), Dave Edwards (6), Mike Hayward (7), Mike Hodgson (11).

Near the top of the table Westmorland needed to win their last games of the season in order to ensure a possible top of the table finish, so Fylde knew that the match would not be easy. Waterproofs were to hand as it was predicted to be torrential, but luckily the Fylde Coast pitch escaped the downpour during play. In the mornings there was a doubles win for Westmorland in the pairing of Jim and Mike Hodgson against Peter and Geoff .The second pairing of Betty and Ian secured a win for Fylde of 7-2 despite Dave's superb 25 yard roquet from one back through two back. Before lunch first one to finish in 25 minutes was Ian (Fylde) beating Mike Hodgson 7-5 ,despite giving away 5 bisques. Mike Hayward (Westmorland) beat Peter 7-5, despite Peter running hoop 6 from hoop 5. Next a win for Jim Alcock (Westmorland) beat Betty 7 -4. Then last match before lunch Dave Edwards (Westmorland) beat Geoffrey Lipshaw 7 -4 despite giving away 5 bisques. Score at lunch Westmorland 4 Fylde 2.

A welcoming warm lunch was served by the delightful Liz. Despite offers of three types of sweet neither side took too much advantage of the left overs and watching their diets as true professionals. Later, Mike Hodgson (W) took advantage of his 7 bisques against Peter winning on golden hoop 7-6. Ian (F) again went rocket style through the next match in 35 minutes beating Mike Hayward 7 -3. Betty (F) beat Dave 7 -4. Geoffrey wore Jim Alcock down on time using his 7 bisques advantage finally winning on golden hoop 7 -6. Score at change over Westmorland 6 Fylde 4 .

In the next round Peter (F) beat Dave Edwards 7-5 .Ian took advantage of his only two bisques of the day and beat Jim 7-3. Betty (F) beat Mike Hodgson in a closely fought game that could have gone either way with a final score of 7-5. In game 12 Geoffrey (F) beat Mike Hayward 7 -3. Score at change over Fylde 8 Westmorland 6 ..with four more points to fight in the final round. Peter (F) beat Jim Alcock 7-4 running some super angled hoops. Ian (F) finally won an evenly matched game against Dave winning on golden hoop 7-6. Betty (F) beat Mike Hayward 7 -4 , helped by a jump shot on hoop 6. Mike Hodgson finally secured a win for Westmorland beating Geoffrey 7 -3. Mars bar for Ian for winning all his games and a handicap reduction to 5.

Well done Fylde! A very enjoyable day with good company and good humour. The rain kept off for Fylde but the rain poured once the matches had finished. Unfortunately for Westmorland they travelled home in the miserable rain in the knowledge their chances of winning the league were waning.

Posted by Betty, 15th September 2012

BURY NORTHS 10 FYLDE 8

Norths: Susan Hardman 9 (c), Maureen Whittle 10, Jean Oldfield 10, Jill Freely 11
Fylde: Ian Theakstone 6, Betty Bates 6, Catherine Bass 7, Philip Bass 9

Waterproofs were on for most of the day due to very light intermittent drizzle. The team did well, giving away a lot of bisques to mostly seasoned players. Although the bisques weren't always fully used, the threat was there which alters the low handicapper style of play. Jean was the only player to win all her games. Play was very quick and four rounds were completed before lunch. With one round remaining after lunch, the team were in the car on the way home by 2.30pm!

Bury won both Doubles games, which were close 7-6 (Golden Hoop) and 7-5.

Although Bury had 12 bisques between them in each round of the singles, Fylde came back in the first round winning 3 out of the 4 games (0-7, 5-7, 7-4, 3-7) to level the score. In the second singles round, Bury won all the games taking the score to 7-3 (7-4, 7-3, 7-6, 7-5).

In the third singles round, Fylde staged a comeback winning 3 of the games to take the score to 8-6 but couldn't match it after a very good lunch, winning just two matches in the fourth round. So, the singles were all level with 8 games each.

All but one of Philip's matches were resolved at the twelfth hoop. There was a bit of battling with Philip keeping his nerve to take victory in two of them, including the last match of the day in front of a large audience.

In her match against Susan and having run Hoop 4, Catherine ran Hoop 5 with the brown ball from the South boundary in front of Hoop 4. Susan played her turn to Hoop 6, then Catherine ran Hoop 6 with the green from alongside Hoop 4.

In his first match against Jean, Ian ran Hoop 4 from Hoop 3. In his last match against Susan, Susan a bisque to place her ball within 10 inches of the hoop where it was also guarded by a defence ball. Ian hit the defence ball, nudging his own ball in front of the hoop.

In her match against Jill, Betty was on fine form, scoring a hoop by executing a perfect jump shot over two balls. In her match with Susan, Susan drove the ball backwards out of the hoop to rest level with peg on the East boundary. Betty scored the hoop from there, going in off Susan's ball!

Well done everybody!

Posted by Catherine, 2nd September 2012

SOUTHPORT 8 FYLDE 10

Fylde: Catherine Bass 7(c), Philip Bass 10, Geoffrey Lipshaw 11, Chris Verity 12
Southport: Alan Farrell 5, Jean Nolan 9, Chris Winnard 10, Frank Dunphy 10

Fylde registered their first win of the season after 5 losses. Although Chris W and Frank are new members at Southport and this was their first league match, their handicaps had been set by the Club as 10 rather than 12.

The Fylde pairs won both doubles 5-6 getting off to a confident start.

In the losing match against Chester four days earlier, 9 of the 16 games went to time, some very low scoring. The team resolved to work with more pace and rhythm against Southport to try to improve results. When double banked, slow play also affects the secondary game and can, in turn affect results in those games.

Alan was on good form and won all his games although Philip and Catherine managed to take him to Golden Hoop.

Chris V beat Jean 4-7 in her first game. Against Chris W, she put Yellow into the jaws of Hoop 12 from alongside Hoop 11. On her next turn she peeled Yellow through with Red from alongside Hoop 11 to take the game 5-7. She lost to Frank 7-3 after an impressive start, scoring Hoop 1 at a tricky angle from the boundary.

Geoffrey surprised Jean by running Hoop 2 from alongside Hoop 1 and went on to win 3-7. Against Frank, (single banked) there was a prolonged shoot out at Hoop 1, with tactical defending by both players. The game went to time with Geoffrey winning 3-4 on a golden hoop. By the final game, Chris W had improved his use of bisques and took the match 7-3.

It was an excellent day for the team with a complete reverse of fortune from four days earlier. Congratulations to Chris V and Geoffrey who won two matches each and to Philip, whose form has continued to improve, triggering handicap 9 after his three well-deserved wins.

Posted by Catherine, 8th August 2012

FYLDE 5 CHESTER 13

Fylde: Catherine Bass 7(c), Philip Bass 10, Geoffrey Lipshaw 11, Chris Verity 12
Chester: Garry Greenwood 4, Pat Clare 8 (c), Chris Thomas 11, Mollie McBride 11.

It was a very warm and humid day with a touch of rain in the early afternoon. The lawns had been newly mown and white-lined by team members two days earlier.

Chester won both doubles by a good margin.

Philip won three of his singles, Catherine won her game against Pat and Chris won her first ever game in the league beating Mollie 5-4 in the last game of the day.

In his game with Mollie, Geoffrey achieved a jump shot! He narrowly missed out on a win at Golden Hoop against Pat.

Although Chris won only one game, a count back showed she actually scored 15 hoops and lost 17. In games where Chris had plenty of bisques, the scores were very low (3-4 and 2-3) and went to time. So, improved experience in use of bisques would help with the pace and score.

Posted by Catherine, 4th August 2012

FYLDE 7 BURY SOUTH 11

FYLDE: Alan Morton, Catherine Bass, Philip Bass, Cath Morton
BURY SOUTH: Judith Gaskell, Ken Eccles, Maureen Eccles, Derek Deadman

Rain showers throughout the match. Lawn 1 very wet but playable.

DOUBLES
Alan and Cath won their doubles 6-4 against Judith and Derek. Catherine and Philip lost 6-7 to Ken and Maureen. Ken gained the advantage at Hoop 13 by shooting at the back of the hoop accurately so that his ball finished in position to run the hoop on his next turn.

SINGLES
ROUND 1
Fylde 1 Bury South 3
Philip was the only Fylde winner when he beat Judith 7-5.

ROUND2
Fylde 1. Bury South 3
Philip again was the only Fylde by beating Margaret 7-2

Leonard and Betty arrived during lunch to offer birthday cake from Leonard's 80th birthday celebration. The cake was much appreciated by all the players.

ROUND 3
Fylde 2Bury South 2
Philip won his third game of the day by beating Derek 6-3.Catherine beat Judith 7-5

ROUND 4
Fylde 2 Culcheth 2
Fylde needed to win all the remaining games to earn a draw. Catherine beat Margaret 7-5. Cath beat Derek 7-4. Alan looked in a good position to tie with Judith and so force a tie break. Judith played red which finished in the jaws of Hoop 12. Alan played Black off yellow to gain an advantage at Hoop 13 but Judith had other ideas and was able to use yellow to promote red through the hoop from12 yards and so win the game. And the match.
SUMMARY
Philip was Fylde's player of the day with three singles wins. Alan and Cath both lost tie break games. The weather conditions were poor and after the end of the game. Lawn 1 was unplayable.

Posted by Alan, 16th June

FYLDE 8 CULCHETH 10

FYLDE: Alan Morton, Catherine Bass, Philip Bass, Cath Morton
CULCHETH: Alan Wright, Brian Poynton, Eileen Lloyd, Leticia (Tish) Hilton

A cold and wet day.

DOUBLES
Catherine and Philip won their doubles 7-5. Alan and Tish won 7-4.

SINGLES
ROUND 1
Fylde 2 Culcheth 2
Alan beat Eileen 7-4 including a 15 yard hoop point .Catherine beat Tish 7-4.

ROUND2
Fylde 1 Culcheth 3
Catherine beat Eileen 7-2. Tish had 6 extra turns against Alan Mand got off to a good start taking a 3-0 lead. The game went to a tie break with Tish scoring the extra point to win 7-6. Both Philip and Cath lost by a 5-7 margin to Brian and Alan W.

LUNCH SCORE Fylde 4 Culcheth 6
A team photograph was taken with all players wearing red white and blue in celebration of The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

ROUND 3
Fylde 2. Culcheth 2
Catherine continued with a good win 7-5 against Alan W. Cath scored her first win of the day by beating Eileen 7-5. Brian secured a good win over Alan M by scoring a point at Hoop 10 with an angled jump shot over Alan's ball and then used his extra turn at Hoop 12 to win 7-5.

ROUND 4
Fylde 2 Culcheth 2
Fylde were still in the hunt at 8-6 down but needed to win the remaining games to win the match. Catherine beat Brian 7-4 and Philip beat Eileen 7-3 to tie the match at 8-8. Tish got the better of Cath leaving the two Alan's to play the final match. Predictably the game went to a tie break. Alan W secured the 7-6 win to take the match 10-8.

SUMMARY
A good effort played in poor conditions. Congratulations to Catherine who gave a stellar performance in winning all 4 singles and a doubles. She has triggered to Handicap 7 and receives a Captain's Mars Bar.

Posted by Alan, 3rd June

BOWDON 10 FYLDE 8

FYLDE: Alan Morton, Peter Hallett, Ian Theakstone, Geoffrey Lipshaw.
BOWDON: David Holland, Ros Pimlott, Carol Steinberg, Margaret Moss

A pleasant day with a cool breeze.

DOUBLES
Peter and Geoffrey secured a 6-5 win. Carol and Ros won their doubles 7-2.

SINGLES
ROUND 1
Bowdon 2 Fylde 2. Peter and Alan had tie break wins 7-6 to keep the match score at 3-3

ROUND2
Bowdon 3 Fylde 1. Ian beat David 7-5 but at lunch Bowdon were leading 6-4

ROUND 3
Bowdon 2 Fylde 2. Alan beat David 6-5 after nearly gifting the game to his opponent by playing the wrong ball. However, he recovered the situation and won the game. Ian with 6 extra turns against him overcame Margaret 7-5.

ROUND 4
Bowdon 2 Fylde 2. Fylde were still in the hunt at 8-6 down but needed to win the remaining games to win the match. David beat Peter 7-6 which meant a draw might be possible. Alan beat Ros 7-6. Ian beat Carol 7-6 but Margaret got the win against Geoffrey 6-3 to secure the points for Bowdon.

SUMMARY
A good effort , playing on quicker lawns than we are used to at Fylde. It was a close match with 7 games being decided by one point and Fylde won them all which shows the level of determination to try and get a win. Ian had the best of the day in the singles with scores of 5-7,7-5,7-6,7-6 .

Posted by Alan, 3rd May