Isle of Man County Crown Green Bowling Association

One of the biggest events on the bowls calendar, the Isle of Man September Bowls Festival, took place last week. The competition was played in mixed weather conditions throughout the week; however, the sun came out for a thrilling finals day.

In the men’s event, Ben Phillips (Lloyds) secured his maiden September Festival title, following in the footsteps of his dad, Dave Phillips, who won in September 2012. The match will go down in the history books as one of the great men’s finals, going to the wire as the scores were level on eight occasions.

Neither player could build a run in the early exchanges, with the finalists drawing level for the fourth time at 10-10 after Phillips took out the nearest bowl to prevent Wilcox from taking a 12-9 lead.

The game looked to be swinging in favour of the Lloyds man, who was counting for two. However, Wilcox had other ideas, running the jack to extend his lead to 13-11. Phillips capitalised on a loose end from the Crossgates man, then picked up a single with a good second bowl to level the score once again at 14-14.

Wilcox responded with a single and was counting for two on the next end with two good bowls, only for Phillips to take out one of the counting bowls to limit the damage. With Wilcox now 16-14 ahead, a change in tactics away from distance for Wilcox saw a shorter length played, with the Lloyds man scoring a double to level the match at 16-16.

Wilcox took the next two ends with a single and a good double to move within one end of victory at 19-16. Opting for a round peg along the edge once again, Phillips got in at a crucial point to reduce the deficit to 19-17. A great lead from Phillips was beaten by Wilcox’s first bowl, which kissed the counting bowl and the jack. An assertive reaching bowl from Phillips then took the counting bowl out cleanly for two and went unbeaten.

On the following end, Phillips played a good second bowl, but Wilcox displayed nerves of steel to move 20-19 ahead with a superb last bowl. Phillips was under pressure on the next end, with two good bowls to beat, which he duly did with a great last bowl to bring the game to a deciding end at 20-20.

Phillips led a bowl six inches to the side and slightly short along the shelter edge, while Wilcox’s first bowl ran just past the jack to finish a yard away. Phillips’ second bowl proved crucial, making things difficult for Wilcox, who was forced to play a sharp round peg. Although he managed to connect with the counting bowl, it also clipped the jack and kept Phillips’ bowl in to seal a superb win in what was, without doubt, one of the great finals of the modern era.

Phillips took home the winner’s cheque for £3,200, while Wilcox received £1,250 for his week’s work.

At the semi-final stage, Phillips held off two-time winner John Bailey (Castlefields) with a 21-17 victory to book his place in the final. Having trailed 15-8, Bailey fought back to lead 17-16, but a timely response from Phillips ensured that he got over the line with two quick-fire doubles and a single. The other semi-final saw brothers-in-law James Wilcox and the last remaining local player, Matthew Quirk (Onchan), face off in a close encounter. The game was finely poised after 13 ends, with Wilcox leading by one chalk at 15-14. Five successive singles for the Crossgates man extended his lead to 20-14, before a double from Quirk saved the game on the following end. With the score now 20-16, Quirk was counting for two; however, Wilcox took out the nearest bowl to seal a 21-16 win. Quirk took home the Chris Quayle Trophy as the furthest-progressing local bowler.

At the quarter-final stage, Phillips ended the hopes of June 2008 winner Colin Kelly (Marown) with a solid 21-13 win, while Bailey cruised to a single-figure 21-9 victory against Mark Hughes (Crossgates). In the other half of the draw, Quirk remained in control of his game against Manx champion Paul Dunn (Marown) to seal a 21-16 win. Meanwhile, Wilcox had a superb encounter with another previous Festival winner, Jack Dyson (The Griffin Inn), as the Crossgates man came out on the right side of a 21-20 scoreline.

Men’s Tourism

The Men’s Tourism was played down to the winner on Thursday morning on Noble’s 1, and it was two-time September Festival winner Gareth Coates (Akroydon Victoria) who held off Cumbrian Liam Howard (King Alfred) with a solid display. Coates made the better start, building a 14-8 lead in the early stages of the game. Howard responded by closing the deficit to three chalks at 13-16. Coates went on to win four of the next five ends to move within touching distance of victory at 20-15, only for the Cumbrian to take three consecutive singles and make the score 18-20. A single from Coates was enough to seal his first win in this competition, 21-19.

In the semi-finals, Coates had a comfortable 21-11 win over Danny Barwise (Birchley St Marys), whilst Howard had to work a little harder for his 21-16 win over Jack Dyson (The Griffin Inn) to book his place in the final.

The quarter-finals saw Coates battle his way to a 21-19 victory over another two-time September Festival winner, John Bailey (Castlefields). Barwise advanced to the next round with a resounding 21-7 win over Matt Kelly-Walley (Stretton Anglesey). In the other half of the draw, Howard overcame a tough challenge from Craig Richardson (Castlefields), winning 21-18, whilst Dyson beat the furthest-progressing local player, Paul Dunn (Marown), 21-14.

Other Events

The Men’s Consolation was won by Peter Shallis (Lune Road), who beat Daniel Petcher (Littleover). The Lune Road man recovered from a 13-17 deficit to see out the game 21-20 in a keenly contested and entertaining final. Shallis reached the final with a 21-13 win over George Riley (Huntley Unionist), whilst Petcher romped to a 21-8 victory over Joe Melvin (Potteries).

The Ladies’ Consolation was won by local player Louise Tebay (Marown), who secured a determined 21-17 win over Tracy Livesey (Inskip). Tebay progressed to the final with a comfortable 21-14 win over Beverley Barton (Crowton BC). Livesey booked her place in the final with a 21-12 win over Sara Boyd (Bolton-le-Sands).

The Visit.Com Flyer title went to James Grimston (Kirkham), who claimed a resounding 9-1 win over Kevan Shaw (Lloyds). Grimston won his semi-final against Marc Daugherty (Wirral) 9-4, whilst Shaw won by the same score against Darren Clutton (Potteries).

The Last Chance Mixed final was won by Gareth Coates (Akroydon Victoria), who held off Whitby man Ken Wale 21-12. Wale had also lost in the final of this competition in 2025. Coates reached the final with a win by the same score against another Whitby man, Joshua Emmerson. Wale reached the final with another 21-12 victory, seeing off Steve Ramsbottom (Poynton WMC).

The Men’s Doubles was won on Thursday evening by John Kennish and Jon Palmer (South Ramsey/Castlefields), who battled their way to an 11-10 victory over the Lloyds pairing of Colin Parry and Kevan Shaw. Shaw produced some excellent bowls throughout the final to keep his pair in the game. Kennish and Palmer booked their place in the final with a resounding 11-2 win over the Potteries pairing of Lee Thursfield and Darren Stanway. The other semi-final also resulted in a routine victory, with Parry and Shaw beating fellow Lloyds pair Richard Hindley and Jack Bushell 11-3.

The Ladies’ Doubles was won by Wrockwardine Wood duo Helen Clee and Sarah Weaver. Trailing 7-9 against Marown pair Jayne Smith and Louise Tebay, they scored four chalks over three ends to see out the game 11-9. Clee and Weaver ended the challenge of Carol Edwards and Olwen Edwards (Dwygfylchi/Llanfair PG) with an 11-6 semi-final victory, whilst the Marown pair beat fellow locals Paula Firth and Paula Garrett (Nobles/Douglas) 11-10.

The Mixed Pairs was won by siblings Jane Glaister and Paul Kissock (Windermere/King Alfred), who had managed to be drawn together. They defeated Jo Leeman and Jim Barr (Whitby/Borough BC) 9-3 in the final. Glaister and Kissock reached the final with an emphatic 9-0 win over Gill Simm and Richard Lockett (Lune Road/Wem BC), whilst Leeman and Barr won 9-4 against Stella Watterson and Michael Coupe (Castletown/Manor Road).

The triples were held on three different greens on Tuesday evening. The winning teams were Billy Speed, Michael Coupe and Robbie Fitzpatrick (Ravine/Manor Road/Manor Road); Colin Kelly, Juan Killip and Neil Withers (all Marown); and David Jackson, Steve Baskerville and David Baskerville (all Knutsford).