Top three extend lead

The top three extended their lead over the other contenders at the weekend in the Manx Petroleum sponsored Outdoor Winter Bowling League, after they improved their averages and now have a margin of almost four points.

Mooragh Lakers hold top spot on 119.9, helped by their fourth and the season’s 11th maximum; into second are Seven-Up after they boosted their average to 116.9, compared to third placed Unstopabowls close behind on 116.7.

Both days were reversed sets of fixtures played earlier in the campaign and on Saturday the overall points totals between the two days was a difference of just eight, with Castletown Cannons and Unstopabowls doing better second time round.

Three teams recorded victories with Outsiders and Bowl Rollers defeating Cannons by four games to two and that was also the score when the Rollers lost out to an improving Unstopabowls outfit, who are pushing hard to retain their league crown.

In the final fixture, the champions notched up their second success of the session and dropped just five chalks against Outsiders, with the match details as follows (Unstopabowls first): Glynn Hargraves 21, Frank Watson 19; Steve Waters 16, Tony Dugdale 21; Neil Withers 21, Lynn Bolton 18; Kim Hargraves 21, Sid Bolton 13; Stefan Kelly 21, Ben Dugdale 8; Alan Moore and Glenn Boland 21, Mike Alexander and George Brew 17. Result: Unstopabowls 121 (5), Outsiders 96 (1).

Remaining results for Saturday, December 10: Outsiders 115 (4), Castletown Cannons 92 (2); Bowl Rollers 94 (2), Unstopabowls 114 (4); Castletown Cannons 96 (2), Bowl Rollers 118 (4).

The second day was a big challenge for two of the teams, with there being just one point dropped by the two victors first time round, a set of results that had three maximums.

Govags scored just 80 against Mooragh Lakers in the first clash back in October, but this time they improved to 95 and in turn their opponents were seven points worse off.

Bottom side Castletown Corkers fared only slightly better on the individual games front, but were plus 19 on the points side and also prevented another full house defeat against Seven-Up.

The next fixture was also a 126 score to the winners Seven-Up some two months ago, and although Govags struggled to the lowest total of the weekend, they managed to take eight points from their challengers.

Finally, although Corkers reached 19 in two of the games, they couldn’t halt Mooragh Lakers, who went on to record their fourth maximum and open up a 43-point advantage over their closest rivals.

Results for Sunday, December 11: Govags 95 (2), Mooragh Lakers 119 (4); Castletown Corkers 87 (1), Seven-Up 122 (5); Seven-Up 118 (5), Govags 79 (1); Mooragh Lakers 126 (6), Castletown Corkers 85 (0).

A slight downturn in the weather saw a smaller gang of 21 compete in the midweek round robin and from one set of triples the winners were Derek Cadamy, Hazel Hughes and Steve Parker.

In second were Jeff Wilson, Doug Allan and Tricia Bull, with third going to Mike Skelly, Margie Tasker and Erwin Gelling.

This weekend sees the first three-team session on Saturday, followed 24 hours later by the Christmas tombola draw and a round robin.