Courtfield round up

Courtfield Bowls: Near Misses, Trophies and Plenty of Drama – Two-Week Round-Up

Nationals – Leamington Action

Cumbria may not have brought home silverware this year, but the performances at the Nationals showed just how much talent we’ve got. The men’s triples kept us all entertained as the Baxter brothers showcased their quality, reaching the semi-final before a narrow 21-13 loss to Northumberland.

In the singles, David Forster went one step further – all the way to the final of the prestigious event. After a dramatic comeback attempt, he was just pipped 21-19 by 21-year-old Kent star Isaac Jenner. A brilliant effort, and another name stamped on the national stage.

John Baird also impressed, reaching the semi-final of the Champion of Champions, while the Wigton Ladies battled hard but bowed out at the semi-final stage of the Top Club to eventual winners Royal Leamington Spa.

No trophies, but plenty of pride – a fine showing from Cumbria all round.

Carliol League

The A Team travelled to Wetheral, where whispers of a “tricky” green were soon put to bed. Courtfield found their length and pace with ease, storming to a 10-0 win (74–34 on shots).

Back at home, the B Team hosted high-flying Kirkbride (sitting third in the league).

The team played really well winning three out of four rinks, though just missing out on the aggregate by four shots. Final score 6-4

Wednesday evening saw the A Team take on Brampton in a rearranged game – another strong showing gave them a valuable 8-2 win.

And then came the battle of all battles – Courtfield A vs Courtfield B. The noise around the green could have rivalled Wembley, both sides desperate to take bragging rights. When the dust settled (and the light faded fast!), it was the A Team who came through 8-2.

All to play for this week

Carliol League Over 55’s

With Courtfield well-placed to challenge for the title, the run-in was always going to be crucial. Unfortunately, narrow 6-4 defeats away at Stanwix and Subscription saw them slip into second place – with the defending champions Subscription surging ahead to take pole position.

That left the final match of the season delicately poised. Subscription needed just two points to retain the crown, and on paper they were clear favourites. But Courtfield weren’t about to lie down quietly. In fact, they nearly pulled off the impossible – storming to an 8-2 win in the last game. In the end, though, Subscription clung on, pipping Courtfield to the title by just a single point. Congratulations to Subscription on another championship.

Final League Table

Club Competitions

The Ladies’ Championship was held on Wednesday 27th August, with Gill Dawes facing Lesley Pedlar. On rink 1, Gill simply couldn’t put a foot wrong – in her own words, “I couldn’t do anything wrong” – as she stormed to a dominant 21-1 victory. Congratulations Gill, and commiserations to Lesley.

The Men’s Two-Wood Championship took place on Saturday 23rd. If ever there was an advert for fitness in bowls, this wasn’t it – as two players limped out with dodgy knees before the first round was even completed! Still, there was plenty of drama and tight games, with Paul C and Dai making it through to the final after semi-final wins over Lawrence and Hong Kong respectively.

Club Matches

The annual Derby day Memorial Match vs Subscription took place on a sunny bank holiday Sunday at Courtfield. Played in Ryder Cup style, it was Courtfield who claimed the spoils, winning 16–8 over the day – and raising a glass to those we remember.

On 31st August, Courtfield hosted Haltwhistle on what turned out to be an unexpectedly glorious afternoon. The home side delivered another comfortable win, with plenty of laughs and good spirits shared all round.

Stan Bragg Tournament – Courtfield Keep the Bragg!

With injuries, holidays and a few late call-offs, team captain Ste G had to get creative to pull a side together for the end-of-season Stan Bragg tournament. Retaining the trophy looked like a tall order, but Courtfield aren’t ones to shy away from a challenge.

Even with Dawesy battling through a heavy cold, the team came out firing. Rink after rink produced steady scores, and the lads dug deep right until the finish. In the end, Courtfield posted an impressive 47.5 points, just enough to pip Brampton into second place with 46 and Caldbeck taking third on 44.5.

It means another trophy in the cabinet for Courtfield, making it two cups this season plus a runners-up finish in the league – a brilliant return and proof that team spirit carries the day.

As one supporter put it, “You can’t keep a good team down – especially when there’s silverware at stake!”