📰 Courtfield Weekly Bowls Round-Up "Billy’s Boots, Spanish Sunshine & a Last-End Heartbreaker"
- leemcgarvie
- Jun 23
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 26
Wednesday Afternoon – Ladies League vs Wetheral
The Courtfield ladies came into this fixture with their tails up — and rightly so. They rode the wave of recent form to produce a clean sweep against a solid Wetheral side.
Rink 1 – Linda, Aileen W & Kerry
Kerry brought back more than just souvenirs from Spain — she brought the sunshine and some red-hot form. The trio dominated early and never let up, pulling off a game-defining burst with 9 shots in two ends to coast to a 20–10 victory. Commanding and clinical.
Rink 2 – Jean, Leslie & Corrine
This one was the thriller. After conceding a damaging 5 on the 7th end, heads stayed up, and the reply was instant with a spirited 4. The back-and-forth continued, but Jean's rink held their nerve, playing smart and staying tight to close out a 14–11 win. A real team performance.
Rink 3 – Joanne, Anne & Gill
A debut to remember for Joanne, who slotted in like a seasoned vet. They were made to work for it, but their consistency proved too much. A 16–13 win made it 3 out of 3 and maximum points for the team. Joanne was singled out by teammates, opponents, and even the watching crowd – a brilliant start to her Courtfield journey!
Wednesday Evening – National Pairs Quarter-Final
Jo & Gill flew the flag for Courtfield in the National Pairs against a very strong Workington pairing of Tina Smitham & Carole Bannister
Things started badly – a 13–2 deficit had many thinking it was over. But some cool heads and precise bowling saw the Courtfield pair claw their way back into contention, reducing the gap to just 2 shots. The comeback was on – until the final end. Despite their best efforts, Workington edged it to close out the win.
A valiant performance from Jo and Gill, who showed true fighting spirit and gave the crowd something to cheer about. The comeback alone was worth the watch!
Wednesday Night – A Team vs West End
This was billed as top vs bottom, but the match didn’t follow the script. It was full of momentum swings, big bowls, and a fair share of drama.
Rink 1 – John, Carsy & Paul
Paul arrived with yet another new set of woods – some say he’s trying them all until he finds a magical pair (Billy’s Boots style). Unfortunately, these weren’t it. The trio struggled for rhythm and West End took full advantage, stretching out a comfortable win.
Rink 2 – Ste G, Lee & Steve D
With Steve back from holiday and on the same rink as last week’s defeat, it felt like déjà vu early on. Not scoring in six ends, they trailed 8–3. But with some measured play and tidy conversions, they steadied the ship, eventually taking the lead 10–9 going into the last. A final-end single saw them snatch a gritty 11–9 win.
Rink 3 – Tayler, Ian & Kev
This trio is on fire right now – there’s just no stopping them. Dominant from end one, they cruised to a comfortable win, picking up a host of 2s and 3s along the way. Momentum and chemistry clearly on their side.
Rink 4 – Mr Chris, Dai & Jaffa
Found themselves in trouble early but adapted well by shortening the jack. They trailed by 2 playing the final end. With the shot changing hands several times, it was left to Jaffa’s final wood, which snuck in for two shots and a dramatic 13–13 draw. A great finish to a hard-fought battle.
Final Score: Courtfield 7 – West End 3It looked like a 2–8 defeat early on, so this turnaround shows the character in the squad. A big win in the context of the league!
Thursday Night – B Team vs Subscription A
A well-attended match and a real showcase of bowls at its finest. The scoreline didn’t tell the full story — Courtfield were right in it until the final bowls on each rink.
Rink 2 – Julie, Corrine & Ste B
Trailed 11–4 after 8 ends but launched a fantastic comeback to draw level at 11–11. On the 13th, Julie’s lead bowl held shot until Mark Nanson played a brilliant last wood to trail the jack for 5, swinging the game. Despite a late single, they fell 16–12.
Rink 3 – Jean, Tony J & Dawesy
A nightmare 4th end saw them drop 7, going 9–2 down. But they fought back impressively, winning 4 straight ends, they eventually lead 15–12. Sadly, they couldn’t add another shot and conceded 6 unanswered to lose 18–15. A brutal finish to a great fightback.
Rink 5 – David T, Alex & Gill
Neck and neck at 10–10 after 10, this was anyone’s game. Sub A turned the screw late on, punishing any loose bowls and running out 19–13 winners. Effort was there – the score didn’t reflect the tightness.
Rink 6 – Linda, Mike & John
They Controlled the first half, leading 10–4 after 10 ends. A dropped 6 turned the tide. They regained the lead 12–11, and on the final end, it was all to play for. With both teams holding shot at various points, John's last bowl touched the jack, prompting hope, but Sub’s Ian Gallagher (always reliable) threaded through to take two shots and a 13–12 win. The crowd were left stunned – partly by the bowl, partly still discussing Paul’s short woods.
Final Score: Sub A win 10–0 But make no mistake – this was far from a drubbing. Every rink was competitive, and Courtfield can be proud of the performances.
Friday Afternoon – Carliol League (Over 55s) vs Stanwix
A perfect 10 points and top of the table – the Pensioners are rolling back the years!
Rink 5 – Chris, Dai & Jaffa: Down 14–10 with two ends left, a 4 followed by a 1 clinched a dramatic 15–14 win.
Rink 4 – George, Dusty & Ian B: Trailed 12–4 after 7 ends, but never gave in. Levelled, then found a 2 on the last end to win 15–14.
Rink 3 – Dave G, Dawesy & Ste B: Were 8 behind twice but exploded with 11 shots in four ends to take control. Held on in a nervy finish to win by 1.
Rink 2 – Mike, John & Gordon: The only team not to need a dramatic comeback! After going 5 down early, they hit their stride and powered home 20–12.
All 10 points secured and Courtfield now sit top of the Carliol League. Superb effort across the board!
Friday Night Pairs
Paul & Ian continued their strong partnership with an 18–11 win over Tony R & Carsy.
Alex & Ste B impressed in a dominant 19–7 victory over Gordon & Anthony.
Saturday Morning – County Triples (Ladies)
Jo, Anne & Gill – last year’s runners-up – began their 2025 campaign in style, defeating a strong Subscription team (Jenny Sallis, Emma Bues & Suzie Balfour) with a confident 19–12 win. A statement performance with real intent to go all the way this year.
Saturday – Men’s County Bowls (Alsop & Middleton)
The Middleton Cup team travelled to Gosforth and secured a 16–6 win against Northumberland.
Rink Results:
Rink 1M. Irwin (Cumbria) 12 – 25 S. Richardson (Northumberland)
Rink 2J. Park (Cumbria) 13 – 20 S. Harvey (Northumberland)
Rink 3P. Wallace (Cumbria) 30 – 7 D. Parkes (Northumberland)
Rink 4S. Farish (Cumbria) 22 – 13 C. McGready (Northumberland)
Rink 5C. Williams (Cumbria) 23 – 15 A. Barke (Northumberland)
Rink 6L. Baxter (Cumbria) 13 – 25 J. Minto (Northumberland)
Total Cumbria 113 (16 points) Northumberland 105 (6)
Meanwhile, in the Alsop Trophy, Courtfield were well represented with Paul, Tayler, Ian B, Mr Chris and Kev all playing key roles in a big 18–4 away win at Stockton West End against Durham.
Rink Results:
Rink 1S. Watson (Cumbria) 14 – 17 D. Ray (Durham)
Rink 2I. Blenkinsop (Cumbria) 29 – 18 J. McAdoo (Durham)
Rink 3P. Metcalfe (Cumbria) 27 – 13 M. Campbell (Durham)
Rink 4B. Moss (Cumbria) 27 – 17 G. Wallace (Durham)
Rink 5J. Barber (Cumbria) 22 – 19 D. Mallaby (Durham)
Rink 6K. Johnston (Cumbria) 14 – 24 P. Thompson (Durham)
Total Cumbria 133 (18 points) Durham 108 (4)
That win keeps the Alsop team firmly top of their group
Sunday – County Fours (Over 55s)
Mr Chris, John, Carsy & Paul (back to using his old bowls) took on Keswick in a game that had everything.
They got off to a dream start, smashing in 7 shots on the first end – and, naturally, Paul’s bowl was the only one not counting! After 3 ends they led 10–0, and it looked like it would be smooth sailing.
But bowls rarely sticks to the script. They went eight ends without scoring, and Keswick clawed their way back into the game. By the 16th end it was all square at 15–15, and the momentum had shifted.
With the pressure on, Courtfield produced a crucial 3 on the 17th, giving them the edge. A solid single on the last sealed a hard-fought 19–15 win.
A game of two halves – but the boys dug deep and got the job done.
Comments