“Finals, Fury, and a Perfect Season – Courtfield’s Unforgettable Week”

Tuesday – Ladies Pairs Final & Men’s Semi-Finals

Finals week kicked off with the Ladies Pairs, Lesley & Gill taking on Jean & Evelyn. Lesley and Gill started brilliantly, scoring 4 and 3 on the first two ends. Despite a back-and-forth tussle, that early lead proved decisive. Going into the last end, the score was 14-8, and a final 2 secured the victory for Lesley & Gill.

The men’s pairs semi-finals were equally intense. John & Dai faced George P & Gordon. Despite winning 8 of 15 ends, Gordon’s rink could only manage singles, losing 11-8. Andy & Paul faced Steve B & Ian P, trailing 7-4 after 7 ends. Andy & Paul stormed back, scoring 8 over the next three ends to take control and finish 16-9, with the last end left unplayed as Ian & Paul shook hands.

Thursday – Ladies Two-Wood Final & Carliol League

The Ladies Two-Wood Final saw Gill face Jo, with Gill winning 15-7 to complete a hat-trick of finals victories this season.

Thursday evening brought the Carliol League climax. The A team needed nothing less than a 10-0 win against bottom club West End to keep Courtfield in title contention, hoping the B team could at least take a point at Middleton street. The A team delivered a commanding performance on the greens.

Meanwhile, the B team faced Subscription A. It was a tough night, and while the A team were checking their WhatsApp anxiously for the latest scores, those on the green thought the B team were holding on to two points. Then came Jaffa — ever the character — erupting out the window in his usual unforgettable style: “10-0 around the corner!” (with a few choice words thrown in for good measure).

Even in defeat, the B team finished a respectable 85 points in their first season, a performance everyone at the club could be proud of. It was a night of highs and lows, showing both the grit of the B team and the determination of the A team as they prepared to face Subscription on Monday in a title-deciding clash.

Friday – Gents Finals Begin

The Gents two-wood final was played early as Paul Campbell faced Dai. Paul dominated from the start, winning 17-6 on his favourite rink 4.

Saturday & Sunday– Champion of Champions (Silloth Bowling Club)

Gill represented Courtfield in the Champion of Champions, defeating West End’s Irene Lyndsey 21-1, then beating Carmel Service 21-8 in the quarter-finals. In the semi-final played on the Sunday, she lost 21-10 to Lesley Metcalfe. The final was contested by Lesley Metcalfe and Alison Hullock, with Alison narrowly taking the title 21-18. Despite the loss, Gill’s efforts made the club proud.

Finals Day – Sunday

Finals Day at Courtfield Bowling Club was a rollercoaster of skill, tension, and drama from start to finish. Every match had its twists, and every player contributed to a memorable day.

The day kicked off with the Mixed Pairs, where Aileen M and Mike faced Paul and Julie. After 7 ends, the score was level at 5-5, the game swinging back and forth with both pairs trading crucial shots. Mike and Aileen took the next two ends to open a two-shot lead, but Paul and Julie came back strongly in the remaining ends, ultimately taking the match 13-7. It was a thrilling opener that had spectators glued to the green.

Next up, the Johnstone Cup saw Steve Boyd face Steve Carswell. Boyd started with a four-shot lead and quickly extended it, reaching 12 up after 4 ends. Carswell tried to respond, but Boyd’s consistent play and tactical awareness carried him through, and he wrapped up a commanding 21-6 victory.

The main event, the treble-chasing featured Paul "Mystery Bowls" Campbell against veteran Dave “Hong Kong” McManus. Paul made a perfect start, opening up a lead of 11-4 after just 10 ends. Dave clawed back three shots, but Paul extended again to 15-8 after 15 ends, looking firmly in control.

Yet Dave, never one to give up, launched a remarkable comeback, scoring 8 shots over the next 5 ends to take the lead. Paul regained a narrow advantage before Dave leveled the game, bringing the tension to its peak. After 26 ends, the score was 20-20, and the crowd held its breath. On the final end, Dave’s last bowl narrowly missed Paul’s shot wood. That miss was all Paul needed — he didn’t need to bowl again and was crowned champion in a match full of suspense and skill.

Meanwhile, the Ladies Handicap final saw Gill face Jo. Gill, returning from Silloth, took control midway, opening a 5-shot lead after 16 ends at 15-10. Jo fought back, taking crucial ends and scoring two 3s to move ahead. After 19 ends, the score was 16-all, and Jo then scored 5 shots over the final three ends to win 21-16 in a thrilling contest of determination and tactical play.

While all this drama unfolded, the Friday Night Pairs match was being contested. Lawrence and Lee took an early grip on the game against Anthony and Gordon, but Anthony and Gordon fought back to lead 7-6 after 7 ends. They then failed to score across the next five ends, allowing Lawrence and Lee to edge back into the lead. Despite scoring four across the last three ends, Anthony and Gordon couldn’t catch up, and Lawrence and Lee won narrowly 12-11.

The Men’s Pairs final was a nail-biting contest from start to finish. The first end produced no score, but Andy & Paul quickly struck, scoring 6 on the second end to establish a strong early lead. By the 10th end, they were 6 shots ahead, but John & Dai fought back, scoring 5 over the next two ends to close the gap to just one.

On the 13th end, Andy made a tactical decision to take the two lying shots. They followed up on the 14th end with 1 shot, moving to 15-11, leaving the crowd on tenterhooks. Spectators thought John & Dai might force an extra end, but when John assessed the situation and scored 3, the final result was 15-14.

It was a match full of momentum swings, strategy, and nerve, with Andy & Paul demonstrating composure and tactical awareness to secure a thrilling victory.

Monday Night – The Title Decider: Courtfield A vs Subscription A

It all came down to Monday night: Courtfield A versus Subscription A, with the league title hanging in the balance. Courtfield knew that just one rink victory would be enough to reclaim the crown.

In a surprising twist, Kev had an idea — and yes, we were all shocked. The team shuffle moved the younger brother Lee away from Ste G and Dai, meaning they had to put up with Andy “Casper” McGarvie for the night, adding an extra layer of challenge to their rink.

• Rink 1 – Tayler, Ian P, and Kev got off to the perfect start, scoring 3 on the third end and 5 on the fourth to take a commanding 9-1 lead.

• Rink 4 – John, Paul, and Carsy also started strongly, going 5 up after 3 ends.

• Rink 5 – Dai and Ste G, now with Casper on the rink, found themselves 8 down after six ends against a strong Subscription trio.

• Rink 6 – Lawrence, Hong Kong, and Lee were flying, 7 up after 3 ends, giving Courtfield hope across the green.

Rink 4 saw John Baird start to assert his class, gradually pulling back a six-shot lead for Subscription, while Rink 5 slipped further behind, 11-2 down.

Meanwhile, Rink 1 continued their unbeaten streak, reaching 18-1 after 8 ends, in what looked like securing the 2 points needed, though 6 shots for Subscription narrowed the aggregate slightly.

Rink 6, the Courtfield trio, extended their lead to 18-5 by the 13th end (two ends ahead of the rest of the green), when the rain started. Subscription decided not to continue, and after the 14th end, it was over.

It was a tremendous effort, winning every game of the season, with moments of brilliance, tactical decisions, and composure under pressure. Even with subtle doubts about Courtfield’s star power, the team showed exactly why they were champions.

Final Table