Magic carpet success for Waverley takes them to the brink of top flight title – Portsmouth Bowls League round-up

Waverley travelled to Waterlooville and all but sealed the Portsmouth Bowls League top flight title with a 15-shot win on the carpet.
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They won on all rinks, led by the seven-shot success on Barry Starks’ rink.

Waverley now need just seven points from their last three games to be crowned champions - those could arrive in their next game at home to Lee-on-the-Solent.

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With Priory having the night off, Fareham extended their lead over them in the race for second place to 20 points with a 14-shot victory at Leigh Park.

Neil Scutt helped Alexandra beat Cowplain to ease their Portsmouth Bowls League relegation fears
Picture: Chris MoorhouseNeil Scutt helped Alexandra beat Cowplain to ease their Portsmouth Bowls League relegation fears
Picture: Chris Moorhouse
Neil Scutt helped Alexandra beat Cowplain to ease their Portsmouth Bowls League relegation fears Picture: Chris Moorhouse

With both clubs winning on two rinks, it was the 15-shot victory by Cyril Friend’s rink that swung the match Fareham’s way.

The four points Leigh picked up ensured they avoided relegation.

Lee-on-the-Solent’s hopes of avoiding the drop, though, were dealt a severe blow as visitors Rowner defeated them by 38 shots.

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Rowner won all four rinks, with the size of their victory thanks to big wins on the rinks of Graeme Coles and Barry Stafford.

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Another match that had an important impact on the relegation battle was Alexandra hosting Cowplain.

It resulted in Alexandra only needing two points from their final match to retain their Division 1 status by inflicting a 49-shot beating on their visitors.

The size of the winning margin was thanks to big wins on the rinks of Don Lilley and Neil Scutt.

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The top two in Division 2 clashed in their last match of the season at Northern Road.

As the previous week’s games had decided who finished first and second, it was all about whether Vospers could dent the Milton Park celebrations.

They achieved that aim, winning by 15 shots. Both clubs won on two rinks and each had a huge win. The 26-shot success by Ray Porter’s Vospers rink more than covered the 15-shot triumph of Mick Molloy’s Milton rink.

The other two matches were battles to see who would be relegated with Naismith.

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Star & Crescent ensured their safety with an eight-shot home win over Portsmouth Water. While Star won on two rinks and tied a third, they had to thank the 19-shot win

on Simon Filippi’s rink - that more than covered the 12-shot win recorded by Pete Musson’s Water rink.

Meanwhile, Gosport did themselves a power of good after winning by 10 shots at Naismith, moving above Water in the process. They won on three rinks, led by the seen-shot victory on Tony Horne’s rink.

Mick Chandler’s quartet prevented Naismith being whitewashed in their final game with a three-shot success.

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The Division 3 season ended with Denmead celebrating the title with a 12-shot victory at Pembroke Gardens. They won on three rinks, led by the nine-shot win on Brian Goldacre’s rink.

The nine-shot win by Jack Chernin’s rink prevented a Pembroke whitewash.

Bridgemary defeated runners-up Gas Social by four shots, recording on their second victory of the season.

It was a tight match, with both clubs winning on two rinks, and it was the five-shot win on Barrie Durant’s rink that edged the match Bridgemary’s way.

That result meant Pembroke ended the season with the infamous wooden spoon.

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