Waverley extend Portsmouth Bowls League lead after victory on Cowplain’s carpet

They won on three rinks, led by the 20-shot success on Ollie Mew’s rink. David Luffman’s rink did manage a six-shot win for Cowplain.

Priory nearly lost their second game in a row when they hosted next to bottom Lee-on-the-Solent.

With all the rinks having two ends each to play, the Solent club were seven shots up. But Priory then managed to pick up eight shots overall to scrape through by a single shot.

Adrian Snook’s rink were their only winners - by 10 shots - as Solent won on two rinks and the other was drawn. Priory are now six points behind Waverley.

Fareham moved closer to Priory with a 45-shot home thrashing of Waterlooville. They had big wins on three rinks, led by the 20-shot victory by Charlie Bailey’s quartet. Derek Holt’s men prevented the whitewash with their four-shot win.

Division 2 leaders Vospers suffered a 33-shot beating at Star & Crescent. Star won on three rinks, with big wins by the rinks of Robbie Denninson (20 shots) and Simon Filippi (14). Dave Young’s quartet spared Vospers’ blushes with an eight-shot win.

Milton Park took advantage of that slip-up to retake top spot with their eight-shot success at Portsmouth Water. They won on two rinks and drew a third , with Mick Edney’s men winning for the watermen.

Naismith gained their second victory of the season with an 11-shot home win over Gosport. They won on three rinks and had to thank the 13-shot win by Kelvin Chandler’s quartet, which covered the 15-shot defeat handed out by Tony Horne’s Gosport rink.

Third tier leaders Denmead now need 11 more points to win the title and after a nine-shot win at Bridgemary. They were made to struggle, though, as both clubs won two rinks. The 16-shot win by Mike Wright’s rink more than covered the nine-hot defeat suffered against John Wilson’s Bridgemary rink.

They have the night off next week and may well clinch the title when they take on Gas in a fortnight’s time.

Purbrook Heath enjoyed a comprehensive 28-shot home win over Pembroke Gardens. They won on three rinks, with double-digit wins on the rinks of Mick Frank and Dave Jelley. Alec Smith’s quartet again spared Pembroke’s blushes, holding on for a single shot win.