Bowls: Mossley wrap up League title in style

The 12 points means Mossley cannot be caught by those teams with outstanding league fixtures to complete. This creates PGL history, as no team has ever won Division 2 in successive seasons. Mossley won the title last year, but were denied promotion to the top league due to a restructuring of the PG Leagues, and a reduction in the number of teams in the top division. Next season they will take their place amongst the Association’s elite.

The title was won with a 31-shot (85-54) win at home to Cavehill, when the six points earned surpassed the 4.5 points required to make it mathematically impossible for other clubs to match Mossley’s total.

The game was in danger of being called off before a bowl was delivered, due to thunder storms and a heavy downpour just before kick-off - with surface water lying on the green taking its time drain.

It was Cavehill who took to the conditions slightly better than the home side and they looked liked spoiling the party as they took a two-shot lead after nine of the scheduled 18 ends.

However, simultaneous ‘counts’ of six and four by the Crawford and Strange rinks sparked Mossley into life. Despite all four home rinks being behind at some stage of the game, three of them hit form once the green dried out and Mossley cruised to a 31-shot victory.

Rink scores: Eddie Crawford 25, R Waddell 11; Ian Strange 24, T Gardiner 12; Colin Ferguson 16, A Ross 20; Gareth Bell 20, B White 54.