Last Saturday afternoon Lurgan B came out worthy winners in a tight tussle at home to Castleton A, played in intemperate conditions, to finish 11 shots up while taking 5 league points from the match.

Castleton A fought hard to go into a 4-shot lead after the opening 5 ends with the home side initially finding things difficult on the damp bowling surface but normal service was soon resumed with Lurgan B upping their game to take the 18-end match to all square at 34-34 at the halfway stage.

The home side kept themselves on track to be 7 shots ahead after 15 ends with Luke Donaldson’s rink leading the way at 22-10 on Rink 1 and then coasting to a magnificent match-winning 30-10 victory on the day to secure a vital Division point.

Mick Parr and his trio just couldn’t get going during their first half to find themselves 3-16 down at the midpoint facing Alan Miles’ rink but they pulled things together to dominate the second half. Heroically chasing a win, they won five of the remaining ends and were unfortunate to lose 14-19 – a valuable home score to assist the overall win.

A tight run ensued on Stewart Martin’s rink facing the tough visiting four. The Lurgan Four fought all the way; leading from the 4th end to be just ahead by 10-8 after 11 ends. Greatly assisted by triple shot wins on 13th and 14th ends they held on to finish just ahead by 17-15 – another good league point.

Although Simon Maguire, on the difficult end rink, with his fellow bowlers tried their very best to catch Graham Miles’ Four being just 2 shots adrift on the 9th end, a run of four opposition rink wins in the second half extended the visitors lead for them to run out 9-15 winners.

It going to be a busy time for Lurgan B over the next two weeks with them being at home to North Down in a Division 3 match next Saturday afternoon; then at home to Antrim Lawn on Wednesday night week in the 2nd Round of the NIBA Junior Challenge Cup; and away to Coleraine to meet NIPBA team, Brookgreen B in the 2nd Round of the Irish Junior Cup on Saturday week.

Lurgan B 70 (5) Castleton A 59 (2)