Plate success

Following up on their recent success at the Bangor Open Bowling Tournament when they won the Fours Alan Roberts, Kristofor Matchett, Reece Millar and Stephen Poots did it again to win the Plate Final at the Annual Hilden Open Invitation Rinks Tournament by just one shot against a Keith Morrison Select.
Reece Millar, Stephen Poots, Kristofor Matchett and Alan Roberts, skip.Reece Millar, Stephen Poots, Kristofor Matchett and Alan Roberts, skip.
Reece Millar, Stephen Poots, Kristofor Matchett and Alan Roberts, skip.

Morrison’s rink to an early lead 4-0 after the third end but Robert’s rink pulled things together and succeeded to win the next five ends, mostly by single shots to be ahead 6-4 after the 8th. Morrison’s rink won the next four ends to lead again 9-6 but what a climax to a super match.

Roberts went to bowl on the 14th end being four shots down in the head but he bowled an excellent bowl to trail the jack to take the end by a shot.

Having won the previous end by two ends the match was all square at 9-9 going into the last end.

Poots bowled two close bowls and Millar followed by touching the jack to just behind Poots’ bowls to lie three shots. Knowing that Taylor and Morrison had no option but to play weighted bowls Matchett and Roberts called upon their experience to play superb cover bowls to protect the head. Morrison still took a chance and fired at the head but could only remove two of the Lurgan Fours’ lying bowls to give them victory by one shot.

Michael Bunting’s Lurgan rink was the only local one left in the main Hilden Trophy Rinks Competition. They made the semi-final and were unfortunate to lose by just two shots. Congratulations to both rinks from Lurgan Club bowlers.