On Sunday 7th April the Fours Competition was held at Barton-le-Clay. Many thanks to Barton Carpet Bowls Club for the loan of their equipment.

3 Groups of 5 were involved with group winners progressing to knockout rounds.

Group A
This was a strong group Daniel Walker (Clophill), Mick Rogers (Turvey) and Paul Johnson (Barton) all with six points. Daniel Walker won the group with the best shot difference.

Group B
There was an outright winner in Peter Belcher (Barton) in this group, winning all 4 games. Followed by George Savage (Clophill) and Pauline Baynes (Cople) on equal points, 4 each.

Group C
Again we had an outright winner with all 4 wins, Sue Bollins (Toddington) followed Alex Lelliot (Slip End) 2 wins closely followed by Jill Ellis (Westoning) & Carol Still (Barton).

Semi Final 1
Daniel Walker (Clophill) v Peter Belcher (Barton)
Clophill won all ends apart from the last one ending with a score 12-1.

Semi Final 2
Sue Bollins(Toddington) v Mick Rogers (Turvey)
The Toddington team of ladies did very well beating Turvey 7-4.

Final
Daniel Walker, Pete & Pam Lovell & Debi Inseal (Clophill) v Sue Bollins, Fran Hibberd, Kate Tilcock & Linda O’Brien (Toddington)
An excellent game played by both teams ending with a score of 10-4 to Sue Bollins (Toddington).

Many thanks to all it was a good day and once again a big thank you to Barton for loaning their equipment to us.

Sunday 3rd March saw 20 triples go into battle at Barton le Clay, split into 4 groups of 5 with the group winners progressing to the knockout rounds.

Group A
This looked like a stroung group, and the first games were all close with G Savage (Clophill) and K Cockings (Turvey) having narrow wins. G Savage won his next game then drew with V Brodie (Slip End), but K Cockings had 2 huge wins and won the group undefeated on 8pts.

Group B
C Still (Barton) led halfway through on 4pts but with all the others beating each other up, 2 more wins, although very narrowly, sent the Barton triple through on 8pts.

Group C
P Johnston (Barton) was on 6pts after 3 games but a 7-5 loss on his last to A Lelliot (Slip End) took them to 6 pts too, so it was decided on shots, with Barton going through on plus 23.

Group D
This was closest group of the day. P Baynes (Cople) had 4pts, but close behind J Ellis (Westoning) and D Cook (Silsoe) were on 3 each. Cople won their third gamethen lost their final game, but still squeezed through on 6 points.

Semi Final 1
P Johnston (Barton) v P Baynes (Cople)
Cople opened the first end with a disaster as the lead took jack off with the first wood. After an exchange of shots it was all level, at 3-3 after 4 ends. But Cople never took another shot as Barton eased away to win 8-3.

Semi Final 2
C Still (Barton) v K Cockings (Turvey)
Both undefeated thus far, the early exchanges saw Barton 3-2 up after 4 ends. But the game changed as Turvey took a 3 on the 5th end and 3 more on last 2 ends to win 8-3.

Final
Gill Gardener, Rita Grant & Paul Johnston (Barton) v Matthew Hatton, Paul Hurren & Keith Cockings (Turvey )
The final on what was fastest mat in the hall saw Turvey quickly on a length and pace. Barton were really struggling and were already 8-0 down after 2 ends. A single saw Barton settle a littleat 8-1, but then Turvey hit the mark scoring 7 more unanswered shots to take the title with early handshake at 15-1 after 7 ends.

Well done to Turvey and Barton on getting to final, congratulations to Matt, Paul and Keith. This was Keith's 3rd title of the season (so far) to go with the Singles and Pairs.

Many thanks to all for a good day and especially to Barton for loaning the equipment.

Sunday 14th January saw 30 pairs in battle at Barton le Clay split into 6 groups with the 6 group winners and 2 best runners-up going through to Knockout Stages.

Group A
This group was headed by Turvey pair Hatton/Hurren, the runners-up being Clophill/Savage on 6 pts, who would need to wait for count up at the end.

Group B
This was very close but Toddington Pair Brock took the group with a draw in last game to head off Clophill/Walker who on 5pts had a chance still.

Group C
Another close one, with the Silsoe/Cook pair winning their last game only to lose out on shots to Turvey/Cockings, who scored a 6 on first end of last game to pip the Silsoe duo, but 6pts may get them through too.

Group D
The Colmworth/Ball pair lost there final game, but on 6pts were already joined by Clophill/Painter, but Colmworth prevailed on shots to take group leaving Clophill in the runner-up mix.

Group E
Yet another tight group. Silsoe/Greaves lost their final game to Toddington/Webster, who took the group win with 6pts. With two runners-up on 5pts, they looked unlikely to progress.

Group F
A runaway win for the Cotton End/MacDonald pair, who took 4 wins. They would be lone team from the group to progress.

Quarter Finals
Turvey/P Hurren v Toddington/P Webster
This game was very close after 6 ends, and was level at 4-4, but a couple of decent Turvey bowls tight on jack saw them take 2 on last to win 6-4.

Toddington/C Brock v Cotton End/MacDonald
This was a bizarre game. A 5 on first end set the tone. Toddington were 8-0 up after 3 ends, then Cotton End fired back 12 unanswered shots over the next 3 ends. Despite losing 2 on final end Cotton End won 12-10.

Turvey/K Cockings v Silsoe/D Cook
A repeat of the first group game this morning, but the Turvey pair eased away with 5 on 5th end to win 12-5 this time, unlike the morning's loss.

Colmworth/P Ball v Clophill/D Painter
Clophill were 3-0 up after 3 ends but a 3 got Colmworth level, only for them to loose 2 on next. Colmworth gained one on 6th end but a final 2 to Clophill saw them progress 7-4.

Semi-Finals
Turvey (Matt Hatton & Paul Hurren) v Cotton End (Robert & Sue MacDonald)
This game was between 2 undefeated group winners. The leads were close in on every end, and the game stood at 4-4 after 4 ends. The 5th end saw Cotton End take 2 to lead 6-4 but a single to Turvey meant all to play on the last end, which saw CE holding a single, but as the head sat, there was a chance to turn one in and stay. Paul clipped the shot wood but his ran out to leave Robert and Sue 7-6 winners.

Turvey (Mick Rogers & Keith Cockings) v Clophill (Eillen Palmer & Doreen Painter)
The Turvey pair were quickly into this game, and it was 5-0 after 2 ends. A single to Clophill saw it 5-1 after 3 but Turvey ran out 8 shots in next 3 ends to win 13-1, with early handshake.

Final
Turvey (Mick Rogers & Keith Cockings) v Cotton End (Robert and Sue MacDonald)
Cotton End (CE) were close in on first end to take a 2-0 lead, but twos on the 2nd and 3rd ends saw Turvey (T) up 4-2. A single then got CE closer at 4-3 but then the Turvey pair proceeded to take 9 unanswered shots over the next 4 ends, leaving CE to shake hands on 8th end as Turvey won 13-3.

Congratulations to Mick and Keith on their win commiserations to Robert and Sue.

Thank you to all who came and stayed on till the final to watch, plus those who did scoring and equipment in and out on the day.

The Singles returned after 4 years, but just to confuse a few, on Saturday 11th November, due hall availability the 28 entries were drawn into 6 groups (with one bye in two of the groups).

Group A
Group A saw Pauline Baynes leading with 2 wins in her first 2 games, with 2 games left a win by 2 shots, and then a 5-4 win saw Pauline win the group.

Group B
This looked like a tough group. Paul Waghorn won his opening game, along with Jim Greaves, and a draw between Paul Hurren and Peter Webster. Paul won his next 2 games but lost the last, Jim was unbeaten with 3 wins and a draw to progress on 7pts

Group C
With a bye in this group, Viv Whyatt Routh and Gill Cook finished on 6 pts each. Gill took group on shot difference, leaving Viv waiting to see if a runner-up spot would be hers on 6 pts and -3 shots.

Group D
This group also had a bye. David Playforth and Keith Cockings met in the last game in the group, with Keith running out the 9-2 winner to finish on 6 pts, with David in with a runners-up chance also on 6pts and +1.

Group E
Jill Ellis lost her first game 3-4 to David Cook, but Jill won her last 3 games, and with David losing his final one 1-8, Jill won group leaving David on 6pts and -1.

Group F
Mathew Hatton raced through the group unbeaten to finsh on 8pts, but was pushed by Angela Little who finished on 6pts with a 0 shot difference.

Quarter Finals
David Playforth and Angela Little qualified on 6pts, with their shot difference being the decider.

Pauline Baynes v Jill Ellis
Jill won a pair on first end, then Pauline took a four, only to lose a pair on the next 4-4 after 3ends. Pauline the got another 4 and a single to lead 9-5 taking another single to win 10-5.

Gill Cook v Angela Little
Both players picked shots up, and it was Angela 4-3 up after 4 ends. She went on to take 6 more shots in to win 10-3.

Jim Greaves v Mathew Hatton
Mathew picked a 4 up on first end then 2 singles to be 6-0 up, but he lost the next 3 ends and it was 6-6 as Jim pegged him back. The last end was tight but Jim took a single to complete his comeback and win 7-6.

Keith Cockings v David Playforth
David was quickly into a 4-0 lead but Keith took a single then a 4 on end 4 to lead 5-4, a single and a further 3 saw Keith win 9-4.

Semi-Finals
Pauline Baynes v Jim Greaves
Pauline took a couple on first end, then a single to Jim it was 2-1. Pauline then had a 2 to lead 4-1 but like the Quarter Final Jim consistently drew in to pick up shots to run out the winner, 9-4.

Keith Cockings v Angela Little
Angela really did struggle on this mat losing a 4 on first end. That seemed to knock her confidence, as Keith kept drawing in for the next 4 ends to take a 13-0 win.

Final
Keith Cockings (Turvey ) v Jim Greaves (Silsoe)
The final was 9 ends with Jim playing Keith who was defending the title, albeit won in 2019.

The first end Jim was a little wayward and Keith dropped his last wood in to take a 3-0 lead. End 2, and Jim draws close with his 2nd and takes a single, 3-1. The 3rd end was the same Jim draws very close to take another single, 3-2. The next 2 ends saw Jim struggle, Keith rolled Jim's wood out to take a 3 then another 3 on the 5th to lead 9-2.

A single to Keith on 6th saw lead up to 10-2. The 7th end sees Jim needing a good shot count. He is down 1 but an attempt to grab several shots removes his nearest wood, and he loses 3 more, and they shake handswith the score 13-2 to Keith.

Congratulations Keith on his 5th County Singles Title and retaining the trophy.

Thanks to all who stayed to help clear up and to all that attended. We appreciate your support.