Bottom side continue form with latest win - Shropshire Premier round-up
Horsehay enjoyed a profitable evening in the race to move from the foot of the Shropshire Bowls Premier League as rivals Hanmer lost ground.
The county's premier division's bottom side made it back-to-back victories to inject real life into their bid for survival by eating into second-bottom Hanmer's advantage.
The Telford side saw off visitors Hanwood by a narrow margin of 7-5 and by an aggregate of just 12 chalks, with the final scoreline 223-211.
Horsehay's Gareth Jones secured an impressive 21-5 victory - by some way his side's biggest winner with Steve Walker's 21-14 the next best. Mid-table Hanwood pushed the hosts close to claim five points, as Craig Ashley (21-4) won well.
Having doubled their victories for the season in the last two weeks, the bottom side are now just eight points adrift of Welsh outfit Hanmer, who were seen off at home by third-placed Wrockwardine Wood.
The Wrockites built on a victory over Sir John Bayley with a strong 9-3 away win to pocket a healthy 14 points.
An aggregate scoreline of 231-192 underlined a high-scoring affair in favour of the visitors. Wood's Steve Broome and Sam Millward won to 11 to help the victors on their way. Hanmer's Anthony Harper won 21-11.
At the other end of the table champions Castlefields pressed home their advantage at the summit with a dominant one-sided home victory over Highley.
The table-toppers widened their lead at the top by a single point to five with the 11-1 thrashing.
Castlefields' aggregate margin was almost 100 in a scoreline of 251-159. Tom Palmer secured a 21-4 victory alongside Wayne Rogers, another single-digit winner to eight.
John Heath, with 21-20, was Highley's sole winner.
Second-placed Sir John Bayley are five points adrift after dispatching Bylet on their home green.
The chasers were also comfortable home victors as lowly Bylet fell to a 10-2 defeat.
Scott Simpson led the way in his head-to-head with a 21-3 success as Reece Farr racked up a 21-10. Bylet are third-bottom, eight points better off than Hanmer.
A tight encounter between Adderley and St Georges went the way of seventh-placed hosts Adderley.
The home side ran out 9-3 winners with an aggregate of 234-211. Darren Palin impressed with 21-11 in a key winner for Adderley. A couple of tight affairs were decided by one in favour of Adderley's Ryan Frost and Gary Whitehall.
Wem USC recorded an 8-4 home victory over Burway in their bid to push into the top half of the division.
The 230-164 success came via big wins from Sarah Weaver (21-7), George Williams and Darren Fizpatrick (both 21-8).
Ifton ensured they stayed on the heels of third-placed Wrockwardine Wood as they prevailed 9-3 (228-197) over fourth-bottom Meole Brace.
Bayley travel to Ludlow to tackle Burway this Friday, as Castlefields visit Bylet. Horsehay make the short trip to St Georges.
