Brace bid to defend Trophy against Hanwood
Meole Brace, having made the silverware breakthrough in the Shropshire Premier League by winning the Alan Mayhew Trophy last year, are determined to hang on to it, writes Malcolm Fletcher.
They booked a place in Saturday’s final by beating Ifton by eight shots overall, Will Tarrel winning 21-9 in a 42-shot home success in the only single figure card of the semi-final showdown.
Holders Meole will now face Hanwood in the Barlows Fire & Security-sponsored final on Old Shrewsbury No.2 on Saturday (6.30pm start) after the villagers won a remarkable semi against champions-elect Castlefields.
They were 33 shots down after the first three at Fields, but won the next three thanks to Greg Smith (21-7) and 21-9s from Mark Shore and Phil Lyttle to come out on top of the away leg by five – and overall by 36 after a clean sweep at home.
Championship-chasing Ludlow Castle have finally broken their duck in the Tanner Cup.
After losing three times in the semi-finals of the Tanners Shropshire’s League’s main team knockout, Castle clinched a final appearance thanks to a 17-shot victory over Pontesbury.
From eight up after four, Ludlow Castle trailed by 11 going into the back four but Lee Wilding (21-4) and Graham Pritchard (21-9) booked a final shot at Castlefields on Saturday, September 16.
Shropshire Cup winners Castlefields took on Hanwood in the other semi-final on the adjoining green at Meole Brace at the same time, winning by 12 by resisting a late fightback after Mark Walker (21-5) and Steve Duckett (21-8) had given them early control.
