Wood burning bright atop Premier after six matches
Red-hot Wrockwardine Wood ensured it was a Friday the 13th to remember to extend their 100 per cent record with a fine win on the road.
There was no bad fortune or cursed luck for the in-form Wrockites, who travelled to Newport to claim 11 points – including a bonus haul for an away win – to win seven games to five.
The high-scoring 210-192 aggregate scoreline sees Wood extend their lead at the summit of the Salop Leisure Shropshire Premier League to 13 points.
Wrockwardine’s biggest winner was Sally King, with a 21-5 success. Jamie King, Rob Roden, Stuart Rutter, Liam Stevens and Dan Taylor also chalked up big victories, while Steve Broome came out on the right side of a tight 21-20 end.
The leaders’ sixth win in six league matches has extended their lead over second-placed Castlefields, who were dealt a defeat on the road.
Fields were beaten 10-4 (234-183) in Wales at Hanmer to lose ground at the top. For mid-table Hanmer it was a third win in six and they had big wins from Graham Bennett (21-3) and Lee Peate and Matthew Beeston (both 21-8) to thank.
Bylet were home winners over Sir J Bayley in an entertaining and high-scoring contest in Bridgnorth.
The 9-5 home victory saw both sides chalk up aggregate scores of more than 200 – 224-206 – in a match that could have gone either way. Matthew Ealey and Scott Harries (both 21-8) shared the hosts’ best result, while Bylet’s Cheryl Caswell and Rob Renke both won to 20 as the side that started bottom climbed two places to 12th.
Burway continued their impressive campaign with a fourth win in six after seeing off Chester Road 10-4 (235-209). Kiah Roberts’ 21-11 was Burway’s best effort. Adam Dovey, Rob Jones and Russell Davies all won narrowly 21-19 as Chester Road slipped to 10th.
St Georges are third, six points behind Castlefields, after a third victory from six, this time comfortably at home to Wem USC.
The 11-3 (224-195) effort at Telford came courtesy of big wins for Martin Gaut (21-8) and Matthew Rhodes (21-9). Wem’s best effort was comfortably Gareth Davies’ 21-8 success. They now find themselves second-bottom, just a point clear of new basement boys Highley.
Highley’s position at the foot of the table comes after a fifth defeat in six following a 10-4 reverse on the road at Ifton. They are the only side to have claimed just a single victory so far, with Ifton comfortable 224-182 winners.
Ifton are ninth in a packed mid-table to bottom half. Geraint Williams’ 21-8 scoreline was their best result.
The evening’s other contest was a competitive and narrow 8-6 victory for Hanwood at home to Meole Brace. The derby saw the two sides share the 12 games, but a considerably superior aggregate of 238-197 ensured the hosts claimed the winning points to leapfrog Meole into sixth.
