Premier Bowls: Leaders survive scare as advantage cut

Leaders Castlefields saw their advantage at the Shropshire Premier Bowling League summit trimmed after a narrow home win over Adderley.

The visitors, who sit bottom but one, produced an excellent performance to win six out of the 12 matches and were within a whisker of claiming a remarkable victory, as Darren Palin was edged out by Andy Duckett 21-20.

Castlefields ultimately claimed the two bonus points for the better average score and an 8-6 win but their lead at the top is now down to seven points after closest challengers Sir John Bayley, convincing winners over Adderley the previous week, edged a thrilling contest at Meole Brace.

A big win for Paul Evans, who beat Chris Jones 21-9, proved crucial as the visiting side edged the aggregate score 203-200 after 12 hard-fought games.

That gave them a total haul of 11 points from the contest and closed the gap on Castlefields.

Wrockwardine Wood sit comfortably in third place after an emphatic home win over St Georges.

Daniel Corbett, with a 21-17 triumph over Steve Roberts, was the only visiting player to win a game as the home side recorded a 13-1 victory, gaining revenge for defeat in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.

At the other end of the table, Hanmer went a long way to retaining their Premier League status by beating bottom-of-the-table Bylet.

Ian Hopson played strongly for the basement side to record a 21-10 win over Matthew Beeston but John Newey was his only team-mate to triumph, with the home outfit eventually claiming a 12-2 victory.

Elsewhere, Woore took nine points from a thrilling contest at Highley. The home side won seven of the 12 games but it was the visitors who clinched the four bonus points, courtesy of a 222-221 aggregate victory, with big wins for Gary Beff and Carl Hinton proving crucial in the final equation.

Both teams are part of a heavily congested mid-table currently topped by Hanwood, who sit fourth after winning a well-contested match with Wem.

Dave Burton led the way with a 21-9 win over George Williams and though the visitors did claim four games, it was the home side who were stronger on route to a 221-203 aggregate triumph and 10-point haul.

Burway’s match with Ifton was postponed, with the league due to make a statement later this week.