Early leaders enjoy two-point advantage in Scunthorpe Bowls League

IN EARLY Evening Division One, Paul Johnson's team are maintaining their good form, having secured a two-point lead over second-placed Dave Saxby's team.

A match between the Saxby team and that of Tony Nicholson was decided by a high score on one end late in the game.

The game started with the Saxby squad taking an early lead of 5-1, but they were unable to maintain the momentum and allowed the Nicholson rink to get back at 7-7.

Then disaster struck the Nicholson four.

Having levelled the score, they then dropped six shots on the following end to go 13-7 adrift with five ends left to play.

Saxby's team managed to tighten the game up, running out 16-10 victors.

In Division Two, the team of Graham Teal remains in top spot, now only three points clear of nearest rivals Dave Copley's team and John Fleming's team in third.

Only seven shots separated the team of Gez Holloway and the experienced Teal team when they met in a match that produced a good battle.

The first half belonged to the Teal squad, who went 11-3 and then 19-8 in front.

However, the Holloway rink suddenly started to score shots, clawing the score back to a respectable 19-13 with just one end left to play.

In this final end, Teal's team, having played consistently well throughout, scored a single shot to run out 20-13 winners.

Evening Pairs Division One sees the Steve Burton pairing having increased their lead to four points over the Adam Rhodes pairing.

Three shots decided the match between the Warwick Wooldridge pairing and the Rob Skinner duo.

This evenly-balanced duel produced some quality bowling by both pairs.

After a match full of excellent heads, the Wooldridge pair took the honours, 13-10.

In Division Two, the Phil Boulton pairing sit in top spot, just one point clear of the Frank Pike pairing.

A match between the teams of John Fleming and Josey Rayner produced a battle of attrition.

Both pairs set off well, but the Rayner pair started to apply extra pressure and took a 13-8 lead.

Then back came the Fleming pair to go one shot behind at 16-15 with three ends left.

A determined and confident Rayner pair scored two shots to the Fleming pair's one to win the match 18-16.

In Veteran Rinks Division One, Pat Lowe's team have increased their lead to five points over Peter Collins's side.

Lowe's team faced up to that of Jean Anderson's in a match with a dramatic finish.

At the halfway stage, the Lowe squad had developed an 8-3 lead with quality bowling.

At this point, the Anderson rink started to produce some great form, pulling the score back to 10-8 in their favour with three ends remaining.

In the first two of these final ends the Lowe rink scored two shots on each, and the Anderson rink scored two on the final end to finish 12-12.

In Division Two, the Neil Berry team hold on to top spot by just one point over Arthur Meggett's team, who are snapping at their heels.

Terry Hardy's team battled against Eileen Horton's team in a match that was evenly balanced until the second half of the encounter.

It ended with the Hardy rink winning 16-13.