After missing out on promotion last season Salopian had a tough opener to the new campaign as they played away against Gwynedd who last season played in the L-Style Division One. The away team could not have wished for a better start as Chloe Ames won in straight legs against Mandy Williams with an award winning average of 15.03. The cheers were short-lived for the visitors as 3-1 wins from Rhian Amday and Lynda Roberts over respective opponents Emma Callaghan and Hayley McGuinness gave the hosts a 2-1 lead. Anna Peatroy made it 2-2 when she won 3-0 against Heledd Thomas but two further 3-1 wins from Pat Graham and Laura Jones in turn over Helen Walmsley and Claire Boyle gave Gwynedd the 4- 2 result.
All six of the first half games of the men’s ‘B match went against the first throw advantage as the hosts took the lead three times and had it cancelled out on each occasion. Ben Mitchell was the home team’s first winner beating James Jenkins 4-3 with Dave Bayton the man to wipe out Mitchell’s win when he won 4-1 against Gwyn AP Tomos. Dave Halliday was the second man to give Gwynedd the lead, his 4-2 win over Tony Middleton being erased as Shane Hayward won 4-1 against Alwyn Thomas. Despite Dave Pudge putting the hosts 3-2 up when he won 4-1 against Rowan Price the two teams went into the break all-square at 3-3 after man of the match Mick Unsworth beat Chris Jones 4-2 and had a 23.31 average.
The sequence was broke as early as the first game of the second half when Steve O’Callgahn (Salopian) won 4-1 against Jason Baker and with a similar 4-1 win from Dean Stokes against Mike Simpson Salopian were 5-3 up. Assuring the away side of at least a share of the spoils was Eddie Price as he added his 4-2 win over Rhys Edwards to their tally, the win guaranteed in the very next game as Andy Gilbert won 4-2 against Lee Williams. The last two games both went to Gwynedd as Sion AP Tomos won 4-3 against Glyn Thomas and Dylan Anderson won 4-1 against Matt Maxfield to take the final score to 7-5 in Salopian’s favour.
Going into Sunday’s ‘A’ games the overall score was level at 9-9 with both teams having everything to play for.
The opening four games of the ladies ‘A’ match all went to the player with the first throw advantage, Steph Clarke giving Salopian the early lead when she won 3-0 against Shereen Downs. Jacky Blanks levelled the game when she won 3-1 against Emma Tapp only to see the away team forge ahead again in the third when lady of the match Kate Titley beat Jane Jenkins 3-0 and averaged 23.48. Jac Leggatt (Gwynedd) restored parity in the fourth when she won 3-1 against Tracey Dean before the sequence was ended and the hosts won the last two games, Susan Davies winning 3-2 against Sue Lane and Gaynor Williams beating Julie Griffiths 3-1 to give Gwynedd a 4-2 victory.
Salopian went one up in the men’s ‘A’ game when Mark Graham beat Deian Roberts 4-1 and although Dafydd Williams levelled the game when he won 4-1 against Jamie Chaplin, Salopian went ahead again in the third thanks to a 4-2 win from Shaun Pryce over Scott Bannerman. Extending Salopian’s lead to 3-1 was Dafydd Edwards who accounted for Barry Jones with a 4-1 scoreline and despite a 4-2 win from Gwilym Fon Owen (Gwynedd) over Jon Mansell by the midway point the visitors were 4-2 up with a further win from Ben Bevan over Mike Castro
The first game of the second half saw Andy Evans extend the away team’s lead to 5-2 when he beat Don Robertson 4-2. The following three games all resulted in 4-1 wins with two of them going to the home side and one to the visitors as Kelvin Ducklin (Gwynedd) beat Kacey Jones, Jamie Kynaston (Salopian) won against Dylan Hughes-Jones and Noel Coward (Gwynedd) defeated Gary Crowther to take the score along to 6-4 in Salopian’s favour. Putting up the magical winning seventh game for Salopian was their man of the match Mark Crutchley who in his 4-3 win over Alex Williams he averaged 31.06. Then to end the day, the weekend, the game and the fixture Paul Rowley beat Mike Shaw 4-1 to give Salopian men’s ‘A’ an 8-4 win and an overall 19-17 victory for the weekend.
The win gives Salopian a total of twenty-two points, just three short of leaders Tyne and Wear and puts them fifth in the divisional table.
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