Black Country began their fourth fixture away to Leicestershire in the UKDA National League L-Style Division One placed fourth on seventy-three points while their hosts were two places off the foot of the table with fifty-one points, both teams having only played three fixtures compared to many of the teams above them having played four.
The ladies ‘B’ match began well for Leicestershire as their Caroline Newberry and Trish Roberts in turn both won 3-0 against Lacey Hughes and Kirsty Shaughnessy. Stella Sims reduced the arrears when she beat Kelly Welsh 3-1 and with a further 3-1 win for Black Country’s lady of the match Paige Robbins over Angela Sheffield with a 15.06 average, the score was levelled at 2-2. Ella Coburn restored the home team’s lead with her 3-1 win over Sarah-Jane Parker but the game finished all-square at 3-3 when last-on Amy-Leigh Tolley (Black Country) beat Melanie Bell 3-2.
Like the ladies ‘B’ Leicestershire’s men’s ‘B’ also had a fine start as they opened up a 3-0 lead with wins from Harry Earp, Scott Brookes and Ian Turner who accounted for their respective counterparts Andy Garratt (4-2), Jamie Rollinson (4-2) and Kieron Bridgwater (4-0). Gavin Smith was the visitor’s first winner, beating Leon Baumber 4-1, only to see the home team have their three games buffer restored when Wayne Beaumont won 4-1 against Rich Bowen. By the midway point the score was 4-2 in the home team’s favour after Jake Shipley (Black Country) closed the half with a 4-3 win over Alex Bruce.
As the second half got underway it was Black Country who were first out of the blocks winning four in-a-row, all begun by Wayne Hobday who beat Michael Hibbert 4-1. Al Smith had a similar 4-1 win against Tyler Beasley and with a further 4-2 success for Sam Bissell over Billy Jackson Black Country had opened up an 5-4 lead. Man of the match Rob Smith put the win beyond Leicestershire’s reach when he won 4-1 against Andy Shillcock with a 24.33 average. Anthony Sutton kept hopes of a draw alive got he hosts when he won the penultimate game against Ian Townsend 4-2 but the 7-5 result went to Black Country as anchor-man Mark Jones won 4-3 against Leigh Peet.
The home side’s ladies ‘A’ team stormed into an unbeatable 3-0 position with wins from Rebecca Collins, Shannon Reeve and Mem Martin-Jones who beat respective opponents Chez Allcock (3-2), Doreen Hunt (3-1) and Maxine Prosser (3-1). The following two games both went to the wire with Heather Wright (Black Country) winning the first, 3-2 against Paula Swain and Lauren Hall not only beating Abbey Hunt by the same margin but at the same time chalking up the all-important winning fourth game for Leicestershire. The last encounter produced Black Country’s second winner in the form of Tammy Chance who not only won 3-0 against Liz Brunt but at the same time won the match award for her 22.10 average. The final score 4-2 to Leicestershire.
It was not a good first half of the men’s ‘A’ game for Black Country as they found themselves trailing 5-1 at the halfway stage. David Barker, Neil Pullen and Paul Harbourne opened up a 3-0 lead for Leicestershire when they defeated Jamie Barrowman (4-2), Dan Homer (4-3) and Liam Kelly (4-1). Cayden Smith momentarily stopped the rot with his 4-1 win against Martin Giddings only to see the last two games of the half go to the hosts when Ben Quenby beat Paul Wells 4-1 and Darren Tyler won 4-0 against Steve Jones.
After a half to forget it then turned out to be a similar outcome in the second half with Black Country, once again getting just the one winner. Ricky Sudale opened up with a win for the home side when he won 4-0 against Dave Edwards and although the second game of the half produced Black Country’s man of the match in the shape of Trev Brennan who won 4-1 against Janek Hill with a 27.48 average the next four games all went to Leicestershire. Adam Marziano had a 4-3 win over Alex Howells, Andrew Hibbert won 4-1 against Michael Powell and the last two games both resulted in 4-0 wins for Leicestershire’s Jason Lole and Scott Hope who in turn beat George Willetts and Aaron Cole to give Leicester’s men’s ‘A’ a huge 10-2 win and take the overall score for the weekend to 22-14 in favour of the home side.
As a result of their defeat Black Country dropped two places in the table to sixth on eighty-seven points and Leicestershire, despite the win remain ninth, two places off the foot of the table with seventy-six points, both teams have only played four fixtures and could well move up the table when they play their game in hand.
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