Black Country went into their last game of the season in the L-Style Division One knowing mathematically they could still get promotion to the Championship but realistically believing it was a bridge too far as they were fifth in the division and although only seven points behind local rivals West Midlands who were second, their final fixture was a home tie with divisional leaders Middlesex who were some seventeen points ahead of them.
It was not a good weekend for the ladies as both the ‘B’ and ‘A’ teams lost 4-2 with award winner Grace Angell and McKenzie Raine Thomas the only two winners for the ‘B’ side with the former lifting the award for her 16.70 average and 3-0 win over Leah Nelson. For the ‘A’ team the winning duo were Chez Allcock and Heather Wright with the match award going to Heather Wright for her 3-2 win over Hayleigh Shaw and 17.72 average.
The men’s ‘B’ turned out to be the Black Country’s only winners of the weekend, beating their counterparts 8-4 thanks to wins from Mark Jones, Sam Bissell, Rob Smith, Rich Bowen, Ian Townsend, Martin Greenwood, Adam Edgar and Jake Shipley. The man of the match award going to Adam Edgar for his 4-2 win over Chris Grannell and 25.95 average.
It all began well for the men’s ‘A’ side as Michael Powell, Kieron Bridgwater and Paul Wells put them 3-0 up, but by the halfway point it was level pegging at 3-3. As the second session got underway Middlesex went ahead leading 5-3and although Black Country’s award winner Tom Bissell beat Josh Hook with a 31.69 average, Aaron Colley was their only other winner as they lost 7-5.
The overall 19-17 defeat saw Black Country finish the season fifth in the league with 208 points, fourteen short of a promotional place.
———————————