MORE TO LEARN FROM LOSING

4/7/22
Chorley & District League Div-3: Anderton St Joseph's 'B' 145-136 Eagle & Child 'A'
v BERNARD ROSCOE L 16-21

Another tough away draw against a chap in the top fifteen of the divisional merit, but this latest defeat on the road was much more dignified. The gap to being able to compete and win a match like this felt narrower.
I got myself in to a position where winning looked a possibility. Was it not for poor judgement and shot selection on the last couple of ends, this one could have been even closer.
After a good start, Bernard hit back to lead 11-6 at one point. It was clear I was up against it. But I kept my cool(ish) and wasn't playing poorly by any means, I chipped away trying to limit him to singles and snatch back what I could.
I got punished from corner to corner for a few ends but once I'd sussed that out a bit better I ground myself back in to contention and even got my nose in front at 16-15.
Holding two close ones in the corner, momentum for the match might well have tipped my way was it not for a hell of a bowl from Bernard who crept in between my woods and tapped the jack on for two of his own. There's nowt you can do when your opponent does that with the last bowl other than commend them. It was a shot. Poker-faced Bernard almost broke in to half a smile, so it must have been a good 'un.
Last game on, we've got the green to ourselves now and I take it as a small compliment that Bernard doesn't chuck it long to the far corner again. Instead, it's a short, straight peg but a tricky road to get there. His lead bowl isn't unbeatable but I lost my land and this green could be unforgiving if your lines were slightly out. Bizarrely I am hearing a loud conversation about Ena Sharples in our away team end as I'm sending the bowl, which made me try to remember the famous Coronation Street actresses real name for some reason. "Violet summat", I'm thinking...
Whether this actually distracted me I don't know, but I managed to forget about it for my next shot which at least saved one to trail 16-18.
Bernard then sends the jack over the middle of the crown towards the visitors end where perhaps vintage Crossroads or Brookside characters were now up for discussion? Who knows, I was trying hard not to listen to anything at all around the green.
I'm surprised as my opponent uncharacteristically rolls short, but then, like a numpty I follow him. I'm then very surprised as he barely passes his first wood, but my numptyism reaches new heights as I put a fourth bowl in this sad cluster of shorties and the fact I managed to save a point was scant consolation. I was really cross with myself.
We then go back the other way where the green zips downhill and quicker. It's a decent lead from Bernard and this is where I should have struck. I'd struck successfully earlier over quite a distance and there was a good enough target to hit wood, jack or both. But I talked myself out of it and drew instead, too much on it and a few yards on. A poor effort. Bernard's a bit short second time but slightly obscures the target. Once again I should've played through, hit something and possibly saved the game at least. Instead I send a worse effort than my first, caught in two minds really. Game to Bernard and another end of match situation to put down to experience. One can certainly learn a lot more from losing.
Leaving regrets out there on the green, sleep obviously wasn't easy to obtain when I got home... I should've had the courage of my convictions, struck on that last end, put more in to it here, less in to it there... going around and round again in circles... then, Violet Carson! At least Ena Sharples came to me eventually.
Our team of flying Eagles had our wings clipped, going down to our first defeat of the season. Despite the years of accumalative experience in our ranks, aside from myself, none of our team had actually played on this lush little green before. I'm not sure that made a big difference in the result, the home bowlers were on it and made it a tough trip out.