HILLTOP BLUES
Monday 28th August 2023Chorley & District League Div-2: Hilltops 'A' 151-134 Eagle & Child 'A'
v STUART UNSWORTH L 8-21
The final match of the season in the Chorley league and another debut on a green I'd never played before. Saying that, this visit to Blackrod was a first for the whole team, with the exception of Kevin Bibby. Kevin's last visit though, was a rather hazy one over thirty years ago.
With the team still struggling for numbers, this was another game that I wasn't expecting to play and with promotion in the balance this evening. As many wins as possible required, against a side with a fine home record, but in danger of relegation themselves so plenty to play for.
In the face of a home bowler confident in his game and showing class that I was no match for, unlike last Friday's capitulation, at least managed to put up a fight in this match even if the score didn't suggest it.
I didn't play badly by any means, but too many times I lost out by not so much and the points began to take their toll.
I also felt I allowed the quick playing Stuart to dictate the pace a bit and when I did land one, didn't follow up with a lead bowl good enough to transfer pressure the other way.
The game slowly got away from me and when I did make a real mess of a couple ends, it was when Stuart was closing in on the target score and eventually it was shake hands time and I was thinking, how are these guys up the relegation creek with this mon in their team?
It's natural to look up on bowlsnet who you lost to and it turns out Stuart's been playing for the Hilltops 'A' team in Division One all season. Recruited for one night only here in the 'B' team to bolster their survival hopes.
A tough game and reasonable effort then, in the end. But nowhere near enough to get a crucial win for our team's ambitions.
PROMOTION HOPES AGONISINGLY RUN OUT OF STEAM
It was like teeth being pulled. Eagle & Child's grip on a top two spot finally faded in the very last moments of the season.
Injuries and absences depleted the team in the final quarter of the campaign, thus my continued selection during this time. Good experience for me, but not necessarily ideal for the team's aspirations.
Leading up to the last match at Hilltops, we were still hanging on to that second spot by a thread, despite a comfortable looking gap of nine points at one time.
We just had to better Mawdesley's visit to Croston Subs but even early on, there was a sense things weren't going to go our way.
Firstly, best player Chris Miller, our win banker after a great season across all leagues and chasing the divisional merit most unusually lets a good lead slip. Only his second defeat of an eighteen game season was most untimely.
Then our captain Steve Marginson made a recovery in his game going in to double figures, but his opponent ran out to win. Andy Vurley also succumbed to defeat, but Harry Derbyshire's reliably great form delivered at least one winner in the first four.
I then got tonked, but Jack Dickinson got back to winning ways to make it two victories on the night. That didn't feel enough though and so it was down to Nigel Tomlinson and Kevin Bibby who were both engaged in tight matches that looked to be going either way. Two wins here could still be enough.
Kevin didn't quite get the knocks in the last few ends and bowed out with eighteen on the card. Nige just wasn't winning the tight margins either in the closing stages and lost to nineteen.
There was already a feeling of resignation and soon enough we find out Mawdesley did enough and that's that. Successive promotions to the top flight not quite pulled off.
A great season in many ways, but with nothing to show for it despite hogging the top spots until this final week.
Our captain Steve will be very disappointed and looking to strengthen the squad further. Where that leaves me in this set up is simple. Settle down and play well enough or fill scorecards in every week.
PROMOTION HOPES AGONISINGLY RUN OUT OF STEAM
It was like teeth being pulled. Eagle & Child's grip on a top two spot finally faded in the very last moments of the season.
Injuries and absences depleted the team in the final quarter of the campaign, thus my continued selection during this time. Good experience for me, but not necessarily ideal for the team's aspirations.
Leading up to the last match at Hilltops, we were still hanging on to that second spot by a thread, despite a comfortable looking gap of nine points at one time.
We just had to better Mawdesley's visit to Croston Subs but even early on, there was a sense things weren't going to go our way.
Firstly, best player Chris Miller, our win banker after a great season across all leagues and chasing the divisional merit most unusually lets a good lead slip. Only his second defeat of an eighteen game season was most untimely.
Then our captain Steve Marginson made a recovery in his game going in to double figures, but his opponent ran out to win. Andy Vurley also succumbed to defeat, but Harry Derbyshire's reliably great form delivered at least one winner in the first four.
I then got tonked, but Jack Dickinson got back to winning ways to make it two victories on the night. That didn't feel enough though and so it was down to Nigel Tomlinson and Kevin Bibby who were both engaged in tight matches that looked to be going either way. Two wins here could still be enough.
Kevin didn't quite get the knocks in the last few ends and bowed out with eighteen on the card. Nige just wasn't winning the tight margins either in the closing stages and lost to nineteen.
There was already a feeling of resignation and soon enough we find out Mawdesley did enough and that's that. Successive promotions to the top flight not quite pulled off.
A great season in many ways, but with nothing to show for it despite hogging the top spots until this final week.
Our captain Steve will be very disappointed and looking to strengthen the squad further. Where that leaves me in this set up is simple. Settle down and play well enough or fill scorecards in every week.
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