TOO MANY WAYWARD WOODS

Thursday 17th April 2025

LEYLAND & DISTRICT LEAGUE DIV-1 Lonsdale (183) 8-4 Eagle & Child Blue

(169)
v MARK IRELAND L 17-21

Another new green to fathom and once again a familiar opponent from Longridge Singles encounters. I've played Mark on two occasions there with success, but he was a tougher nut to crack on one of his home greens.
Having said that, the game was there for the taking and careful not to take owt away from my opponent, I didn't play well enough to grasp the win.
Too many times for my liking I sent wayward woods. When I should've made two, when I should've saved or should've sent at least one half decent effort. There were plenty of chances early on in the match to make a break on the scoresheet but my inconsistencies contributed to a nip and tuck affair up to 13-13.
Mark managed to push his nose in front from then and despite my best efforts to turn the tide, he popped up with timely killer bowls to make the difference on a good few occasions when I had thought I'd probably done enough.
It was a good game but a disappointing result. I should have got an extra point for the team here. Every point will matter by the end of the season to keep the team in this division. As it was, we picked up four on the road again which is no bad thing.
Form seems to have dipped - although I hadn't rolled a bowl for nearly a week having gone away on a mini-break - but that shouldn't have mattered too much. A practice the day before this match was a bit hit and miss. Sometimes that can be irrelevant, but the hitting and missing carried on to match night.
In the team set up, I'm not playing with the same freedom as I have just rolling for myself in a singles competition.
It's an absolute state of mind thing.
With two competitions next up, no burdening myself with worry about scores and results, just focusing on playing a solid game which is what seems to work.

THE MILTON KEYNES DONS OF CROWN GREEN?
It was Steve Marginson who pointed out to me that Lonsdale weren't even in this league last season. So how is it they have shot straight in to Division One?
It would appear that much of this Lonsdale team are last season's side from Ashton BC who have migrated across Preston, yet maintained Ashton's league status which is a rather strange turn of events that leaves me curious about the legitimacy of it.
Many bowlers are members of more than one club, but this shift of a whole team has a bit of the Milton Keynes Dons about it, when they replaced Wimbledon in the football league without working through the pyramid to get there.
Whatever the reasons for the move or close ties between the Ashton and Lonsdale clubs, I remain to be convinved that being granted automatic Division One status in a straight swap is entirely fair on other clubs from the second tier that are trying to get promoted. Strangely, Ashton 'B' are still in Division Two.
Maybe I know nowt. Maybe the league have allowed clubs to vote on it? I don't know. But no offence to Lonsdale - a good club with players more than capable in this division and a cracking green - but I just don't like the whole MK Dons-ishness about it.