WINNING STREAK CONTINUES

Thursday 26th June 2025

LEYLAND & DISTRICT LEAGUE DIV-1:

Penwortham Sports 'A' (189) 9-3 Eagle Blue (172)
v PAUL JACKSON W 21-13

For the first seven ends at least, I was unstoppable. Fourteen bowls of pure satisfaction, eleven points and one hell of a start for what on paper looked a difficult game - as any draw would be against Penwortham's cream of the crop.
I turned up here fearing nobody though, with no other aim than continuing good form and making a game of it.
I've never quite started a match with such consistently fine woods, but it's been coming and showed scope for further improvement. I feel I am making strides quite quickly just now.
At about 6-0, my opponent stole in with a super bowl but I put a bit more in and knocked him out again. I could do little wrong.
At 11-0 though, eventually a little narrow and less than fantastic efforts let Paul in for two. He sends another two good ones, I send two shorties and then concede a third successive two to hear the scores at 11-6 on the tenth end.
He sends us back to the far side where the green drops off again and this time I reach up and adjusting land correctly with my second bowl to stop fears of a rot.
I couldn't quite hit the standard set earlier on again, at least not with any consistency, but I was finding enough good bowls at the right time to keep some distance on the scorecard.
I sent two memorable pearlers to reach twenty and all but, nudging out Paul's good lead and then turning over peg to avoid damage, I managed to even better my first bowl. That moment really felt like I had stamped my mark on the game.
Much to my annoyance though, a poor lead gives a good opportunity for Paul to get back in who then put the squeeze on me for a few more ends until suprisingly sending two wayward ones. It wasn't a pretty end at all until I managed to sneak past my first short bowl and rest beside the jack.
Breaking some modest personal records, that was five victories in a row now over all competitions (seven out of eight) and also a fifth consecutive away success.
It was also three on the spin in the Leyland & District, showing signs of an increasing resolve in the Division One environment.
Winning is a good habit. The walls will crash down at some point no doubt, this is a game that bites your legs when you least expect it. But just now I feel very confident and playing as well as I ever have.
One of three winners for our team on the night, three points was a reasonable take but some close games could have gone our way to score a vital couple more, notably Steve Marginson taking a Fleetwood Festival runner-up, Gary Cochrane, to the wire on the last end but losing out.
Team captain Aaron survived a comeback against silky left-hander Stephen Holmes though, whilst Geoff Bibby has got himself back to winning ways. We shared the sweep after his excellent 21-13 win over Callum Foster, who he beat here just two nights earlier in the Preston League as well.