MICK'S BIRTHDAY CANDLES SNUFFED OUT

Monday 30th June 2025

CHORLEY & DISTRICT LEAGUE DIV-2:

Eagle & Child 'A' (149) 7-3 Bretherton 'A' (131)

MICK HAWORTH W 21-8

Of the whole Bretherton line-up, I didn't really want to face Mick. Far too familiar with each other and rarely serious about anything, knuckling down to league bowls with team points at stake seemed a difficult zone to get in to. We played once before in a pre-season game although that didn't matter quite as much. 

But business is business and I certainly couldn't have Mick beating me on my own patch or I would never hear the last of it.

Despite conceding the first end to a good bowl, I got back in straight away and made a good lead. I've been playing well and made things difficult for Mick who notoriously doesn't have a very good success rate at the Eagle.

Was it not for a few slightly short bowls that were on the right trajectory and a couple of very tight measures, Mick could have made more of a nuisance of himself in this game but in the end it was a relatively comfortable victory. 

Hands shook, San Miguel's cracked open... it was only then that Mick reveals it's his 60th birthday and that I've just ruined it! I thought that ship had already sailed when he flew away for a city break at the weekend. I'm grateful he didn't tell me before the game so at least I didn't knowingly snuff out his birthday candles. 

This fixture we was an important win for the team and completed a points stalemate against Bretherton over these two back-to-back matches. Coppull next up at home and another must win fixture if we are to resemble a side that looks like they could stay up.