FIXTURES & WEEKLY REPORT
Oakham Bowls Club W. E. 6th July 2025
Fosseway was the venue for the Saturdays team’s away match. The temperature was perfect for playing bowls, a little overcast with a gentle breeze and the green was bowling well. Unfortunately these ideal conditions did not favour Oakham, rather the opposite, as they suffered a heavy defeat losing with 49 shots to Fosseway’s 102.
Rink one as skipped by Mike Shalders with Lyn Scott as lead and Sylvia Shalders at two. Both teams were level after four ends holding 3 shots each. Fosseway then started to pull away and when they scored 7 shots on the ninth end it left an 11 shot gap between the two teams. Despite Oakham winning four of the last nine ends Fosseway’s two 4’s and a 5 from their five ends left Oakham finishing on 10 shots, Fosseway with a winning 30 shots.
Julie Healey led on rink two with Ros Carter at two and Denis Smith was the Skip. This was a closely contested and hard fought game. After thirteen ends the teams were tied on 9 shots each, on the fifteenth level on 10 shots apiece and on the penultimate end both had 11 shots. Fosseway took 2 shots from the final end to clinch the win, Oakham with a final 11 shots, Fosseway with 13 shots.
Colin Wagstaff skipped rink three with Pat Harrison as lead and Peter Harrison at two. It was the fifth end before Oakham got onto the score board but Fosseway were firmly in control of the game. The visitors were only able to win six more ends finishing the game on 10 shots with their opponents on 20 shots.
The lead on rink four was Jenny Owen with Lesley Webster at two and Eddie Owen as Skip. By the tenth end Oakham had worked determinedly to win six ends and level the scores at 6 shots each and with another single shot took the lead on the eleventh. Fosseway retaliated winning the next four ends, establishing an 8 shot lead. By no means bowed down, Oakham won the final three ends but could only manage to score 4 shots from them. Oakham ended with 11 shots, Fosseway with 15 shots.
On rink five the all female Oakham team of Liz Naylor as Lead, Nicola Elmer at two and Janet Horwood as Skip faced three gentlemen representing Fosseway. After five ends Oakham had stayed in touch, just 1 shot behind. After eleven ends Fosseway had been less gentlemanly leaving the ladies with just 3 shots whilst they held 12 shots. Oakham took 3 shots from the next end but were only able to add a further 1 on the fifteenth. Fosseway had continued to dominate the game with the final score standing at Oakham on 7 shots, Fosseway on 24 shots.
On Sunday morning Oakham were playing visitors Goodwood from Leicester in a County unbadged match .The start was delayed because of rain and one Goodwood player had yet to arrive, he never did!. Due to the rain the green was very heavy and players were finding it difficult to get the length.
Oakham started slowly and at one point the rink of Bob Spence, Sean Biollo, Ray Gregory and Stuart Primarolo was 12 – 4 down, this was the rink of only three opposing players .They pulled back magnificently but dropped 2 shots on the last end to lose 17 – 16. However Goodwood were penalised for only playing three players so Oakham won the match 16 – 13.
On Oakham’s other rink, Ian Wilkinson, Paul Jenkinson, Paul Murrant and Mat Murrant soon got to grips with the wet conditions and during the game scored two devastating 5 shot ends, going on to win with 20 shots to Goodwood’s 13.
