MIXED FEELINGS FOR OAKLEY JUNIORS

This weekend saw Heather Statham and Ashley Nethercliffe compete in the Bowls England Sutton Winson Trophy for Under 18s at Leamington. It was a disappointing start for Heather as, on Saturday, she was well beaten in her first game. Ashley, however, won his first game and then because of the nature of this competition, found himself playing a 9 year old in only her second game of bowls. Naturally he won easily but it was not an easy position for him to find himself in. The vagaries of the competition were then exposed when in the next round he found himself playing Alice Atkin of Leicestershire who had lost in an earlier round but been given another opportunity. It was a very close game which Ashley lost narrowly but inevitably he felt a little cheated! Meantime Heather, another first round loser, did not get a second chance but found herself playing in the Plate Competition - a Pairs event - with Emily Jones of Worcestershire. They had an excellent run and reached the semi-final before losing to the eventual winners. Both players enjoyed the experience of playing on the Leamington greens in what was their last opportunity to play in this age related event.