Defending Champs win Over-70's Pairs KO title

Veterans League

The Lowehouses' pair of Graham Hirst and Les Holmes retained the Over-70's Pairs KO on their home green to line up a hat-trick of titles bid for next year. They were deserving favourites on their 'green of five crowns (at least)' but the tone of the day was set in the opening quarter-finals when 3 of the 4 ties went to either 21-20 or 21-19. Me and my mate Gordon were 20-19 up over the favourites but I blew it over the last two ends and you cannot afford to do that to opposition as good as this pair (did I mention that they were playing on their own green?).

The green was a picture and as much as I dislike playing on it, having never won there, it ran really well and was a fair Lowerhouses' green as I can recall ever playing on. In the top half of the draw the Lockwood Con pair of Peter Kain and Richard Walsh didn't have things their own way as they edged it past the Golcar Lib pair of Mick Chapman and Frank Greenwood by 21-19. They then had to get past clubmates David Farrier and David Stocks which took some while but another tight scoreline of 21-18 saw them through to the Final.

There they faced the favourites who had dismissed Mick Ward and Bob Booth (Lindley Lib) who had reached that stage after seeing off the 2024 winners of this title, Dennis Garner and Paul Winterburn of Netherton Con 21-20.

The Hirst & Holmes pair were on a home green 2-1-0 handicap that put them level with thier opponents in the Final. It took sometime before they got their noses in front for the first time at 7-5. However the Lockwood pair fought back to regain the lead 11-10 and held it for two more ends before the scoreboards showed 12-12. But then a burst of 4 ends scoring 1, then 4, then 3 and finally one more to take the title 21-12. Well done to them.

THE WINNERS

THE RUNNERS-UP