No real surprises in Pairs KO latest

Veterans League

The Veterans League Pairs Knock-Out competition is now down to the last eight contenders after Thursday's latest round of matches produced no real surprise results. Although Bob Booth, fresh from his Lower Divisions Trophy success, along with his Lindley Lib clubmate Mick Ward was the nearest we got to a giant-killing act when they beat the Longwood pair of Keith Hatzer and Rob Dickinson 21-14. The reward for that win is a match against the 2024 winners of this title, Waterloo pair Alan Stephenson and Ian Lunn, who were pushed all the way by the Slaithwaite pair of Tom Chatfield and Keith Hanley before running out 21-17 victors

Still well in contention to add to last year's title successes are the reigning Champions, Ashley Daykin and Andy Mitchell (Lowerhouses) after beating Stuart Greaves and Robert Whiteley (New Mill). They will have to recover a 4-points handicap difference to get past their next opponents, the Netherton Con pair of Paul Rangeley and Graham Brook.

Lockwood Con bowler, Peter Kain, won this competition in 2015 with a different partner to Gerard Clarke who he now is paired with. They progressed after overcoming the 9-point handicap difference against the Almondbury BC pair of Ian Schofield and Warwick Whitfield. The winners will now meet fellow Division 1 opponents Alan Crowther & David Walkden who also had a large handicap difference of 7-points to overcome to see off the Hemplow pair of John Cocking and Peter Turner.

There is an all-Kirkheaton Con quarter-finals meeting of Garry Senior & Andy Lumb who will play their B team clubmates Ian Johnsey and Leon Wilcznski after their A team colleagues finally saw off a spirited performance from the Thongsbridge duo of John Belfield and Ian Ross 21-20. The Finals Day will start with the quarter-finals line-up shown below to be played at Almondbury Lib on Thursday 30 July.