Bowls: Lavant are so near yet so far at Southbourne

It was 21-21 at 20 ends, but they lost the last end by just one shot.

Bill Cooper’s team were 7-7 at eight ends but 15-9 down at 14 ends and trailed 18-16 after 20 – and they also lost by just one shot.

Scores: T Bleach, B Copeland, R Kent, C Martin lost 22-21; B Cooper, V Frost, W Cooper, C Beardmore lost 18-17.

Lavant Red visited Chanctonbury and Peter Whale’s team were 10-1 down at five ends before coming back to be 18-12 down at 17 ends – eventually losing by 12 shots.

Peter Winter’s team fared better. From being 14-1 down at eight ends, they improved to trail 17-11 after 15.

But seven shots against on the next end sealed their fate.

Red took the last end with four shots but lost the game by six.

Scores: P Whale, P Beardmore, R Harding, C Beardmore lost 26-14; P Winter, J Sharrod, R Peirce, J Simms lost 25-19.

A home match for Lavant Blue versus Fittleworth saw Bernard Wallsgrove’s team six shots up after one end. After 12 ends, it was 11-11. Blue came back well and won by nine shots.

Tony Boxall’s team were 19-9 up at end 16 but Fittleworth rallied and four shots on the last end secured a draw.

The friendly was fairly evenly but Lavant lost by three shots.

Scores: B Wallsgrove, B Cooper, M Winter, J Lee won 23-14; T Boxall, P Sharrod, S Lillywhite, J Conway drew 22-22; (friendly) V Frost, W Cooper, D May, P Lee lost 19-16.

Lavant B were at home to Bognor Goodwoods Red for a County KO match.

Peter Massey’s team fell behind in a tough game but were only five shots down at end 17.

They failed to score again and lost by 11 shots.

Tony Boxall’s team recovered from a bad start, scoring well until the end to win by 15 shots.

The match score was 43-39 for Lavant to take them into the next round.

The friendly was close but Lavant just missed out by one shot.

Scores: P Massey, B Cooper, S Lillywhite, J Lee lost 27-16; T Boxall, K Fancy, P Sharrod, J Conway won 27-12; (friendly) J Sharrod, V Frost, P Lee, W Cooper lost 17-16.

Lavant Red entertained Upper Beeding and Peter Winter’s team, after a slow start, pulled ahead to secure a good win by seven shots.

Peter Whale’s team fared even better, leading all the way for a win by 14 shots.

Scores: P Winter, J Sharrod, R Peirce, J Simms won 21-14; P Whale, P Beardmore, R Harding, J Conway won 24-10.

ARUN

Drawn to play against a very strong Victory IBC side from Portsmouth, with two sets of four rinks at home and away, Arun lost 36-32.

Scores: Home – Ray Leggett, Brian Butler, Peter Lillford, Derek Leach drew 16-16; Away – Ricky Hobbs, Colin Spicer, Peter Hannam, Tony Sayers lost 20-16.

Arun 85 Victory 36

Arun ladies had another very good win in the Yetton Trophy against Victory.

Victory ladies just could not find the green and Arun won by 49 shots.

Scores: D Mitchell, S Stocker, M King, M Richards won 26-11; I Brooker, G Conley, C Bowles, D Latter won 20-12. Away: D Anderson, B Collins, B Spicer, A Janman won 22-4; C Hobbs, L Napper, S Miles, W Adams won 17-9.