Melton bowlers into national final

Melton and District Indoor Bowls Club are celebrating after reaching the final of a national competition.

Four teams representing the club defeated Gallow from Fakenham in the Denny Plate semi-final.

Two teams playing in Norfolk consisted of John Robinson (skip), Brandon Giblett, Mark Warrington and Peter White and Ethan Giblett (skip), Mel Bass, Peter Farrow and Kevin Donkin.

Two teams playing at home were Chris Rodgers (skip), Kyle Warrington, Alex Warrington and Paul Warrington, plus Jordan Butcher, (skip) Max Magee, Richard Warrener and Tim Warrener.

Playing in their first Denny Plate semi-final, Melton were off to a flying start, the Chris Rodgers’rink taking two fours in the opening two ends, and they were in a 12-0 lead after five ends.

Jordan Butcher’s rink was finding things a bit more difficult, but a four-shot score on end seven seemed to change the momentum, and after 10 ends Melton were 13 shots up.

Away at Gallow, Melton was finding the hosts' carpet very difficult and by end five both teams were 7-3 down.

After a tremendous recovery from Ethan Giblett’s rink, they were tying the score at 11 shots apiece after end 10, Ethan Giblett in particular playing some brilliant bowls.

John Robinson’s rink continued to struggle against world-ranked Mervyn King’s rink, and they were losing by six shots after end 10.

Melton’s home team continued to pressurise their opposition, giving them few chances, and turning the screw with a shot difference of 23.

At Gallow, a game-changing shot on end 15 by John Robinson converted a five-shot loss to a three-shot gain and changed their fortunes.

Ethan Giblett’s rink continued to play excellent bowls.

Whilst playing the 18th end, the away team got the news that Gallow had conceded at Melton.

Both home and away teams were ecstatic at the thought of appearing in a national final.

The Melton home team can be congratulated at their performance, winning by 27 shots, and the away team for sticking to the task only losing by one shot overall.

The combined end result was 77 shots to Melton and 54 shots to Gallow.

Melton will meet a strong Clarrie Dunbar team from Somerset in the final on April 9 at Nottingham.

Two teams from Melton took on Nottingham in the last 16 of the Men's Over 60s competition, with Trevor Main, Gez Moore, Mel Bass, Peter White (skip) playing at home and Brian Boag, Mick Curtis, Peter Farrow, John Robinson (skip) playing away at Nottingham. Dave Pick was the reserve.

Melton were anticipating a difficult game and things were proving so in the opening ends.

Both sets of teams, home and away, gave no quarter.

However, on the ninth end the home team skipped by Peter White took five shots and this changed the home teams momentum.

The away team skipped by John Robinson was also struggling but were holding their own, however they continued to pressure their opposition and by end 16 were 13 shots to 8 up.

The home team in the meantime took control and over ends 12 to 16 and picked up 9 shots without reply which lead to Nottingham conceding the match.

Melton won with an overall score of 33 shots to Nottingham’s 21 and go through to the quarter-finals against a team from either York or Middlesbrough-based Houghton.