Halifax suffer heavy defeat

Halifax & District were heavily beaten 24-8 (460-386) by Leeds & District in Sunday's Federation National League Division One match.
Halifax v Leeds bowls, at Sowerby SP. Pictured is Scott HaynesHalifax v Leeds bowls, at Sowerby SP. Pictured is Scott Haynes
Halifax v Leeds bowls, at Sowerby SP. Pictured is Scott Haynes

It was a major setback after the win over Wallasey in their opener.

The size of the defeat was surprising after comfortable wins against Leeds in the previous two seasons.

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A number of the regular players were unavailable and two more cried off a few days before the fixture but the replacements did not disappoint with two wins and a 20 from the three brought in for the home leg, for example.

The home leg was played at Sowerby Tennis & Bowling Club and the away leg at Rothwell Bowling Club in South East Leeds.

At Sowerby the first four jacks yielded only one win for Halifax through Scott Haynes (Hill Crest) but Andrew Gallagher (Luddenden Foot) made a most promising debut to reach 20 against a Yorkshire county player.

Three consecutive individual wins by Dale Holdsworth and Paul Smyth (both Akroydon Victoria) and Glenn McCafferty’s 21-7 result in the middle of the leg, boosted Halifax.

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However, heavy defeats to single figures followed and it was left to anchor man James Senior (Elland WM) to register only the fifth winner out of 12 for Halifax.

The Halifax away squad can usually be relied on for at least four or five winners but managed just three in Leeds, one in each section of the match.

Richard Hobson (Brighouse Sports) won 21-19, captain Mark Regan (Brighouse Sports) restricting his opponent to 18 and Gareth Swaine (Luddenden Foot) got home by the narrowest of margins.

Gordon Bradford (Greetland) played against a homester and he and Danny Radcliffe (Hove Edge) reached 20.

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The other match in this division brought a 19-13 victory (432 -383) for Colne Valley (Huddersfield) against Wallasey.

The next matches are scheduled for June 24 but Halifax have the bye and they will next face Barnsley on the changed date of July 29.

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