Elland show their class to win Four Person Final at Halifax Bowling League

Elland won the final at Hove Edge with all four players scoring maximum points, winning by 87-70 (including handicap) against Brighouse in the semi-final and 87-52 in the final against Akroydon Victoria.

The first semi-final game for Elland was Bob Hitchen v Mark Regan and as expected it was an epic battle.

Hitchen got the better start and was soon up 7-3, Regan then struck back to lead 14-9. Hitchen levelled at 14 across, only for Regan to up his game and lead 18-14.

Again Hitchen hit back as Regan was reduced to score only one more point, securing the first game for Elland and Hitchen at 21-19.

The second game looked a bit one sided with Mark Connolly leading Paul Ingleby by 7-4, 11-7, 15-10 and 18-14 before Ingleby found a good length to score three consecutive 2’s to go to all but Connolly then got in with two singles and the scores were level at all but across.

But it was Connolly’s game as he won 21-20.

The third instalment was Jack Dyson, who raced into an 11-1 lead, against Danny Fountain.

It was nip and tuck for the rest of the game with Fountain scoring 11 points to Dyson’s 10, and this give Dyson the victory at 21-12.

The fourth game was also a bit one sided with James Senior never really losing control against John Horsley, Senior only allowed Horsley to keep the Jack once running out a comfortable 21-8 winner.

In the other semi-final, the first game saw David Greenwood and Dale Holdsworth level all the way at 4-4 and 8-8 until the 15th end where Greenwood found a mark up and down the green to score eight points without reply and lead 10-17.

Holdsworth then hit back with a five break, only for Greenwood to run out with four singles.

Baily Dawson was up next but he too found a tough opponent in Steve Kenworthy, who raced to a 15-9 lead, only for Dawson to find his length and restrict Kenworthy to only three more points, running out a 21-18 winner.

John Holden was up against Julian Dawson, who hit a good length and was in control for most of the game, finally winning 21-12.

The last match was what proved to be a clincher for Akroydon as John Williamson raced to a 16-4 lead against Russel Broadbent, which left it looking like Akroydon were in the final, but Broadbent had other ideas with breaks of 7, 4 and 4 to level the game at 19 all.

Whoever won the game would win the match, and Holden held his nerve at the next end to score the two points for game and match.

The final saw nothing as dramatic as the semis, but what just looked like the four Elland WMC players showing their class.

After losing the first two ends, Hitchen then had breaks of 10, 6 and 5 to secure a 21-7 win.

The second game was just as close during the early stages, with Paul Ingleby locked at six across with Baily Dawson.

Ingleby had a good run with the jack to lead 13-7 and 19-9. Dawson had a spirited fightback but found himself left on 12 and Ingleby claimed the game.

John Williamson got off to a great start, leading Jack Dyson 7-2 after six ends, and at 14 ends the score was close, at 10-9 to Dyson.

But once again the Elland player showed his class and got to 21, leaving Williamson on 12.

The last game was James Senior against Julian Dawson, and the score card didn’t read well for Dawson as Senior recorded nine pairs, although Dawson did score three pairs himself and it was all over in 18 ends, leaving Elland as worthy winners.