Gameweek 18 Review – Premier Division

George win league, M&B & Moor Lane survive

The George have won their first ever Summit Garage Staffordshire Premier Bowls League as they finished level with long time leaders the Greville Arms but had a higher aggregate. They managed to get a full house as 6 winners for the Greville was not good enough to retain their title. Victorious captain Elliot McGuinness commented “we’re chuffed to win the summit league for the first time in our history. Being totally honest having failed to capitalise on some poor results from the Greville over the last few weeks I thought we’d blown it. We knew realistically we’d need to have 8 winners to have any chance and when Mick McGuinness won a game he never looked like winning we started to believe (and earned him MVP). We were very fortunate to have Phil Clinton last on following the previous days heroics (when winning the Crosfield Cup last on) to see us home. To follow up last years promotion with the premier league title is an unbelievable achievement, hopefully we can go again next year and do our best to retain it.” Russell Prosser was best winner 3, while Rachel Bennett was MVP for the visitors for getting 17 off Phil. The Greville will rue two 19 losses that cost them, with Paul Evans and Ross Edwards those two winners for Willenhall Nordley, the former getting MVP. Best winner for the former champions was Ash Bracken 5 but Steve Wallace got another MVP for winning 11.

Moor Lane survived with an 8-2 win over St Georges. Skipper Bob Hickman commented ” the pressure was on us to get a result but it was in our own hands. Having 3 winners in the first built a foundation and with a further 3 winners in the second 4 it was job done against a good team. Very pleased with our performance overall.” Kirk Stevens was best winner 12 with Chris Gerrard MVP for winning 13, while for the visitors, who got 4th place, Lewis Scott was best winner and MVP 18. M&B Cheslyn Hay survived with a great 9-1 win over King George V, which relegated the two time champions. Skipper Aaron Tapper said “after having the first four winners we gave ourselves the perfect start however the second four wasn’t so comfortable. Two games could of easily gone against us in the end but our lads managed to crawl over the line. Tough first season back in the Premier but we look forward to improving in 2019.” Aaron Tapper and Dave East were both best winners 7, with Dave getting the MVP. They were thankful for two 20 winners in the back, which, added to Chris Bergin’s MVP win of 16, would have seen them survive. Tanworth In Arden are the other team to go down as they got 2 winners at Dudley Dell, which pushed the Dell up to 5th, and considering their terrible start, is a great achievement. Their best winner and MVP was Jason Westwood 8, while Willie Jeynes was likewise for Tanworth with his 12 win.

So the George win the league on aggregate, while Tanworth In Arden finish bottom with King George V joining them in being relegated.

Well done to Elliot McGuinness on winning the League Averages to make it a double success for the George.