Meersbrook Park’s chances of surviving in Division D of the Hallamshire League were given a drenching on a wet Tuesday (4th July) evening at the HSBC grounds in Dore, home of the Fogey Bowls Club.
The MP’s returned home pointless, on the wrong end of a 10-0 thrashing that came down as hard as the rain. Our predicament was arguably made worse by results elsewhere as our nearest relegation rivals, Colley Park B, overran Nether Edge B by a scoreline of 8-2.
The bottom line from Fogey was that we played a better team than us. Butch described them as the most improved team in the entire league. None of the home players were kids, or even “young” but it was an all-male team with probably the lowest average age of any team we have played. They were competitive – they “wanted it” more than us and while nobody loved the almost continuous, heavy rain, Fogey embraced the conditions more readily.
There were positives, however. Butch and especially Rodney came close. Butch, with new bowls, got to 17 and his game could have gone either way. Rodney led until the very end and was undone only when he lost the jack and his much younger opponent took Rodney in a series of corner to corner ends across what felt to be the biggest green we have played on, made effectively longer as it was soaked. Both players were throwing their bowls by the end, and this was always going to favour the player 30 years younger and without a damaged back. There was certainly no quarter given by our hosts!
Jim, too, had moments, without ever seeming like victory was close and Terry and Agnes played well.
The other good news may paradoxically be the extent of Colley’s win over Nether Edge. Nether Edge are now below Colley in the table, and, still to visit Meersbrook Park. They must be our most likely prey in our hunt for survival. Unfortunately, they host the bottom club, Crookes, next week, whereas the MP’s will welcome Fulwood in what will be close to a must win fixture.