At the new Stisted village hall venue, Trevor Blows (Onley Arms) and Lorne Gibson (Rayne Swan) were surprise, yet deserved, winners of the Eastern region doubles title.
In the morning league session they were drawn, in football terms, in the ‘group of death’ alongside multi-title winners Dean Little/Keith Flack, Simon Bird/Dave Pearse, Adam Buxton/Vince Schofield and Eric Taylor/Pauline Taylor. >br> Bird (Colne Angel) and Pearse (Feering Bell) won all four games to head the group, including a 13-5 win over Blows and Gibson. The match to decide the second semi-finalist saw Buxton and Schofield (Rayne Swan) lose 8-13 to Blows and Gibson in an exciting game that produced some excellent shooting from both pairs. The biggest surprise was the winless morning for Little and Flack.
In the other half of the draw, Onley Arms locals Daniel Blows and Tracey Austin had an excellent morning winning all four games. Julie Constable and Wendy Ridehalgh (Colne Angel) took second place with three wins. A special mention to junior Jack Pearse (Bell) and Nikki Parrish (Onley Arms) who took ten from two ends to beat the experienced Bill Eve (Chequers) and Dave Bird (Feering Bell). The strength of the ‘group of death’ was shown in the semi-finals as Trevor Blows and Gibson beat Daniel Blows and Austin 13-0 in the Onley Arms showdown. In the Colne Angel showdown semi, Bird and Pearse only allowed Constable and Ridehalgh a single point.
In the final, Gibson continued his fine pointing and Blows chipped in with some good shooting to keep pace with Bird and Pearse. At 7-6, Blows and Gibson became the first pair to have led their opposition all day. From 7-7, they produced some excellent positional play, despite Bird being in great shooting form, to take six points from three ends to claim the ECR title.
In the Plate competition, Little and Flack progressed to the final with wins over Parrish/Pearse (13-4) and Buxton/Schofield (13-2). Eric and Pauline Taylor beat Bird/Eve 13-9 and in the semi-final defeated Aris Savvides and Dawn Bourquin 13-5. The final saw Little and Flack overwhelm the Taylor pairing and take the plate 13-0.
A great day of petanque from the ECR players. Thanks also to Denise Blows for her sterling work with refreshments during the day.