Bowls: North Staffs Parks Seniors miss out on semi-finals

NORTH Staffs Parks Senior County Side failed in their bids to reach the semi-final stages of the British Parks County Championship, losing 18-13 to East Midlands.

This left them third behind Greater Manchester and East Midlands.

In the home leg at Middleport Park, North Staffs had eight winners, but they could only manage three in the away leg at Stretton. One of the players to secure an away win was Matt Stevenson, of Birches Head Gardeners, who was making his county debut.

Home leg at Middleport Park (North Staffs Parks names first): Lee Brown (Meir Social) 21, Andy Fern 19; Barry Kirk (Fegg Hayes) 21, Dave May 18; Tony Colclough (Wolstanton WM) 21, R Goldby 16; Mick Thompson (Birches Head Gardeners) 15, Naz Worthington 21; Adrian Johnson (Clough Hall 21, Matt Kelly-Walley 10; Darren Stanway (Suburban) 16, Kev Tilling 21; Phil Burndred (Fegg Hayes) 18, Alan Johnson 21; John Gosnall (Meir Social) 21, Daz Smith 20; John Mountford (Clough Hall) 21, John Dewey 18; Nick Tideswell (capt, Middleport) 21, Neil Desmond 9; Alan France (Bucknall Private) 21, Paul Stretton 16; Darren Beardmore (Florence) 19, Phil May 21.

North Staffs 236, East Mids 210

Away leg at Stretton: Adam Jackson (Florence) 12, Daz Carter 21; Darren Clutton (capt, Meir Social) 4, John Insley 21; John Parking (Silverdale) 18, Graham Bailey 21; Matt Holland (Florence) 8, Jason Anguish 21; Joe WiIliamson (Birches Head Gardeners) 13, Brian Jordan 21; Barry Booth (Bucknall Private) 21, Simon Mills 6; Allan Jones (Milton Hayes) 11, Steve Adams 21; Adam Coxon (Wolsatnton WM) 10, Lee Bartram 21; Matt Stevenson (Birches Head Gardeners) 21, Wayne Gee 19; David Butler (Clough Hall) 21, Ady Cheadle 18; John Black (Fegg Hayes) 16, Dan Harrison 21; Mick Weaver Jnr (Mil Hay) 3, Paul Chamberlain 21.

North Staffs Parks 158, East Midlands 232.

ONE of Cheshire's all-time greats Glynn Cookson was pipped in his efforts to win back-to-back major opens.

Cookson headed over the Pennines having won the Nursery Classic to take his place in the final day of the Hill Crest Classic, which offered a £1,400 first prize.

He began his quest with an eye-catching performance in the quarter-finals to beat favourite Graeme Wilson.

Cookson then went on to defeat James Wilcox 31-21 in the semis, but lost 31-26 to Greater Manchester's Steve Copeland in the final.

Last eight: Gareth Nicholson 30, James Wilcox 31; Graeme Wilson 25, Glynn Cookson 31; Andrew Duckett 21, Gary Ellis 31; Steve Copeland 31, Graham Hickey 28. Last four: Glynn Cookson 31, James Wilcox 21; Steve Copeland 31, Gary Ellis 24. Final: Steve Copeland 31, Glynn Cookson 26.

STAFFS player Sue Smith was among the England winners in the international match against the Isle of Man at Lancaster.

Results: Mary Mousley (Burton) 21, Helen Martin (Nobles) 20; Colleen Harding (N Shrops) 21, Ann Maddrell (Port St Mary) 7; Sue Smith (Staffs) 21 Heather Horsburgh (Peel) 17; Alexis Lunn (Yorkshire) 21, Janet Monk (North Ramsey) 13; Tina Walmsley (Lancashire) 21, Lilian Slinger (North Ramsey) 3; Avril Woolley (N Derbys) 16, Lynn Bolton (South Ramsey) 21; Ann Wilde (Cheshire) 21, Mary Moffat (Peel) 10; Debbie Spark (Wirral) 19, Val Macfarlane (Castletown) 21; Beryl Fleming (S Staffs) 21, Joyce Kelly (Peel) 19; Chris Faulkner (Warwickshire) 21, Viv Grills (North Ramsey) 13; Angela Batchelor (S Derbys) 11, Tracey Moore (Ronairco) 21; Marie Rhodes (Shrops) 21, Pat Withers 11; Margaret Warburton (N Lancs) 21, Wyn Calliste (Marown) 20; Lynn Clarke (Coventry) 21, Lynn Ruscoe (Nobles Mixed) 20; Debbie Hall (Cumbria) 20, Stella Watterson (Castletown) 21; Margaret Callaghan (Gr Manchester) 18, Margaret Tasker (Port St Mary) 21; Viv Raddy (Mid Cheshire) 21, Jayne Keen (Port St Mary) 16; Jennie Adams (S Yorks) 15 Christine Price (North Ramsay) 21; Anne O'Loughlin (W&W) 13, Rebecca Leece (Nobles Mixed) 21; Mandy Pagett (Dudley) 21, Jenny Saunders (Castletown) 19. England won by 50 points.

POTTERIES player Geoff Boulton has progressed in Blackpool's Waterloo Handicap.

Third round results: G Sandiford (Whitefield) 21, C Ramell (Grt Harwood) 18; M Holden (St Helens) 21, R Goddard (Shrewsbury) 20; G Boulton (Congleton) 21, A Ward (Leigh) 20; D Barwise (Liverpool) 21, R Noris (Barnsley) 20.

THE final of the Gerald Harrison Memorial Trophy organised by the Potteries CBA will be between Burslem Suburban and Fegg Hayes after both teams secured convincing semi-final victories.

Results: Burslem Suburban (+15) 209, Florence (+10) 150

Meir Social (+20) 142, Fegg Hayes (+2) 215 .

FOUR local county players were the latest qualifiers in the Florence Private Open.

Second-round results: Chris Ward 21, J Gatley 8; Andy Ferris 21, D Smallman 13; Phil Clarke 21, Danny Ferris 12; Paul Phillips 21, P Higginson 13.

THE Mid Cheshire Guardian Cup finalists for next month's play-off at Winsford Cons are Jason Cornes, Jon Gurney, Thomas Vickers, Nicola Boulton, Glynn Cookson, Gerald Merry, Darren Walker and Alan Vickers.