Week two in the Shield commenced with Cleckheaton Sports (John Innes, Richard Bentley, Ian Poutney and Paul Fincher) matched up with Nomads (Phil Holroyd, Mark McGorlick, James Senior and John Armitage). There were wins for Poutney and Fincher of Sports and McGorlick and Holroyd replied for Nomads to give a 17-15 result.
Lindley Libs (Richard Dickinson, Mark Sykes, Richard Saunders and Daniel Bousfield) looking to improve on last week’s result met Crosshills (Barry Turnbull, Kevin Burnett, Rod Bastow and Barry McCourt) who had a respectable score of 14 last week against Clayton. Saunders and Bastow were level at five and eight from where Bastow crafted an eleven break to reach nineteen. Saunders did manage three more chalks before Bastow cashed out for a 21-11 victory.
Bousfield was always in control of his game with McCourt as he led 10-2 and 19-5 before McCourt pulled back five chalks for a 21-10 result.
Sykes and Turnbull were level at 5 across but Turnbull was only to score three more as Sykes mastered the conditions the better, 21-8.
The final game was the best of the match as Dickinson and Burnett couldn’t be separated. They paired at four, six, eleven, eighteen and twenty before Burnett counted the final chalk for a 21-20 win and an overall score of 16-13.
Clayton (Alan Peel, Hedley Kettlewell, Tony Riley and Paul Gill) with 18 points from last week were matched with Greetland (George Simpson, Pete Lea, Mick Shaw and Gordon Bradford) who had the maximum 20 points in the first round. Gill, after taking two at the first end, fell behind to Shaw who claimed four singles and kicked on to lead 11-5 and 15-8 before Gill mounted a fight back in the changing conditions, counting eight without reply. Shaw moved on to eighteen but Gill, more suited by the conditions, ran out 21-18 for a Clayton win.
The second game saw Peel and Bradford exchange points early on before Peel moved in front 11-5. Bradford came back and was within striking distance at 16-15 but it was Peel who finished the stronger finishing a 21-16 victor.
Riley was always behind against Simpson as Simpson bowled the longer mark on a very wet green well. However, Riley was in touching distance at eleven across but only finished with twelve as Simpson finished the stronger on that long mark.
Kettlewell against Lea was the opposite of the previous game as Kettlewell ran out a 21-12 winner for a team victory of 17-13.
Hanging Heaton (Alan Thompson, Dean Scarth, Ian Smith and Graham Hirst) were up for their first match, having had a bye last week, as they met Mirfield Old Bank (Walt Morgan, John Green, Brian Scarth and Dave Sharp). There were wins for Smith, Hirst and Scarth snr and Scarth jnr replied for Mirfield. A 18-10 score line.
In the Plate, Rastrick (Graham Hall, Donald Booth, Keith Richards and Alan Standing) were paired with Pellon (David Agnew, Robert Walker, Peter Steele and Paul Firth) having their first game following a bye last week. Booth led Steele 6-4 only to fall behind 11-6. The game was level at thirteen from where Booth moved on to nineteen. Steele struck back and reached eighteen before Booth finished with two singles.
Standing was looking to get back on the horse after a big defeat last week and he certainly managed that with a 21-09 win over Firth.
Two wins in the bank and captain Hall next up against Walker. They were level at eight, twelve and sixteen from where Walker counted three singles to reach nineteen, Hall pulled a single back, another one to Walker and another one to Hall before Walker clinched the game, 21-18.
In the final game Richards was level at ten but Agnew finished the stronger to record a 21-15 win and record a 16-14 team result.
Asa Briggs (Don Harrison, Graham Pearson, Trevor Kendal and Steve McGrevy) looking to follow up their maximum points haul from last week as they took on Sowerby West End (Pat Skene, Baz Morgan, Loraine Hirst and John Sharp), themselves scoring 18 points last week. With two winners each a result of 14-15 would keep both teams ahead of the pack.
Silsden (Derek Metcalfe, Alan Hughes, Andy Welch and David Beardsworth) were looking for a big score against Lindley B.C. (Simon Anderson, Mick Thornton, Tony Lockwood and Linda Gledhill) but it was Lindley that had the big score as they recorded all winners for the maximum 20 points and Silsden finishing with nine.
Slow starters Bronte’s (Fred Rothwell, Derek Pollard, Dave Hemsley and Martyn Benson) and Spen Victoria (Les Mitchell, Barry Firth, Kevin Wood and Brian Thompson) fought out a close battle with only a point separating the teams at the end – two winners each and 16-17 the final score.