A week of many spares (for this season), and big individual scores this time, as the pins finally seem to be giving a bit back… Best Sellers hit the second-best score of the season (203) on their way to an 8-2 mauling of Splitz ‘N Giggles in the battle to avoid the drop. Sellers were in unstoppable form, starting with a 42 leg including a 12 spare from Rob Wadsworth, and following up with 43 & 40 in the next two to win the match, with Splitz struggling to compete. Steve Lee whacked a 14 spare in the 4th for Sellers’ best of the night (45), but their foot came off the gas in the last and their opponents took full advantage, mustering 40 pins to snatch 2 points at the death. Leafy finished with a mighty 41 to go back to the top of the averages, and Rob smashed 39 and goes 4th himself. Mark Hoskins managed 35 in a real team effort (5 out of 6 hit 30+); Josh Hart was best Splitter with 31. Martin Orme must have mixed feelings this week - he struck a huge 17 spare in Alsorts’ game against Living On A Spare, the biggest spare for many years, but still ended up on the losing side with LOAS victorious 6-4. Spares took a competitive first, 39-37, and the beer leg by a similar margin, whilst Alsorts got on the board with the 2nd (30-28). Martin’s spare won leg 4 for Sorts, but they stumbled to 26 in the decider and Spares had the match. Martin finished with the best of the week (42); Simon Clark made it to 33 for LOAS. Monday night saw the top three in Div 1 all in action, and it ended as a good night for the leaders, Lads NIght Out winning big whilst both BGS & Gutter Nutters lost their games. The Lads were on strong form against Last Six, though it was the veterans who drew first blood, winning leg 1 40-38 despite a 10 spare from Tom Morgan. After that, LNO went up through the gears to take the match away from Six, winning four straight legs with scores of 36, 40,42 & 40. All 6 Lads got to 30, with Tom Morgan & Bryan Archer the pick with 36 & 35 respectively; Andy Ives hit back with 34 for Last Six. Gutter Nutters stay second in the league, but lost 6-4 to Young & Bald in an ealy 6.30pm kick-off. Nutters were slow to get going in the game, while YAB were up and down, winning the first with ease, but losing leg 2 by a single pin (32-31). They were Young and thirsty in the beer, taking 5 out of 6 drinks on the way to a chunky 43 pins, but Nutters were all square after 37 in the 4th. The last was the best of the night, with Nutters initially in control before YAB reeled them in and won out 40-38, to take the victory. Wilkins were best in show in this one, with Ollie making 34 & Derek 33; Dave ‘MIghty’ Quinn posted 33. Last up on Monday, an on-song Absolutely Skittled team met an off-colour BGS and delivered a 9-1 thrashing. AbSki hit winning legs of 34, 44 & 37 twice to take 8 points, with BGS barely able to land a blow, getting within a couple of pins in leg 5 only. The beer leg was a different matter, both teams off the booze somewhat as they shared points & drinks, 30 each. 5 of the Norris clan got over 30, with captain Dave (35) & Reece Collis (32) their finest skittlers; none of the Birdies made 30. In Division 2, Cross Keys march to promotion continued with an 8-2 walloping of Late Knights. Keys were solid if unspectacular, recording leg wins with scores between 31 & 38. The Knights got it together in winning the last (34-32), grabbing a couple of points to stay off the bottom. It was the Shergold show from the Keys, with Grant & Ray both hitting 32; Geoff Hassett matched this for Knights. Captain Nye Bellis’ golden season continued as he hit a 13 spare on the way to matching his PB (37) during Spare Ribs’ 10-0 whitewash of Newcomers. Ribs were in the box seat from the off, winning the first 34-29, and a close leg 2 was nabbed 32-31. They went big in the beer round with 40 pins, but were off the pace in leg 4 before Nye’s spare intervention took the points. 35-33 completed their big win which puts them right in amongst it for the second promotion spot. Chris Bennett backed Nye up with 34; Sean Cooney hit the same score for Newcomers. Last up this week, Maclean Smilers came back from a heavy loss last time out with an 8-2 defeat of Sianie’s Angels. The Angels were first on the board with a 30-28 win in leg 1, but Smilers then took control, chalking legs of 32, 34, 37 and 38 to complete their win. Top scoring if your name’s Richard here - 31 each for Williams & Harding. Seven more games coming up this week - things are hotting up…

WEEK 26