Falmouth A went to Redruth Bowling Club on Thursday evening to play Chacewater A in the semi-final of the County Top Team competition. The Top Team events include five games: two-wood singles, four-wood singles, pairs, triples and fours and involves 11 players from each side in total.

Chacewater A were very hot favourites to win this trophy outright, but they reckoned without a very determined Falmouth A who were given no chance, coming from their own artificial green. John Maunder represented Falmouth in the two-wood competition against Mike Tippett. Maunder was given no chance against this Middleton Cup star. However, he kept pace and eventually pulled ahead to a six-shot lead with four ends to play. The pressure was now on Tippett who took two shots, but then Maunder won the next end and his opponent had to score two shots every end to win. This he did not manage and Maunder went on to claim victory.

The pairs competition involved Phil Dunstone and Richard Rowe (Falmouth) and David Parr and Colin Binney (Chacewater). The Falmouth pair soon found themselves in trouble and trailing 4-18. However, they fought back well to end the game just seven shots in arrears.

The triples saw Graham Irons, David Hay and Tom Reid (Falmouth) against Colin Smith, John Harry and Nigel Laity (Chacewater). This was a very close game but Falmouth eventually eased out in front as Irons found his line and length putting pressure on the Chacewater trio. Reid’s rink eventually ran out deserving winners.

In the fours match Jordan Saunders, John Brady, Ron Medlyn and Paul Bobin (Falmouth) took on Alan Dunstan, Ernie Eva, Paul Bearham and Barry Tippett. Chacewater made a good start to lead 6-0 but Falmouth pulled back to be 10-10 after ten ends. Falmouth then went ahead and stayed three shots in the lead until the 17th end when disaster struck. Three of the Falmouth rink each knocked a Chacewater wood into the head, resulting in Chacewater levelling the game with the three shots. Despite some excellent bowling Falmouth could not quite cross the finish line and their opponents won the final two ends in single shots.

With Falmouth on 2 and Chacewater on 2 there was only the four-wood singles to come. Tony Nancholas (Falmouth) faced Chacewater’s David Iddles. What a great game this turned out to be. Each player strived to put distance between themselves and their opponent. They continued at level peggings until the 17th end when Iddles went 20-17 ahead. Nancholas wont the next end and scored another to trail 19-20. He then put his first bowl almost on the jack, and with his third delivery dropped another wood behind the jack. Iddles tried hard to promote two of his short bowls without success and with all the spectators standing Nancholas won the end by two shots to win 21-20 and receive a great ovation from the Falmouth players.

Falmouth had achieved “the impossible” – beating Chacewater in the Top Team. They now go on to the final at Truro next Thursday evening taking on Carnon Downs in what is billed as another David and Goliath clash. Watch this space.

Falmouth Ladies Rippon A team, skipped by Carol Pereir visited Stithians last week and came away with an excellent 18-14 win against the host’s B team.

Falmouth C welcomed Perranporth to their green last Monday. Gordon Hamilton’s C rink (Jim Chatterton, 3; Walter Brotherton, 2; and Trevor Pooley, lead) were drawn against Perran’s T Hughes’ rink.

Falmouth made a great start to lead 8-1 after four ends, and by the tea interval at ten ends they held a 12-5 lead. Perran picked up two shots after tea but then got stuck on seven for four ends and Falmouth went further ahead to be 18-7 ahead after 16 ends. Falmouth maintained this nine-shot lead until the end of the game, winning 23-14.

Boby Hays’ C rink (Arthur Searle, 3; David Twelves, 2; and Norman Aubrey, lead) played Perran’s T Hattan’s rink. Falmouth made a good, steady start to take a 13-4 lead after ten ends. Perrranporth came out after tea to score two shots, but then they got stuck on six for the next five ends as Falmouth increased their lead to 23-6. Perran scored two shots on the 17th end but lost the last four ends and Falmouth finished the game off strongly with 1-4-2-6 to win handsomely 36-8.

Harry Hodge’s C rink (Mike Odgen, 3; Doug Moyle, 2; and Mike Sanders, lead) played Howard Jewell’s rink. Perran were soon in trouble as Falmouth took a 7-2 lead after just five ends. However, by the tea interval Perran had drawn level at 10-10 and then they took a two-shot 12-10 after 13 ends. After 16 ends, Perranporth still held the lead by 15-11 but the Falmouth Cs then hit a purple patch to score 1-1-2-2 and retake the lead 17-15 with only the last end to play. On the last end Mike Sanders put his first bowl on the jack, and much to everyone’s astonishment, the Perran lead fired his two bowls at the jack. Both missed and went in the ditch. Fortunately for Perranporth their number two, G Hall, sensibly bowled in and managed to get the shot. Eventually Perranporth, after a measure, won one shot on the last end. Howard Jewell and the rest of the Perranporth team were not happy with their lead and Falmouth just won the match 17-16.

Result: Falmouth C 76, Perranporth 38. Falmouth C 5 points, Perranporth 0pts.

Falmouth C visited Mylor B in their final game of the summer league but the weather was far from suitable for bowls. After the tea interval everyone had a soaking. The score cards also got a soaking but, as far as your correspondent can decipher, these were the results: Falmouth C v Mylor B – H Hodge, 17, B May 26; B Hay 10, A Poole 29; J Chatterton 16, T Sulch 13. Falmouth C 43, Mylor B 68. Falmouth C 1pt, Mylor B 4pts.

After this result Mylor B look certain to win the Division 2 and gain promotion to Division 1 next year. Mylor will then have to field two teams on the same evening – not an easy task with the players at their disposal. Falmouth Bowling Club congratulates Mylor B on their achievement.