Spalding Indoor Bowls Club round-up

Spalding Lightning's quest for a fourth national Top Club title was ended on Sunday after defeat at Barwell in their last 16 tie.

Chelsea Spencer was the only winner for Spalding in the ladies singles as Barwell won the remaining disciplines to triumph 14-2 and book their place in the quarter-final where they will play Gallow.

Rink scores: Ladies singles – Chelsea Spencer won 21-16; Men’s Singles – Stephen Harris lost 17-21; Pairs – Annie Dunham and Dominic McVittie lost 11-21; Triples – Ruby Hill, Martin Spencer and Mathew Orrey lost 10-13; Fours – Jean Patterson, Louise Harris, Graham Smith and Jordan Philpott lost 14-18.

The defeat came 24 hours after Lightning had progressed to the Yetton Plate quarter-final with a 24-shot win against Barwell.

It was the side from Leicestershire that started stronger as they were 23-12 up at five ends, but Lightning battled hard and were level by 10 ends at 35-35.

Spalding kept up the momentum as they were 67-48 up by 15 ends and 73-58 ahead at 18 before they won 87-63 to book their place in the next round.

Lightning won on all four rinks but the top winning one was skipped by Chelsea Spencer, with Danielle Wild, Michelle Billingsley and Betty Deaton who won 25-16.

They now face either Colchester or County Arts in the quarter-final in a match to be played by Saturday, February 15.

Rink scores: Home - Danielle Wild, Michelle Billingsley, Betty Deaton and Chelsea Spencer won 25-16; Jean Patterson, Petrine Ault, Tracy Philpott and Karen Martin won 21-18; Away - Ann Newbury, Jan Sinclair, Carly Morris and Maisie Belding won 20-13; Maggie Wheatley, Carole Nunney, Mandy Parkins and Julie Hicks won 21-16.

Spalding had an excellent result in the Mixed County League away at Grantham on Saturday.

They triumphed in a closely contested match by four shots (78-74) after winning on three out of the four rinks which saw Spalding win 12-2 on match points.

Top winning rink was skipped by Anthony Cronin, with Chris Williamson, Jan Taylor and Mike Taylor who won 21-13.

Rink scores: C Williamson, J Taylor, M Taylor and A Cronin won 21-13; S Cooper, S Albany, R West and R Roffe won 22-18; P Lawson, A Phillips, P Turner and B Martin won 23-19; J Angus, J Wakefield, T Westland and G Wright lost 12-24.