Neither of Stamford's men or women teams progressed into the next round of their respective Denny Cup and Yetton Trophy national inter-club championships against Spalding and Melton but will be hoping for better fortune in the plate competitions for first round losers.

Stamford's men, playing two rinks simultaneously at home and away, lost 68-86 while the women, in similar format, also conceded late shots before going down 76-80.

It was always going to be a tight match against Spalding in the Denny Cup with both sides fielding some fresh faces, including England international Tristan Morton for Stamford and teenagers Nathan Putterell, Aaron Barnes and Aaron Wild for Spalding, who also included Stamford-based Stephen Harris at lead in the home rink skipped by the irrepressible Graham Smith.

At Stamford the rinks skipped by Roger Martin and Martyn Dolby both put daylight between themselves and the visitors by the 15th of 21 ends with 21-11 and 18-8 leads, offering encouragement to Morton and Simon Law away from home. However, a total of 12 shots conceded in the last three ends proved Stamford's undoing.

At Spalding, their former England singles winner Martin Spencer and his experienced number three Maurice Elding were in sparkling form against Law with a series of conversions which eventually took them to a convincing 30-8 victory.

As for Stamford's other away rink, they battled hard to keep the score manageable and after trailing 6-14 rallied with eight shots in six ends before finally losing 18-20.

For Stamford's women in the Yetton Trophy it ended in a frustrating morning which had promised so much after taking a 13-shot lead overall at the halfway stage thanks chiefly to the home rink skipped by Denise Mackie leading 14-4 and captain Glenys Edwards' quartet ahead by five at Melton.

But gradually Melton warmed to cooler conditions at Stamford to pick up vital shots and edge home by four overall.

Stamford men will next play Louth (beaten 63-79 by Lincoln) in the plate competition while Stamford women will play the losers of the match between Spalding and Peterborough.

Results: Denny Cup: Stamford 68 Spalding 86. Home: Wayne Aspinall, Mick Humphreys, Peter Edwards, Martyn Dolby beat Nick Wilkie, Aaron Wild, Andy Dunham, Kevin Ekins 19-16; Richard Allam, John Holroyd, Paul Bailey, Roger Martin beat Aaron Barnes, John Needham, Matt Whyers and Jordan Philpott 23-20. Away: Adam Warrington, Neil Wright, Jonathan Earl, Simon Law lost to Rhys Hill, Nathan Puttrell, Maurice Elding and Martin Spencer 8-30; Paul Dalliday, Bob Warters, James Harford, Tristan Morton lost to Stephen Harris, Steve Hill, Martin Simpson and Graham Smith 18-20.

Results (Stamford names only): Yetton Trophy: Stamford 76 Melton 80. Home: Jan Want, Louise Harris, Carol Warters, Denise Mackie won 23-14; Christine Barnes, Flick Rogers, Stella Henshaw, Sue Moir lost 11-25. Away - June Brennan, Pat Jones, Shirley Suffling, Christine Ford lost 16-24; Elizabeth Wallace, Margaret Andrews, Helen Holroyd, Glenys Edwards won 26-17.

Dick Noble has been invested as the new president of the Northants Bowling Federation, determined to improve the county's competitive record and fight for the status of smaller counties.

The current holder of the Northants senior pairs title and chairman of West Ward Bowls Club, struck a combative chord when he succeeded Tony Mace (Whittlesey Manor) in the presidential role for the next two years, after serving as his deputy.

Noble, a former uncompromising footballer with Glinton United, told the annual meeting that even though Northants punched above its weight in national individual competition, he wanted to target the major team competitions and challenge the successes of the bigger counties including Lincolnshire, Suffolk and Norfolk.

He said that while Northants perhaps didn't have the resources, they certainly had the talent. He also wanted to fight on Northants behalf to keep smaller counties like North Cambs in the Federation.

Noble added: "I'm sure over the next two years we are capable of bringing home more trophies than ever.

“We can prove we are better than the bigger counties starting with reaching the Derbyshire Trophy final (inter-county indoor championship) in April."

Retiring president Mace said he had been proud to serve the NBF and thanked all those who had helped over his period of office, reporting that the highlights had been retaining the Eversley Trophy and, in the outdoor season, the county winning the two-bowl rinks and two-bowl singles titles at Skegness.

He particularly paid tribute to competition secretary Barry Lawrence who is retiring after almost a decade in the job but will continue to serve as competition results secretary. Melvyn Beck will take over the administrative role alongside his other duties as secretary and EBF delegate.

Other officers re-elected included treasurer Les Sharp, who reported a profit for the year of £245, Adams and Newton captains (Jon Earl and Cliff Watson respectively) and Northants A (James Harford) and Northants B (Malcolm Squires) in the Derbyshire Trophy.

Among other matters reported to the annual meeting was the welcome return into the Northants Federation fold of Wittering Bowls Club which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019.

The club's members will be eligible for both indoor and outdoor competitions forthwith.

Key future dates in 2019 include: March 17 - NBF & NWBF indoor finals (at Stamford IBC); April 14 - Eversley final (Newark IBC); April 23-28 - EBF & EWBF indoor finals (Newark); August 17-24 - EBF & EWBF outdoor finals (Skegness); September 22 - Presentation lunch (Orton Hall Hotel).

The EBF & EWBF outdoor finals at Skegness in 2020 will be a week earlier than usual from April 15-22.

With the double defeat in both the Denny and Yetton national inter-club championships still fresh in the mind, Stamford bowlers could have been forgiven moments of self doubt less than 24 hours later when their team of men and women stepped out against Kempston Park (Bedford) in the Top Club event.

However, Stamford - competing for the first time in many years - had no need to worry. They won on every rink with an overall score of 105-67, to earn an away trip in the next round to either Bedford Borough or Kettering Lodge.

The competition demands five disciplines - men's and women's singles, then mixed pairs, triples and rinks - with overall shots the arbiter if points are level.

And as the 16-0 points score suggests, everyone played their part, with Adam Warrington and Christine Ford giving Stamford an early boost with respective 21-12 singles victories.

Warrington, who had admitted he had trepidation about his role in the team, said: "I bowled my backhand on rink five all the time. I haven't played as well as that for a very long time."

With the fours skipped by Tristan Morton and the pairs combination of Elizabeth Wallace and Martyn Dolby, always in command, it was left to the triple of John Holroyd, Shirley Suffling and Simon Law to ensure a whitewash, despite being 8-16 behind with seven ends to play.

They did it in some style by picking up 14 shots without reply in six ends before veteran Kempston skip Graham White conceded.

Result (Stamford names first): Top Club: Stamford 105 (16 pts) Kempston Park 67 (0). Men's singles - A Warrington (2pts) beat M Curtiss 21-12; women's singles - C Ford (2) beat H Page 21-12; Mixed pairs - E Wallace & M Dolby (4) beat L Croxon & J Kayne 19-9; mixed triples - J Holroyd, S Suffling & S Law (4) beat E Church, T Peck & G White 22-16; mixed fours - H Holroyd, K Bailey, J Earl & T Morton (4) beat A Cunningham, A Rosier, A Cunningham and D Rosier 21-18.

Stamford's women bowlers came off second best in their opening Lincolnshire League match at Boston, losing by 18 shots.

Only two rinks -skipped by Helen Holroyd and Christine Ford - emerged with points.

Result (Stamford names only): Trudy Bates Lincolnshire Women's A League: Boston 96 (12 pts) Stamford 78 (4) - J Brennan, M King, S Suffling , C Ford won 20-6; J Want, M Holden, C Warters, D Mackie lost 12-34; E Wallace, S Gentry, M Holroyd, G Edwards lost 9-22; J Lonslow, M Andrews, M Broadbelt, H Holroyd won 24-9; J Dupree, A Preston-Bambridge, P Jones, S Henshaw lost 13-25.

After being relegated being relegated to Division Two of the Lincolnshire Over 60s league, then suffering two successive defeats at Lincoln and Boston, David Heffernan's team got back on track with a comprehensive defeat of visiting Skegness.

Wearing their colourful new club shirts emblazoned with their town's jolly fisherman logo on the back, Skegness had hoped to create an even bigger impression but found more soberly dressed Stamford in no mood to concede home advantage.

Indeed with Tony Barwell and Jeff Bourne delivering a strong front end base, Mick Owens and Bob Warters simply had to add the icing on the cake, in a record 52-8 victory on rink one. At one stage they added 26 shots without reply.

It was a similar story for Cliff Watson's quartet on the adjoining rink, dashing to a 21-4 lead before running out 30-9 winners. Rinks skipped by Derek King and Trevor Christie also delivered vital points.

Result (Stamford names only): Lincs Over 60s Division Two: Stamford 131 (16 pts) Skegness 74 (2) - T Barwell, J Bourne, M Owens, B Warters won 52-8; A Romaine, S Travis, D Heffernan, C Watson won 30-9; M Ramsden, P Burt, K Gentry, T Christie won 20-19; D Howarth, T Weaver, A March, Richard Martin lost 9-24; R Graham, M Hawkes, K Vinter, D King won 20-14.

Jeff Newson and Tony Scarr have been added to the Stamford A squad which is contesting the Over 60 double rink competition in which they are former Area winners.

The pair will join Bob Warters and Roger Martin at positions two and three respectively in the away rink which plays in the first round against Grantham on November 6 (10am). Playing simultaneously at Stamford will be a rink skipped by Martyn Dolby.

At the same time, Stamford B play Horncastle with Keith Rippin skipping the home rink and Cliff Watson the away rink.

Stamford A (v Grantham): Home - D Hudson, D Want, P Edwards, M Dolby; away - B Warters, T Scarr, J Newson, Roger Martin.

Stamford B (v Horncastle): Home - T Barwell, M Cullingworth, R Montgomery, K Rippin; away - M Ramsden, D Heffernan, K Vinter, C Watson.

The match, on a set day and time determined by the EIBA, will mean the regular Tuesday roll-up group will have access to only four rinks.

So anxious has B team captain Roger Graham been to get the season under way - after a disappointing campaign last season - that his line-up for Saturday's first match at Horncastle has been posted for more than a month!

Stamford B: T Barwell, D Veasey, M Hewitt, K Gentry; R Graham, D Henshaw, S Downs, T Christie; D Howarth, Mal Smith, D Heffernan, M Owens; A Lonslow, D Miller, A McNaughton, D King; D Cave, D Edwards, Richard Martin, P Linnell.

Simultaneously a Stamford mixed team visits Dunholme with a handful making their debut including Margaret King, John Suffling, Paul Buckley and John Hare.

Team: J Brennan, C Warters, M Dye, B Warters; Mick Smith, M King, J Hare, C Ford; E Wallace, M Wallace, S Moir, D Ford; J Suffling, M Andrews, S Suffling, P Buckley; T Mackie, P Jones, D Mackie, J Little.

Stamford IBC bowlers Simon Law and Tristan Morton will represent Lincolnshire in the inter-county Liberty Trophy match against Yorkshire at York IBC on Saturday. Lincolnshire are the holders.

A Stamford mixed team will contest the Egham Trophy on Sunday at Boston - a national team competition which demands two rinks playing at home and away simultaneously.

Home: Elizabeth Wallace, Helen Holroyd, Peter Edwards, Martyn Dolby; Moira Holroyd, Katie Bailey, Adam Warrington, Jonathan Earl.

Away: Paul Dalliday, Louise Harris, Shirley Suffling, Simon Law; Bob Warters, Pat Jones, Christine Ford, James Harford.

Stamford men's A team captain Paul Bailey has rung the changes in a bid to get the team back on track following the defeat at Louth in the opening Lincs League Division One fixture.

For the visit to Sleaford on November 4 he introduces James Harford, Simon Law, Paul Dalliday and Neil Wright to the line-up against a side who were promoted from the second division last season.

Stamford A: D Hudson, Mal Smith, P Edwards, M Dolby; R Allam, M Linnell, J Harford, S Law; A Romaine, J Travis-Jenner, A Warrington, P Bailey; W Aspinall, C Ballard, B Warters, Roger Martin; P Dalliday, N Wright, J Holroyd, J Earl.

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