(Content reviewed 20/9/08)

This page is dedicated to the EASINGWOLD SMBC - one of the counties most active and successful clubs

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CLUB PROFILE

(as published in the 2003/04 Handbook)

The opening of a Sports Hall at the Galtres Centre in Easingwold in 1991 provided the first real opportunity for Short Mat Bowls in the town and the club was formed a few short weeks thereafter. Only one mat was available initially though keen club members soon persuaded the Galtres management to purchase a second allowing entry into the Ryedale League for the 1991/92 season. Around this time the club was also one of the six clubs which were involved in the meetings that resulted in the forming the NYSMBA.

The Ryedale League proved a source of keen competition for Easingwold and during its 6 years of membership it won the league championship four times – three of those in succession. In 1993 the club played an important part in the formation of the Kyle Valley league and entered two teams in their first season. In 1994/95 the ‘B’ team won this league for the first time with it’s ‘A’ team as runners up. This season too saw the instigation of the Easingwold Open Triples and also of the Kyle Valley Leagues Challenge Cup (a competition which the club hosted for the next seven years until the league assumed full responsibility in 2001/02).

At the end of the 1997 season the club withdrew from the Ryedale league and set about the formation of the Vale of York Pairs league. This has proved a source of intense competition in pairs bowling and provided the club with four successive league victories and four wins in the annual Pairs Tournament day.

The decision to play a stronger team in the Kyle Valley League, made a few years ago has provided the ‘B’ team with a good run achieving three successive league titles in the last four seasons and also three wins in the leagues  KO Cup. Although last season was the first time in quite a few years that Easingwold had no league championship to claim, it still won three Cups – the VOY tournament, the KVL Challenge Cup and the KVL KO Cup – a unique triple.

Whilst anno-domini has taken something of a toll in members, the club membership remains strong. It bowls regularly on six mats and can provide good bowling for more members than ever. It can certainly accommodate any bowlers in the Easingwold area and they would be assured of a good welcome from present club members.

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COMPETITION REPORTS

2009 TRIPLES - (24/1/09)

2008 TRIPLES - (26/1/08) Entries for this, the 14th year of this competition, were again a little down but never the less there were still 26 teams competing from 11 different clubs. As for last year, all entrants had 5 games which were played out on 6 mats over 11 sessions of 30 minutes duration. With the usual 2 points for a win (1 for a draw), the winner this year was to be the team with the most points accumulated from their 5 games. (The "penalty shoot out" idea used  to sort out tied winners in the last 2 competition was abandoned). 

Everybody knew that the winner was likely to be a team that remained unbeaten throughout the day and so it proved to be. In fact there were two teams to achieve this distinction, both gaining the requisite 10 points. However, it was the home team of Joyce Hughes with Jim & Betty Almond who ended with +25 shots who took the trophy, whilst David & Joseph Newsome (N. Duffield) and Richard Lochman (E. Cottingwith) were just behind on +19. Third place went to Arthur Jackson (St. Cuthberts), Harry Awty & Cyril Croft (Easingwold) who just beat Roger Green (Gt. Ouseburn), Gareth & Edward Townend (N. Duffield) into fourth place by 1 shot in their last game. (See PhotoGallery)    

2007 TRIPLES - (27/1/07) This year a slightly reduced entry of 28 Triples gathered at the Galtres Centre to contest the 13th running of this open competition. Once again, 14 clubs were represented and last years format was repeated with everyone getting 5 x half hour games. By the end of the 12th and last playing session only two triples had gained the maximum 10 points, having remained undefeated throughout the day. These were Jean Calvert, Simon Holtby and Paul Williamson (Boroughbridge) and Pat Bennett, Margaret Mellors and Barry Simmonite (Hambleton).

To decide on the winners, Easingwold SMBC had again decided that the two teams should contest a "Penalty Shoot Out" although unlike last year each team had to nominate just one of their players to take part. So it was that Barry squared up to Simon to try and ditch a full length jack on one of the clubs faster mats. This is not as easy as it sounds - too heavy and the woods hang out but too soft and not enough force to carry the jack far enough. After both players had played and missed 3 times Barry played the perfect "trail" with his 4th following the jack straight in. Simon, with his 4th also struck the jack but was very unlucky when the jack came to rest straddling the ditch line. So the Cup (and £60) went to Pat Bennetts triple whilst Jeans trio had to make do with £30 for second place. For the 3rd prize of £15, fours teams (skipped  by Arthur Jackson, Dennis Jarvis, Jenny Toase and Andrew Mather) followed the same procedure. However this was soon over when Dennis found the right line/weight with the very first wood - a feat unmatched by the other three. (See PhotoGallery)

Note - it is interesting that Easingwold SMBC only ever won this competition in the first year it was played - obviously "home advantage" is not that much of an advantage!

2006 TRIPLES - (28/1/06) Players from 14 clubs gathered at the Galtres Centre once again for this years Easingwold Open Triples. Although over half the 30 entries came from just 3 clubs, there were also teams from as far afield as Melbourne, North Duffield, Pateley Bridge and Darley. Last years format was repeated, with all triples organised in 5 groups of 6  playing on 6 mats over 13 timed half hour sessions. This gave all entries a total of 5 games and a target of 10 points. Unlike last year, by the end of the day no team remained undefeated but 5 teams were tied on 8 points having secured 4 wins apiece. 

In an experimental conclusion the organisers had decided not to separate these tied winners in the usual way by looking at "shot difference" but by asking all 5 teams to participate in a "penalty shoot-out". In this, all 15 players had two attempts to play a long positioned jack into the ditch. At first it looked as if no one would be successful with everyone bowling with too much weight and missing or just clipping the jack to one side. However it was Les Teal who eventually found the line and weight just right to do what was required. Next to go was Arthur Jackson who after hitting the block with his first attempt also came up with a winner. The shoot out then continued to a second round (but on a sudden death basis) during which Les repeated his feat to secure first place for his Boroughbridge team of Bill Cove and Barbara Pickles leaving St. Cuthberts Arthur, playing with Easingwolds Ralph Parsons and Rex Hill in the runners up place. Finally, third place was secured by the home clubs triple of Jenny Toase, Sally Roocroft and Joyce Hughes after Jenny became the only other person to successfully ditch the jack in this novelty decider. (Sorry - no photos but if you would like to see Les and Bill, they were snapped at the Kirbymisperton Triples as runners up back in November)        

2005 TRIPLES - 90 players from 13 clubs (+ an entry from Durham) gathered at the Galtres Centre for the 11th year to contest Easingwold's Open Triples Competition. In a change of format the final knockout stages used in previous years were eliminated and game times were reduced to 30 minutes allowing both for larger groups and an earlier finish time of 4.30pm. Final positions were therefore determined simply on the results of the days round-robin play in which everyone had 5 games (5 groups of 6). There was no disputing the final winners as Alan Banthorpe, Danny Brown and Derek Williams from Hambleton were the only team to remain undefeated, clocking up the maximum of 10 points. (Alan and Danny are currently in top form having recently won the Swinton Triples and been runners up in the County Triples Championships). With four teams tying on 8 points (4 wins out of 5) the minor placings were then determined on shot difference. Brian Jones' Knaresborough triple and the Easingwold three led by Jenny Toase just missed out with +4 and +14 shots respectively. Third place went to Easingwolds Ralph Parsons and Mary Almond playing with Bilsdales Arthur Jackson on +16 whilst the runners up, with +25 were Dennis Jarvis, Maggie Peart and Andrew Mather from Raskelf. Umpire for the day was Fred Wood. (see PhotoGallery)  

2004 XMAS TRIPLES - Discontinued

2004 TRIPLES - Last years format was repeated with all 30 entrants playing in 6 groups of 5 utilising all 6 mats. Every team was thus guaranteed 4 games - each of 35 minutes duration. At the conclusion of the round robin, the group winner plus the two best runners up went on to contest the quarter finals. In these Billy Thompson beat Arthur Jackson, Fred Banthorpe beat Pat Lawrie, Chris Peel beat Joyce Hughes and Rose Haynes beat George Broom. In the SemiFinals, Chris Peel (playing with wife Christine Peel and John Ward) and Billy Thompson had a very close match with the former finally winning 10-8. In the other Semi, Fred Banthorpes trio (David Paterson and John Oliver) succumbed easily to Rose Haynes 19-4. In the Final Rose, playing with Great Ouseburn colleagues Simon Holtby and Roger Green continued to play a very tight drawing game and Billy, wife Joan Thompson and Mary Sweeney found the jack very hard to find. Rose's team finally triumphed 17-3. (For a photo of the winners go to the Photo Gallery)

2003 XMAS TRIPLES - An increased entry of 30 triples this year packed the Galtres Centre for a full days bowling in which all entrants had six 30 minute games. By the end of the day, the triples led by Alan Banthorpe and Chris Peel had tied for the lead on 10 points being the only ones to win five of their matches. After taking shots difference into account, Alan, who played with Hambleton colleagues Derek Williams and Danny Brown were declared the winners over Chris who was playing with Christine Peel and Ian Battersby from Ampleforth. Jenny Toase's Easingwold trio were in third place.  

2003 TRIPLES - The Easingwold Open, originally scheduled for January 18th, attracted an entry of 30 triples including one from Durham. The entrants were drawn in 6 groups of 5 with all contestants playing 5 games of 30 minute duration utilising all 6 of the clubs mats. The group winners plus two best runners up then progressed to the QuarterFinals. In the SemiFinals, Chris Peels (Ampleforth) team put paid to the hopes of Ralph Parsons, Mary Almond (Easingwold) and Richard Kay (Boroughbridge) whilst Philip Elgie, Allan Meek and Simon Holtby (Great Ouseburn) fell to the Durham three led by Moira Gowland.  In the final, Chris, playing with wife Christine and John Ward were easy winners beating  Durham 13-1. This follow their success at Swinton two weeks ago where they were only narrowly beaten into third.

2002 XMAS TRIPLES - The inaugural running of this new open competition saw 21 hopeful teams start the day with each triple playing six 40 minutes games. The winning three were Arthur Jackson and Len Lofthouse from Bilsdale together with Arthur Rathmell from Ampleforth. Arthurs team were unbeaten during the day so accumulated the maximum  12 points. Second place went to John Harforth, Hilda Thomas and Nigel Gray from Helmsley with 10 points whilst Dennis Jarvis's triple, also with 10 points were forced into 3rd place on shot difference.

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EASINGWOLD TRIPLES WINNERS & RUNNERS UP

Trophy presented by Jack and Eileen Freeman

 

1995	Les Stelling  Stuart & Maureen Lilliman	?
1996	Chris & Christine Peel  Stan Woodgate	?
1997	Richard Clark  Harold & Mary Almond	?
1998	Brian & Norma Foster  Derek Williams	?
1999	Eric Richardson  Billy Thompson  Richard Kay	?
2000	Dennis Jarvis  Maureen Lilliman  Gladys Price	?
2001	David Loraine  Bill Guy  Betty Almond	?
2002	Arthur Jackson  Heather Allen  Max Cook	?
2003	Chris & Christine Peel  John Ward	Moira Gowland + 2 (Durham)
2004	Rose Haynes  Simon Holtby  Roger Green	Billy & Joan Thompson  Mary Sweeney
2005	Alan Banthorpe  Danny Brown  Derek Williams	Dennis Jarvis  Maggie Peart  Andrew Mather
2006	Les Teal  Bill Cove  Barbara Pickles	Arthur Jackson  Ralph Parsons  Rex Hill
2007	Pat Bennett  Barry Simmonite  Margaret Mellors	Jean Calvert  Simon Holtby  Paul Williamson
2008	Joyce Hughes  Jim &  Betty Almond	David & Joseph Newsome  Richard Lochman

XMAS TRIPLES WINNERS

 

2002	Arthur Jackson	Len Lofthouse	Arthur Rathmell
2003	Alan Banthorpe	Danny Brown	Derek Williams
2004	Discontinued