BIRD in Hand A hosted the Malt Shovel A team in Division A of the Bridgwater Town Skittles League who, after the second hand were 43 up with spares from Andy Britton, Andy Parker, Rick Prew, Jon Creedy and Derek Chidgey.

In contrast, the home team only had one spare from Nick Fisher.

The following two hands suited the home side better as they reclaimed 27 pins, reducing the lead to 16.

The fifth hand saw a further seven added to the Shovels’ lead. Bird were running out of time and started the sixth hand with intent.

Dean Adams hit a 17 flopper, spares from Nick Fisher and Simon Csete and, to cap it all, a mighty doubleflopper 25 from top man Mike Taylor. This led to a hand of 101, snatching the lead by 17, which, despite a valiant attack from The Shovel snatched a win by one for the Bird side.

In Division B, Blake Hall B hosted the New Foresters B team, and started with a solid 58, which the Foresters matched before sinking to 55.

Blake won the following two hands to lead by 17 entering the fourth hand. James Puddy, hitting the Foresters’ first spare, helped his side pull two back, but Steve Irish’s 17 in the next hand raised the deficit back to 25 after the Blake’s highest hand of the night, a 68.

The penultimate hand saw the Foresters’ best hand, pitched as so often happens against the Blake’s lowest hand, reducing the Blake’s lead to 14.

Blake set a target of 78 for the win, which proved out of reach, resulting in a win by 15 for the home side.

The Great Western Club A team played away at the Blake Arms, against the A team, in Division C.

Blake opened with a 59, which included a 14 spare from James Christodolou. Great Western lost five on the opening hand and a further two on the second, before snatching the lead by a single pin in the third hand, Steve Cox hitting a 14 spare sealed the hand.

A tied fourth hand left the Shack in front before a resurgent Blake claimed the following two hands to again lead by seven entering the final hand.

A target of 74 for the win was posted which, after Mike Coombes hit a 15 flopper, was looking possible, but another spare eluded the Shack and Blake won by five.

The D Division again provided a very close game of interest with the difference between the sides never greater than four.

Duke B hosted the Lions A and, despite a solid 55 opening hand, went one pin down.

Lions struggled in the second hand and paid the price by losing the lead to the Duke.

The lead swopped during alternate hands before Lions won the fifth and sixth hands to lead by four. Duke set a 55 to win, which Lions managed to win by 4.