The Five Lakes Short Mat Pairs competition was held this week at Potter’s Five Lakes Resort in Essex and was won by Honeylyn & John Bleach of Essex club Willows Park SMBC. The event, organised by Norfolk’s Teresa & Selwyn Goldsmith, began in earnest on Tuesday morning with pairs playing eleven games each over three days with the aim of finishing in the top four to qualify for the semi-finals on Thursday afternoon. Going into the eleventh session, after lunch on Thursday, there were still seven pairs in contention for the top four spots. By the end of the session Alexis & Dennis Mack of Bedfordshire club Wilsted SMBC had completed their tenth win from eleven games to top the points tally on 20. Three other pairs had achieved 18 points with Honeylyn & John Mack second with +69 shots, Paula & Julian Scales of Kent’s Hamstreet SMBC with +66 shots and Lesley & Brian Turner of Norfolk’s Taverham club with +57 shots. Just missing out on the semi-finals were fifth placed Glen & George Hume of Norfolk’s Harling club, sixth placed Pat Hall & Richard Moore of Norfolk’s Hevingham SMBC and seventh placed Jill & Colin Hayman of Harling who all finished on 15 points. The Bleachs met the Scales in the semi-finals and with eight ends played they were level at 6-6 in a close run match. Two shots for Honeylyn & John Bleach on the ninth end and another two on the tenth end left Paula & Julian Scales needing a full house if they were to force an extra end but the Bleaches took a single to win 11-6. The other semi-final saw Norfolk’s Turner pairing gain an early advantage against Alexis & Dennis Mack and they led 7-2 after five ends. But the Mack’s displayed the tenacity they had shown all week and won on four successive ends to lead 8-7. Lesley & Brian Turner then levelled the game on the tenth end with a single and added another single on the penultimate end to lead 9-8 to set up a dramatic last end. Once again the Macks dug deep to score two shots and reach the final with a 10-9 win. The final saw Honeylyn & John Bleach get off to a flying start. A super last bowl by John Bleach sat tight behind the jack and after the umpire was called in to measure for second and third woods the Bleachs led by 3-0. Dennis Mack delivered the goods on the second end drawing in two good bowls to cut the deficit to 3-2. An excellent drawn wood by Alexis Mack put them in control of the third end till John Bleach drew shot. This was immediately countered by Dennis Mack and his pair collected two shots to lead 4-3. This became a 6-3 lead for the Macks on the fourth end as they won a drawing battle. At the conclusion of the this end the Willow Park pair switched playing positions with Honeylyn moving to skip and John to lead. Dennis Mack quickly made the decision to change order as well which put Alexis Mack to skip and Dennis to lead. The change paid dividends for the Essex pair as they collected two shots on the fifth end and a single on the sixth to level the game at 6-6. A competitive seventh end saw the Bleach pairing score another single to take the lead and a weighted backhand shot by John Bleach ditched the jack leading to another single and an 8-6 lead. The ninth end was massive for Honeylyn & John Bleach as they collected a full house to move 12-6 up. Alexis Mack had looked to have played a fine last bowl of the end but it somehow slipped through the head. On the tenth end John Bleach won the battle of the leads and Honeylyn Bleach piled on the pressure with two good woods. This forced Alexis Mack to play a running bowl but it missed its intended target leaving the Essex pair holding three shots for a 15-6 lead and at this point the Bedfordshire pair conceded with two scheduled ends unplayed. The third place play-off saw Paula & Julian Scales of Kent’s Hamstreet SMBC make a great start against Lesley & Brian Turner of Norfolk’s Taverham SMBC and they quickly built up a good lead. After eight ends the score was 14-2 in favour of the Kent pairing before the Norfolk pair won three straight ends to reduce the deficit to 14-8 after eleven ends when they conceded with one end left unplayed. The Presentation Ceremony was conducted by Potter’s Lauren Simpson who presented the first four pairs with Potters Holiday vouchers.
PHOTO CALL AT FIVE LAKES
The Five Lakes Pairs winners John & Honeylyn Bleach with Potter's Laura Simpson
Five Lakes Pairs Runners-up Alexis and Dennis Mack
Third Place Play-Off winners Paula & Julian Scales
Fourth placed Lesley & Brian Turner
Event Organiser Teresa Goldsmith at the Bowls Control Desk
Popular Essex bowler Bob Taylor in action
Barry & Jane Walsh
Three happy ladies getting ready for another session
Stuart Bell, Tony Chawner, Sheila Wicks & Ellie Bell
Paul Bruce surveys the situation
Richard Moore of Hevingham and Val Easter of Harling
Ian Cornwall & Richard Broad relaxing in the Bar