Ivybridge Bowls Club
For their first match of the 2016 season Ivybridge were always going to be facing an uphill struggle when they welcomed a strong Beacon Down team to the Bridge Park green on what was a particularly chilly evening.
The visitors didn’t get it all their own way with two of the Ivybridge rinks chalking up a win. The third rink went down by just one shot but it was a loss of 20 shots by the fourth rink that gave Beacon Down the victory.
For Ivybridge Mike Hexter, Paul Morgan and Dave Taylor skipped by Grenville Barnett won 23-12 and Jack Bilby, Frank Sanders and Larry Ireland, with skip Eric Bennett, also came out on top 19-16. Tony Plant, Brian Harman, Roland Lugger and Ken Kempthorne (skip) narrowly lost out 21-22 but the match was decided with a 11-31 loss by Peter Bray, Geoff Brimblecombe, John Cann and skip Dave Crisp.
Two days later the team were again at home, this time against Peverell Park for the first Evening League fixture of the season. Somehow the weather managed to be even colder and this time punctuated by frequent showers.
Despite the conditions things were to turn out much better for the home side, with all rinks getting off to a sound start and, by the time a very heavy storm curtailed the match after 17 ends, they had gone into an unassailable 82-38 lead.
Rob Woodcock, Dave Gibbs, Dave Taylor and Grenville Barnett (skip) won 15-11 with Mike Hexter, Brian Harman and Jack Bilby, skipped by Roland Lugger, also coming out on top 17-14.
Winning 26-8 was the rink skipped by John Cann with Dave Moulder, Eric Bennett and Larry Ireland and completing the result Peter Bray, Geoff Brimblecombe, Tony Plant and skip Ken Kempthorne won 25-5, giving the Ivybridge team the victory by 82-38.