CLIFFORD hold top spot in the Stratford & District Airgun League’s Webley competition following a win against Avenue A last week.
The match proved to be close and after seven shooters Avenue thought they were safe with 218 points, which included 34s from Steve Parrack and Paul Lowe, to Clifford’s 217.
Then Clifford’s eighth shooter Roy Brookes came to the target and quickly shot three bulls, two fours and finally two more bulls which gave him a season’s best score of 33 points.
A recalculation of the final score, dropping the lowest of their eight scores, gave Clifford victory even without Avenue’s handicap of four points with 219 points.
Avon did not need the eight-point handicap from Binton A to win their match. Bill Fleming, Richard Groom and Colin Fulford all shot 33s, which contributed to Avon’s final scoreline of 229 points.
Binton had only six shooters and did not seem as comfortable with the target as usual. John Parrott and Michelle Dale shot good 32s and with an A N Other score of 28 only managed 214 points.
Snitterfield gave Binton B 14 handicap points and both teams fielded strong teams of eight for their match. Gareth Morris gave Snitterfield an early lead when he shot 33 and his team-mates kept the pressure on with another 33 from anchorman Andy Morris, 34 from Tim Stephens equalling his career-best score and a possible from Alan Brookes, his first this season.
Lyn Brookes returned to the team after a break of almost four months due to ill health and shot a very respectable 29.
The Binton side wobbled a bit with some loose shots but a rearguard action saw Ben Chamberlain shoot 31 and Steve Hodges and Joe Powell both shot 33s. At the final accounting Snitterfield just came out winners with 226 points to 225.
The two teams based at Wilmcote met, with MEB getting 19 handicap points from league winners Wilmcote. MEB gathered momentum as the match progressed with 31s from Kath Williams, Derek Powers and Fred Williams and 33s from Paul Onions and Dave Beasley. After dropping the lowest of their eight scores, MEB scored (214+19) for 233 points.
Wilmcote had only fours and bulls in their counting scores but they did not ring the bell often enough to get the high scores which have come to be expected of them. Adam Clarke shot 33, as did Paul Clingan, and John Mayfield shot 32, but a respectable 221 points gave them second place in this match.
