Senior vs Belmont Park

Another sunny saturday afternnon saw NICS make the short trip to Belmont to face a Belmont Park team in need of points.

Rink 3 saw John Mooney, Artie Rice, Freddie Murdock and Davy Hunter take on G White, H Artt, D White and A Sloan. The home team shaded the first 5 ends to lead 5-3 before the NICS rink bounced back to lead 10-8. Davy's boys managed to keep their noses in front at 15 ends leading 14-13 and the game remained tight until the last when a 3 in the final end made the score 21-17 at the finish.

Rink 4 had Norman Shields, Albert Preston, JJ Leonard and Stanley Hegan face B Dempster, T Matthews, J Gorman and B Higgins. A great start saw Foxy's fellas leap out to a 9-0 lead at 6 ends.A five in 13th end turned the game and the NICS rink now trailed 12-11. The game was all square at 15-15 at 19 ends when disaster struck as a 3 in the 20th ends left the score 18-15 with one end to go. Somehow the visiting rink managed to lift a 5 in the last end, which not only won their point 20-18, but tightened up the game across the green.

Rink 1 saw Mark De Conink, Michael Bell, Ian Hutton and Brian Leonard take on P Harrison, K Moore, P Hamilton and W Thompson. A slow start for the visitors saw the score 6-2 to the home team at 5 ends before Brian's boys took the lead 10-8 at 10 ends. Unfortunately the home team bounced back and lifted a poor five in the 13th end to lead 16-14 at 15 ends. By this stage Brian was struggling with tiredness from his recent illness and the whole Belmont Park rink were playing well as they won 4 of the next 5 ends to lead 23-15. In the last end, with the game incredibly tight across the green, Brian trailed the jack to lift 2 with the last bowl. The game finished 23-17 to the home team.

Rink 2 had Derek Forsythe, Derek Brown, Mansel Montgomery and Alan Montgomery face E Willis, M Gorman, H Swift and D McCullough. Again the home team shaded the opening 5 ends to lead 5-3. Again the visitors took the lead 8-7 at 10 ends only for the home team to respond and take the lead 11-10 at 15 ends. Al's men managed to re-take the lead 14-13 by 20 ends. In the final end with the game in the balance, Al showed his class by getting the shot with the last bowl of the match to secure his point and the overall team win.

A tough game that somehow NICS managed to win.