Club Officers 2016

• President John Kennedy
• Secretary Ian McConachie
• Treasurer Anita Frost
• Elected Officers Dave Waters, Annette Booker
•  Match Secretary Steve MacKay
• Competition Secretary Sim Madgewick
• Captain Ian Scammell
• Vice Captain Matty Frost
• Team Manager Sim Madgewick
• Contact for Ladies Section Natasha Booker

Frosty & Cookie make Harlow pair crumble – 13th September 2015

Matty Frost & John Cook have taken the Lea Valley Pairs title after beating Jimmy Oakes & “Stretch” Hawkins 22-12 on Sunday morning at Silverthorn BC.  The Ilford lads shot out of the blocks with a 4 count on the first end, &  lead 9-0 before the Harlow duo claimed their first shot on the 5th end. But the Ilford pair kept their cool fending off their opponents comeback to just 3 shots behind, taking a 2 count on the 18th end to lead 17-12 with just 3 ends to play. With the title in their grasp, &  5 counting Ilford woods smothering the Jack, Jimmy failed in his attempts to disturb the head & the Harlow duo, needing 10 shots over the last two ends to force an extra end, offered their hands in defeat & the Ilford boys were crowned Lea Valley men’s pairs champions 2016.  Ironically history is repeating itself as John Cook follows his wife to Wanstead Central next season & therefore cannot defend the title as was the case with wife Carol who partnered Brigit Granger in their LV Ladies pairs Championship win the previous year. 

  

“R U ” Beney takes Ilford Championship – 5th September 2015

Bill Beney had earned the title of Runner Up (R U) Beney after losing 5 finals in one season, but on Saturday he kicked off with an impressive 21-8 win against David Ward for the 3 woods competition in the Saturday Finals morning session, then took on Club President Chris Granger in the afternoon session to contest the Men’s Championship. Chris, who had lost out 8-18 to Matty Frost early in the day in the two wood final, took an early 13-10 lead in the match, but, as is fast becoming the slow starter trait, Bill levelled the game at 16 all before going on to take the title with a 21-16 win.  Although one Granger had lost out, daughter Leanne fought off Anita Frost in the ladies Championship winning 21-12 & earn her place in the Champion of Champions final on Sunday afternoon against the men’s Champion Bill Beney.  Anita had faced Bob Taylor in the newly formatted Junior Trophy in the morning, but came away runner-up with Bob displaying the vast improvements he has made in his game to take the trophy 21-11.  Sunday Morning saw Chris Granger back on the green to play his third final against Sim Madgewick in the Fixed Jack competition.  The match remained tight between the players, until Granger finally pulled away to make it third time lucky winning 106-84.  Newly crowned champion Bill Beney, contested his 3rd final of the season against Sim Madgewick in the Club Handicap, but could not repeat his earlier success losing out 14-21, but the pair were set to meet each other again in the Match Play competition in the next scheduled fixture.  Sim flying high from his first victory against Bill, took the first set, but lost the next setting up the 3 end decider.  The spectators enjoying the tension on the green saw the game levelled  once again with each player winning an end but it was Sim who finally took the final end to finish the weekend with 2 out of 3 titles.  The final match of the day was the Champion of Champions match which saw Leanne Granger up against Bill Beney.  The girlies rested all their hopes on Leanne to become the first lady to win the trophy which was put up by Brigit & Chris Granger, & the tensions ran high as Leanne held the lead for the majority of the match.  Bill however managed to take a 4 count which put him back in the game, & the pair then levelled at 18 a piece.  Bill then took a two count to take the lead, but Leanne once again pulled it back to 20-20.  Holding match on the final end, Leanne witnessed Bill rest out her shot wood, then it all came down to her last wood to save the day but the spectators heartfelt sighs witnessed her wood pull up 2 inches short of Bills target shot, & it was once again the lads taking the Champion of Champions trophy.

Ilford Captain Pacey gives Group 5 victory in host match against Walthamstow & district – 2nd September 2015

Micky Pace stepped in to play skip on Tuesday as Ilford hosted the Group 5 match against Teams from Walthamstow & District. Playing at Ilford, all eyes were on the Ilford Captain as he pulled off a fantastic 30 shot win securing the Group five win.  Players & visitors enjoyed the Ilford hospitality with a sit down hot meal after the game.  Ilford member & retiring group secretary Tom Titmarsh was thanked for all his 17 years of hard work for the group by all the players during the after dinner speeches. Ilford have applied to host the Group finals for 2016 & are currently awaiting the groups decision.

Cookie cooks it but Matty suffers in markers mayhem in Group finals

John Cook made light work of overpowering Peter Brown of Fords in taking the Waur Trophy title with an impressive 21-6 win, but Matty Frost suffered a loss after falling victim to marking catastrophes during his Dane Bowl final which cost him taking the title to follow in his fathers footsteps.  Supporters not just from his home club made their feelings of disgust felt during his match after contested woods were removed before being measured & objects falling out of the markers scorecard moved the Jack costing Matty the match.  After the match, Matty obviously devastated, applauded his opponent who had contested a great example of championship bowling from both the players, vowed to put the marking events down to experience, but would never let a marker who was obviouly not capable of  carrying out the role cost him a game in future matches.  His biggest regret was that he did not raise an objection to the selected marker continuing when the first incident occurred costing him the shot on the third end allowing his opponent to alter the Jack length to get back into the match.  Ilford also lost out in the final ends of the Cordell cup to rivals Wanstead Central.

Ilford overturn Poplar & Bush Hill Park n LV league – 15th & 23rd August 2015

Ilford travelled to Poplar on Saturday 15th to play their return tie in the LV league against Poplar & came away victors on all rinks.  Skip scores Ian Scammell 23 – 17, Micky Maxwell 24-21, Bill Beney 26-21. The following Sunday, the lads were again away in the league at Bush Hill Park & once again took all points on offer after Granger took a 6 count on the 20th end to win the Ilford rink after trailing for most of the match, & Sim Madgewick taking a vital 1 count on the last end to overcome a – 25% shot penalty for fielding a triple rink. Unfortunately both venues ended in losses for the Ilford Ladies.

Frosty & Cookie clip Phoenix wings in LV pairs

Matty Frost leading to John Cook have kept their LV pairs hopes alive after a 28-14 win over John Lewis from Phoenix. The boys took an early lead but halfway through the match they found themselves 11-13 down before taking 6 out of the next 7 ends to see Phoenix throw in the towel after 19 ends.

Ilford trio singing in the rain in LV triples

Skip Chris Granger with Bob Taylor & Bill Beney, faced Ray Fortune from Poplar in their 1/4 final Lea Valley triples tie after sailing past Romford’s Frank Abbot 20-10 in the previous round.  With neither team breaking away, the scores were tied 17 all after the match 18 ends. The final end had Bob Taylor’s consistent leading give the Ilford lads the edge whilst the rain fell down on the Ilford green.  As the head developed, the boys held advantage & Granger once again played some more of his telling conversion shots as he had throughout the match to fight off the Poplar trio & take the Extra end putting the boys into the semi-final.

CooKie to join Frosty in Group finals – 15th August 2015

John Cook has booked his place in the Group finals alongside Ilford team mate Matt Frost, after his semi final win against Woodfords Kevin Reid on Saturday morning. Cookies 21-7 win now places him in the Waur Trophy final against Peter Brown 

Frosty walking in his fathers footsteps – 13th August 2015

Matty Frost & Mike Cornwall from Wanstead finally got on the green to play their Dane Bowl semi-final last week on Centrals neutral green.  On a night that forecast thunderstorms, the lads started earlier in the hope to avoid a proper soaking..  Although taking an early lead in the match, Mike, pulled it back & lead 7-9 at 9 ends before Matt pulled off some great shots to pick up 6 shots in two ends to take back the lead 13-9. Further onslaughts from Matt reaped results to increase his lead by 5 shots to 19-14.  The 17th end had Mike faced with a match hold from Matty that required a weighted wood to disturb the head & leave Mike laying inches away from the off centered Jack.  Last wood in hand & Matty planned his shot & watched as his bowl was on target then satisfaction as he cleanly took out his oppos wood & left him with the required count to get him into the final. 

Matt Frost has nearly achieved his dream of following in his late dad’s (George) footsteps of winning the Dane Bowl. George then played for Goodmayes hospital back in the 70/80s, but records of his success were unfortunately lost when his last club Valentine Park & Ilford Women, had all their trophies & honours boards destroyed by fire. Matt is currently trying to find any records held externally that details his late dads Dane Bowl success.  If you can help please contact Matty Frost or The Ilford Club