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After victory in the Challenge Bowl last weekend, Royal Mail Cart Bowls Club have enjoyed further success after winning the Ron Kitchen Memorial Trophy and retaining the Cecil Driffill Trophy.
Saturday saw the finals day of the Ron Kitchen Memorial Trophy at Skegness Foreshore.
This is an EBF competition played in a top club style format.
Royal Mail Cart had beaten Friskney and Horncastle on their way to the semi-final, where their opponents were defending champions Cleethorpes – who beat the Spalding club in the final last year.
Ash Caress got Royal Mail Cart off to a good start as he won the two bowl singles 21-15, but Jordan Philpott narrowly lost the four bowl singles 20-21.
John Allen and Simon Lilley lost the pairs 17-22 which meant that, to progress to the final, Royal Mail Cart needed to win both the two and three bowl triples matches.
Tracy Philpott, Martin Simpson and Martin Spencer were always in control of the two bowl triples as they won 25-9, which left the outcome of the match on the three bowl triples.
Steve Hill, Phil Cooke and Dominic McVittie were 16-11 up going into the last end which they consolidated well to only drop two, win their rink 16-13 and the match 3-2 – securing a place in the final against Shires, who beat Burton House in the other semi-final.
The final was just as closely contested.
Caress started well and won the two bowl singles comfortably 21-13, before Philpott was unfortunate to lose the four bowl singles 19-21.
Allen and Lilley didn’t have much go their way as they lost the pairs 8-19, whilst Hill, Cooke and McVittie won the three bowl triples 25-6.
This left the match locked at 2-2, and the title would be decided on the two bowl triples.
Philpott, Simpson and Spencer collected five shots to go 15-11 up and, after a closely fought next few ends, went into the last end 19-17 up.
A tense final end saw the Royal Mail Cart trio drop a single shot but win their match 19-18 – and the overall match 3-2 – to go one better than in 2021 and win the Ron Kitchen Memorial Trophy for the first time.
On Sunday, the Royal Mail Cart team had also qualified to the final stages of the Cecil Driffill Trophy at Eslaforde Park Bowls Club.
Royal Mail Cart were defending champions and had beaten Castle and Blackstones on their way to the semi-final, where they faced Dunholme St Giles.
The Spalding side were always in control as they won by 18 shots, 66-48.
Although all rinks won in the semi-final, the main damage was done by the rink skipped by Martin Simpson, with Steve Hill and Pete Horsfield – who won 21-9.
Horncastle beat Blossom Way in the other semi-final.
Royal Mail Cart actually beat Horncastle at the semi-final stage last season, so were probably favourites going into the final – but it was clear from the outset that Horncastle were not going to give up without a fight.
Royal Mail Cart were four shots clear at both six and 12 ends before a strong finish meant that they won overall by 15 shots, 76-51, and won the Cecil Driffill Trophy in back-to-back seasons.
The Spalding side won on three of the four rinks in the final, but an impressive 27-11 rink win by the rink skipped by Jordan Philpott, with Tracy Philpott and Graham Smith, led the way to the team’s victory.
Royal Mail Cart hope to continue their good run as they represent Lincolnshire in the EBF Durham Centenary final on Saturday and then as Spalding’s EBA league champions at the county club championships on Sunday, September 4.
Rink Scores: Semi-final v Dunholme St Giles won 66-48 – John Allen, Simon Lilley & Martin Spencer won 15-13; Harry Mycock, Phil Cooke & Dominic McVittie won 15-13; Tracy Philpott, Graham Smith & Jordan Philpott won 15-13; Steve Hill, Pete Horsfield & Martin Simpson won 21-9.
Final v Horncastle won 76-61 – John Allen, Simon Lilley & Martin Spencer won 20-15; Harry Mycock, Phil Cooke & Dominic McVittie lost 12-26; Tracy Philpott, Graham Smith & Jordan Philpott won 27-11; Steve Hill, Pete Horsfield & Martin Simpson won 17-9
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