HITCHIN Town s county league campaign stuttered last Thursday, but they managed to win the match against Willian by three shots (31-28). In damp conditions, Hitchin had the better start on both rinks, but the visitors fought back to level the match as the

HITCHIN Town's county league campaign stuttered last Thursday, but they managed to win the match against Willian by three shots (31-28).

In damp conditions, Hitchin had the better start on both rinks, but the visitors fought back to level the match as the conditions deteriorated. Hitchin lost one rink on the last end, but managed to get back in front on the other by enough to take the lion's share of the league points.

Rink one: R Parker, N Parke, M Wadsworth, S Dawson lost 13-15. Rink two: G Munge, M Squires, A Cook, I Thorne won 18-13.

On Saturday, Hitchin travelled to Welwyn & District, only to lose 69-87. The match started in steady rain and ended in glorious sunshine. The Welwyn team on two rinks flourished in the changing conditions to win easily.

While one other game was tightly matched throughout, only one Hitchin four managed to win.

The top rink was Reg Allen, Gerry Leuty, Roy Cole and Mike Wadsworth.

Rink one: G Corda, G Billingham, M Williams, A Hill lost 18-21. Rink two: R Allen, G Leuty, R Cole, M Wadsworth won 28-16. Rink three: K Porter, N Parke, D Conder, S Dawson lost 10-25. Rink four: S Hearne, N Webb, M Squires, I Page lost 13-25.

Hitchin visited Langford on Sunday, losing 42-57.

In a reduced format of three triples, Langford won on two rinks. Once again, Hitchin's success was limited to just one rink.

The top rink was Jean Parish, John Hill and Andy Hill.

Rink one: R Allen, B Clark, R Parker lost 13-20. Rink two: A Marsden, B Marsden, L Lane lost 12-22. Rink three: J Parish, J Hill, A Hill won 17-15.

Hitchin's weekday bowlers played five rinks of triples away at Foxton on Tuesday last week.

After a close match despite Hitchin bowlers winning on three of the five rinks, Foxton won 81-79.

Rink one: Barbara Clark, Steve Ingram, Alan Cook lost 12-14. Rink two: Ken Porter, Derek Conder, Joan Dyer won 17-16. Rink three: Reg Allen, Roy Cole, Diane Porter lost 16-21. Rink four: Pam Bamfield, John Dyer, Mike Williams lost 16-18. Rink five: Anne Marsden, Brian Marsden, John Porter won 18-12.

Hitchin's weekday bowlers were away again on Wednesday at Letchworth GC where Hitchin lost on three of the four rinks, going down 71-44.

Rink one: Joe Corda, Mike Wells, Mike Williams lost 8-15. Rink two: Barbara Clark, Roy Cole, Ken Porter lost 14-21. Rink three: Stan Hearne, Brian Marsden, John Porter lost 6-23. Rink four: Anne Marsden, Mike Squires, Diane Porter won 16-12.

Shefford Bowls Club returned to East Beds League action last week. The A team lost at home to Sandy Town, the B team won at Biggleswade and the C team lost at home to Ampthill.

On Tuesday, Shefford men also played in the East Beds League catching up on the previous week's postponements. The A team lost at Biggleswade on a tricky green, and from promotion candidates early on they are now struggling to stay up.

The B team put a dent in their host's chances of winning their division and boosted their own chances of staying up by winning at Stotfold.

Tuesday also saw the ladies play in the East Beds League. The A team won their knockout cup game against Sandy Conservatives and the B team lost at Ampthill in the league.

Saturday saw Maureen Nicholson and John Batcheldor go out of the county mixed pairs in appalling conditions with constant rain all morning losing to a pair from Biggleswade.

In the afternoon the men played a four rink game at home to Kingsbury and won by 86-78. The club had two winning rinks the best being Malcolm Clarke, Derek Wilson, Bill Lamb and Ralph Archer.

The ladies played at Stotfold and won a close game by five shots. Sunday saw a new fixture for the club when they played Letchworth Conservative Club at Letchworth.

The game had to be reduced to three triples due to shortage of players for the home side. Shefford came unstuck lost on all three rinks going down 63-33.

On Wednesday Howard Garden played Holwell at home in a SDML match losing by 65-83 going down on all four rinks.

However on Saturday Howard Garden's fortunes improved when they beat Shephalbury 92-65, winning on three of the four rinks.

Bill Spurden, Bob Wright, Harry Tindall and Tony Wood did particulary well winning their rink by 40-8.

The county league match against Baldock on Friday was lost 34-52. But the midweek bowlers fared better beating Buntingford 103-71 winning four out of five triples.

Despite winning two out of three triples against St Ippolyts on Friday, Howard Garden went down by seven shots overall.

Whitethorn Bowls Club has had a mixture of friendly and competition games during the past week.

On Wednesday the ladies played at home against Letchworth Conservative Bowls Club in the North Herts Triples League. Whitethorn achieved four out of six points for winning on one rink, losing on the other. Triple winners were: Rose Varney, Trish Elderfield and Angie Fabris 15-17; Carol Platten, Anne Gulliver and Mary Dean 20-12.

On Thursday the men played their county league at home against Riverain Bowls Club. Whitethorn scored wins on both rinks and gained the full six points for the match. The fours were: Barry Platten, Ron Adams, Terry Graham and Terry Saunders 26-11; Albie McLellan, Billy Chaudhery, Gary Blackbourn and Ted Fuller 25-15.

On Sunday Whitethorn played a friendly at Royston Bowls Club. There were three rinks of men and two of ladies. Whitethorn won overall by 97-87, thanks to the ladies winning on both their rinks.

The teams and scores were: Peter Willson, Barry Boughton, Ron Adams and Barry Platten 14-20; John Wood, Vic Eames, Tony Scaplehorn and Peter Garside 17-17; Michael Varney, Frank Phillips, Tim Elderfield and Don Edwards 17-24; Carol Platten, Elaine Jones, Trish Elderfield and Mary Dean 21-15; Rose Varney, Carol Conlon, Anne Gulliver and Sharon Worsley 28-11.

On Monday evening the ladies played away in the North Herts Ladies Challenge Shield against Stevenage Town Bowls Club.

Whitethorn won on all three rinks knocking Stevenage out of the competition. The teams were: singles - Anne Gulliver; pairs - Trish Elderfield and Angie Fabris; triples - Rose Varney, Sharon Worsley and Jan Chatman.

Datchworth results: Datchworth Blue 35 Welwyn Gdn City A 38, Datchworth Gold 22 Greenside 52, Datchworth Blue 49 Allenburys 33, Datchworth Gold 28 Rosehill Kestrals 29, Datchworth 63 Aston 83, Datchworth Gold 31 Whitethorn Blue 44, Datchworth 109 Hoddesdon and Rye Park 93.