Edwardson Cup Semi-Finals: Gosforth and Benfield Progress to the Final

The semi-final stage of the Edwardson Cup took place at Ponteland Bowls Club. Played across 3 rinks over 18 ends, it was a straight aggregate shootout with the total overall score deciding who moved through.

Semi-Final 1: Gosforth v St George’s Dragons

Gosforth booked their place in the final after getting the better of St George’s Dragons on the day.

End 5: Gosforth 16 – 15 St George’s Dragons

The match started closely with just one shot separating the teams. J. Curtis’s rink picked up a 5-shot count on the third end to help give Gosforth the slight edge.

End 10: Gosforth 34 – 23 St George’s Dragons

Gosforth built up an 11-shot lead through the middle ends. S. Harvey’s rink kept things tight, keeping D. Robson to 6 shots by end 10 while leading 11-6 on their rink.

End 15: Gosforth 46 – 39 St George’s Dragons

The Dragons fought back to pull the collective score within 7 shots. A. Schiebe’s rink led D. Slasor 13-12 by the 15th end to keep the game up in the air.

End 18 (The Finish): Gosforth 58 – 45 St George’s Dragons

Gosforth finished well over the final few ends. J. Curtis’s rink pushed on late to record a 24-16 win over G. Myerscough, while S. Harvey won 19-13 against D. Robson. D. Slasor was narrowly beaten 15-16 by A. Schiebe, leaving Gosforth clear on the main scoreboard.

TOTAL AGGREGATE SCORE: Gosforth 58 – 45 St George’s Dragons

Semi-Final 2: Benfield v Collingwood

The second match saw Benfield take on Collingwood to see who would fill the remaining spot in the final.

End 5: Benfield 14 – 10 Collingwood

Benfield took a 4-shot aggregate lead in the opening ends. J. King’s rink started well, establishing an early 8-1 advantage over A. Fantozzi.

End 10: Benfield 22 – 25 Collingwood

Collingwood did better through the middle ends to lead by three shots. I. Brown’s rink led D. Ross 11-6 by end 10 to help swing the overall score in Collingwood’s favor.

End 15: Benfield 50 – 35 Collingwood

Benfield had a strong run over the next few ends to jump back in front. A. Johnson’s rink put in a great shift during this stretch, pushing ahead to lead P. Dawson 20-12 by the 15th end.

End 18 (The Finish): Benfield 55 – 41 Collingwood

Benfield held their lead over the closing stages. A. Johnson finished with a 22-13 win, and J. King won 21-10. D. Ross lost 12-18 to I. Brown, which was enough to keep Benfield safely ahead on aggregate.

TOTAL AGGREGATE SCORE: Benfield 55 – 41 Collingwood

Well done to Gosforth and Benfield on their wins, setting up the final match.

Edwardson Cup Final: Benfield Storm to Victory Over Gosforth

End 5: Benfield 23 – 3 Gosforth

Benfield asserted their dominance right from the opening ends, storming out to a massive 20-shot aggregate lead. J. King’s rink on Rink 2 was firing on all cylinders, opening up a commanding 7-1 lead by the fifth end. On Rink 4, A. Johnson’s rink matched the high standard by establishing an 8-1 cushion over S. Harvey, while D. Ross’s rink on Rink 3 also controlled their game early with an 8-1 lead over J. Curtis.

End 10: Benfield 41 – 10 Gosforth

Benfield showed no signs of slowing down through the middle ends, extending their aggregate advantage to 31 shots. A. Johnson’s rink put on a thoroughly commanding performance on Rink 4, picking up successive counts to jump ahead 14-2 by end 10. Over on Rink 2, J. King’s rink continued their relentless pressure, pushing their individual scoreline to a dominant 17-2 lead against D. Slasor.

End 12/14 (The Finish): Benfield 53 – 19 Gosforth

Benfield comfortably maintained their absolute control to wrap up the match early and secure a comprehensive victory.

The first to finish was J. King’s rink on Rink 2, who shook hands after 12 ends with a resounding 22-6 victory over D. Slasor, anchored by a big 5-shot count on their final end. On Rink 4, A. Johnson completed a thoroughly dominant performance, securing a 17-4 win over S. Harvey after 14 ends. Gosforth fought hard on Rink 3 to keep things respectable, but D. Ross’s rink kept them at arm’s length to claim a 14-9 victory over J. Curtis after 14 ends.

TOTAL AGGREGATE SCORE: Benfield 53 – 19 Gosforth

Well done to Benfield on a spectacular, dominant performance to capture the Edwardson Cup!

A huge thank you goes to Ponteland Bowls Club for hosting the day, Anne-Marie Murray for umpiring, and all the spectators who stayed to support the players throughout the competition.