The Men’s Pairs round of 16 was played last night, and yet again the holders remained on course of their title, and two former winners also progressed.
Holders Gosforth’s Michael Cymber & Simon Richardson recorded a narrow in over Cramlington’s Ash Endacott & Paul Timney 16 – 12 in a high quality game. Richardson was 8 – 7 down at 10 ends, and 11 – 10 down at 14 ends, but two decisive scores of a 2 and 3 over the next consecutive ends put the holders on course to take the tie.
Across the green at Gosforth there were further home wins for Jimmy Curtis over Percy’s Stuart Graham-Scott & Geoff Adams 21 – 13, and the final game saw home players Josh Minto & Chris Yeomans score a resounding victory over New Delaval Knights father & son duo of Stephen & Aaron Robson 27 – 2. Yeomans will now face Richardson next week in the 1/4 final, which is a repeat of the 2019 semi-final.
In the bottom of the half of the draw St. Georges had a good evening, and Paul Lawson (and I quote from Paul) – it’s like Middlesex Middleton from 1989!, Paul along with his lead Keith Lowery ended the good run of the Gosforth & Scottish pair of James McKenna & John Hardie 16 – 8; the other St. Georges pair of Alan Stewart & Karl Jameson scored a good away win down at the Sluice, defeating Seaton Sluice’s Paul Erskine & Iain Dickinson 19 – 17. Next week sees Lawson take on fellow club colleague Stewart.
The last ties of the evening saw three Cramlington pairs in action, firstly Bryan Turner & Keith Miller beat Willington Quay’s Ken Tipton & Derek Palmer 14 – 13; but the Cramlington pair of Dave Tunnicliffe & Kevin Miles went down 14 – 10 at Rothbury against David Bolton & Rob Donkin, but this possibly does not show the whole picture. In a tight contest there was little between the teams, after an early slender lead by Donkin of 6 – 1, this was levelled by 10 ends to 7 all, and Miles took the lead at 8 – 7 but Miles was only to score on two more ends, as Donkin put a run together of 2,1,2,1 to take a decisive lead and the game. Donkin will now travel to Cramlington next Thursday to take on Bryan & Keith.
The final game up the coast at Newbiggin saw home favourites of Billy Waters & Lee Birch end the good run of the final Cramlingtons pair of Lee Lowdon & Dave Clough 23 – 14. Birch will face Gosforth’s Jimmy Curtis at Gosforth next week.
Draw & Results can be found here.