Month: January 2014

On the back of last week’s morale boosting home win, Hustlers travelled to United Services, looking to complete our first double of the season over high flying Stragglers.

Rob salvaged some pride with a pair of 9s to open first leg, while Stu cruised to our first 40, with AS stuttering slightly behind.  A good opening, to set us on our way with an 11-pin lead.  JT & TC both suffered a little upturn in form, but were put in the shade after Clive’s opening 9 set him up for our second 40 of the night.  Another 10 pins opened up a most pleasing gap at the midpoint.

A bit of a faltering leg saw Lofty get a very strange 40, with an early beaver giving way to a 9, followed by our top spare, but still fail to beat his man.  Mike then managed to steal Barry the Brasilian Beaver away from him almost at the death, while Chris steadied the ship a little with another 9, as he helped himself to another 40.  With a pin dropped, it was looking good as the anchors stepped up, but anything could happen with the ‘Slurs.  And so it proved, as Steve opened with a 3, before Neil compensated with our second spare, immediately followed by our 3 from top scorer Gary.  With all three making 40s (including a share of another three 9s between Gary and Steve), though, they eased their way to a 6-pin gap to round off one of our best scores of the season and deliver another rare victory.

We’re back at home next week to face Golden Miller.  Another win will help us climb further away from the relegation slots.  How will we do?

28/1/14 v Stragglers @ United Services

JT	3	6	3	8	6	8	34	5
TC	5	5	7	8	6	5	36	-1
Clive	9	7	8	8	8	8	44	5

2nd leg total 114 v 104

Mart	6	0	9	6	14	7	42	-2
Mike	7	7	7	4	0	6	31	-8
Chris	9	8	4	8	7	7	43	9

3rd leg total 116 v 117

Gary	6	11	6	9	6	7	45	9
Steve	3	6	8	9	9	7	42	-4
Neil	10	8	7	5	8	6	44	1

4th leg total 131 v 125

Grand total 474 v 448

WON by 26

With our fortunes seemingly on the turn, Hustlers were again at home, looking to turn the Suffolk back into a fortress.

In spite of the nervous start, 1st leg soon found their groove and eased their way out to a 9-pin lead.  Encouraged by this start, 2nd leg settled into another groove and were soon stretching that lead still more.  JT led the way with our first 9 and 40, closely followed by Lofty’s top spare and top score, leaving us 25 pins up.

Dobbin again took the raffle, with Gary completing the sweep.  The omens really were looking good.  Third leg stuttered as Rich’s rare bottom score was sandwiched by a pair of 9s and 40s from Mike and Chris.  A single pin dropped – could it be the start of another collapse?  Not if the anchors could hold on.  Neil matched Steve’s 9 and 40, only to round it off with our second spare and, with all three beating their men, the lead was extended yet further and victory ensured.

Time to take this form with us, as we travel next week to United Services to take on Stragglers.

20/1/14 v Saracens A @ Suffolk

Pete	6	6	5	4	7	5	33	-1
JT	7	4	9	5	8	7	40	9
Mart	8	6	12	7	7	5	45	8

2nd leg total 118 v 102

Mike	6	7	9	6	6	6	40	7
Rich	5	4	3	4	6	6	28	-7
Chris	8	5	9	6	8	4	40	-1

3rd leg total 108 v 109

Gary	8	8	1	3	7	6	33	1
Steve	6	8	5	9	6	6	40	8
Neil	6	9	5	6	11	6	43	5

4th leg total 116 v 102

Grand total 452 v 414

WON by 38

Unbeaten so far this year, Hustlers made their first appearance of 2014 at the Suffolk, planning to avoid a first possible double loss of the season against the cricketers of Hatherley & Reddings.

1st leg stuttered but got us off to a 4-pin lead via a JT sandwich, with Pete narrowly avoiding a 40.  Gary mde 2nd leg good with our 1st spare, while TC’s season low was fortunately matched by his oppo.  So the damage wasn’t too disastrous and we were only trailing by 3 pins at the midpoint.
 

Things started to look better as Dobbin & landlord Alan swept the raffle.  And form started to pick up a little as well, with Rich top sparing on his way to our first 40 of the night as 3rd leg dropped a mere pin, leaving the anchors to chase a very gettable total.  Steve’s spareless top score looked to be sealing the deal, ably supported by Neil.  Unfortunately, Rob’s season low hadn’t been factored in, leading to another home defeat.
 

Still plenty of time left to improve, so we get another chance next week for our return match against Saracens A.

13/1/14 v Hatherley & Reddings @ Suffolk

Gary	5	5	5	11	4	8	38	-2
TC	3	5	5	5	5	4	27	–
Clive	7	4	6	2	6	4	29	-5

2nd leg total 94 v 101

AS	5	4	3	7	6	5	30	-7
Rich	5	6	7	12	7	3	40	2
Chris	8	4	6	4	8	9	39	4

3rd leg total 109 v 110

Rob	5	6	2	9	4	4	30	-12
Steve	5	8	8	8	9	6	44	3
Neil	4	7	6	6	7	7	37	–

4th leg total 111 v 120

Grand total 417 v 430

WON by -13

Escaping the threatened deluge, Hustlers began 2014 with a 2nd visit to Albion House to take on the Baro Boys and looking to avoid a double.  Could a new  year bring a fresh start with it?

1st leg got us off to a rather mixed start, as Mike & Pete struggled to beat the 30 mark, while Chris joined the 50 brigade with a brace of spares to start & end his match.  The Boys were a little more consistent, but the leg ended with the match still level.  Despite a couple of wobbles from AS, 2nd leg knocked up the highest total of the night, with 40s from Lofty & Cap’n Clive leading us to a 5-pin halftime lead.

With Gary throwing off a hard start to add another 40 to our collection, 3rd leg managed to stretch the lead out by a further 3 pins to give the anchors a narrow lead to defend.  With Steve’s 40 leading the wa, they went into the very last hand leaving the Baros to score 25 for the win.  Fortunately, they weren’t able to make that total.  Unfortunately, they did just enough to force a rare draw.  But we’ll take an away point over a defeat any day, so a goodish start to this 2nd half of the season.

We return to the Suffolk next week, looking to turn around our home record as we take on the cricketers of Hatherley & Reddings

7/1/14 v Baro Boys @ Albion House

Mart	6	8	7	8	9	6	44	–
AS	3	6	8	7	8	3	35	1
Clive	6	8	9	8	6	8	45	4

2nd leg total 124 v 119

Gary	2	7	8	8	8	8	41	-2
Rich	6	6	8	5	6	6	37	3
Stu	5	5	7	7	5	7	36	2

3rd leg total 114 v 111

Rob	8	7	7	8	3	4	37	-6
Steve	9	7	6	5	6	7	40	4
Neil	5	5	4	9	9	6	38	-6

4th leg total 115 v 123

Grand total 469 v 469

WON by 0