FLOWERS BLOOM LATE AT THE LONDON INN

In a match which was close throughout, Hustlers were unlucky to go down by the odd pin against table topping Flowers Original.

First leg typified the game as a whole with Clive performing well to get his 40, despite losing to his man by one pin, and Lloyd getting the lowest score of the leg yet beating his man by the same amount.  The two teams fought each other to a standstill with nothing separating them at the end of the leg.

Second leg was led by Neilson who put in his usual captain’s performance and, although finishing with a 4, he scored a fine 42 for Hustlers’ top score of the evening.  Brian was lowest scorer of the leg with 29 and yet still managed to better his opponent.  The leg finished with a slender Hustlers’ lead of 4 pins.

Third leg saw this lead disappear, only Salty managing to keep his ship together, and Hustlers’ 4 pin lead became a deficit of 2 pins.

So all last leg had to do was pull one pin on each of their opponents.  They ran them close but alas fell by the wayside in the last two hands.  They left Flowers Original with 21 to win, on their previous form a difficult target.  However Original stepped up their game and reached this score with the last ball of the match.