HUSTLERS BITE CELERY BOYS IN CRUNCH GAME

Premier A Celery Boys, old league rivals from years past, were shown that Division 3 teams can still compete on their home alley, although it took Hustlers four spares and a comparatively high total to complete the task.

First leg, which proved to be the best on the night, got the team off to an astounding start with spares by Neil and John, Neil finishing with 51 and John with 48.  This gave Hustlers a strong lead of 17 pins at the end of the leg.

Second leg built on this lead, led by Clive with a 12 spare which helped him to a total of 43.  Against Celery Boys’ lowest leg of the evening, Hustlers plundered a further 11 pins to give Hustlers a commanding lead of 28 pins at the halfway mark.

All third leg had to do was maintain that lead; alas only Ant held the leg together but the alley was not to Celery Boys’ taste either and Hustlers survived the leg with only a 9 pin deficit.

A confident last leg stepped up with a cushion of 19 pins.  It began badly and halfway through the leg the lead had been reduced to just 5 pins.  However, a timely 11 spare by Gary on the fourth hand – and a 42 to boot – revived the Hustlers and a dispirited Celery Boys then dropped away to give last leg a gain of 2 pins and an overall win of 21.