There were just two games played in the Double Triples League on Sunday but Courtfield Cobras' 6-0 win over Dalston Dragons saw them take a two-point lead at the top of the table.

It may just be a narrow lead but the fact the Cobras have games in hand of their four nearest pursuers suggests they are going to be hard to peg back.

Lee McGarvie, Mike Dewhurst and Colin Jefferson got off to a flyer against Danny Reed.

They racked up nine shots to one in the first seven ends and there was no way back for the Dragons after that, the final score being 21-5.

On the other rink, it was a very similar story. Gordon Richardson, Paul Campbell and Kevin Johnston led 9-1 after five ends and continued to dominate against Carl Boyle before getting home 18-5.

The other fixture was the all Penrith derby game with Eden Eagles playing Penrith Pumas.

Eagles have always had the stronger squad and it was business as usual on Sunday, though they did not have matters all their own way.

For the Pumas, Dennis Ridley, Stan Hind and Geoff Steele led for most of their game against Tom Prescott, but Prescott’s trio staged a late rally which saw them score seven shots in two ends to lead for the first time 11-10 going in to the last end.

That was as near as they got, however, for the Pumas trio picked up a brace on the final end to win 12-11 and take two points from the encounter.

In the other games, David Noble, T Theakstone and Andrew Lee went nap on the first end to lead 5-0 but the Eagles picked up strongly after that and added 14 shots without reply.

The Pumas reduced the gap to just five shots in the next three ends but that was the end of the recovery and Eagles finished 19-9 to take four points from the game.

Nationals

In order to clarify things a little, the situation this year in the national competitions is that all the Men’s inter area finals between Cumbria and Lancashire are being played here in Carlisle while the Ladies finals are taking place at Blackpool.

The winners of the inter area finals will then proceed to the regional finals and the winners there will qualify for the national championships.

At Carlisle, on Saturday, the pairs final saw Ian Gallagher and Gavin Taylor facing John and Mark Dawes of Blackpool. As one might expect, the home duo made the better start and led 8-2 after seven ends.

The next five ends, however, saw Mark Dawes play some great bowls and the Lancashire duo moved ahead 12-8. The home pair got back to 14-13 behind, only to lose two singles which left them three adrift playing the last end.

Taylor had a chance to win the game with his final delivery but failed by a narrow margin and could manage only two shots which saw the Dawes partnership home by a single.

On Sunday, John Crozier met Mike Kelly in the inter area final of the senior singles.

Kelly’s chances were not helped when his car exhaust collapsed on the way from Blackpool and the start of the game was delayed for quite some time.

Perhaps not surprisingly, Crozier got off to much the better start, as he had done against Ray Gall in the previous round, and soon led 11-1.

Kelly then began to settle but he never looked likely to catch Crozier who went on to score a fairly comfortable 21-14 victory.

In the senior pairs, Ray Gall and John Wills played Michael Kelly of Blackpool and it was close in the early ends.

However, Wills picked up ten shots without reply in just three ends and that was the decisive break as the home pair went on to win 20-9.

Few people will know that there is now a national Two Wood Singles competition, indeed there were only seven entrants in this competition here in this area.

Two of them Kevin Harrison and Mel Sallis played on Sunday in the area final and it was an excellent game.

Harrison would no doubt be the better fancied of the two players but I feel that Sallis is rather under rated and he showed it on Sunday.

He was never in front but he was never far behind either and four shots in three ends late in the game saw him go into the 28th end trailing 20-19.

Harrison picked up the vital 21st shot but he certainly knew that he had been in a game.

In the Ladies fours, Linda Rose, Margaret Docherty, Christine Wharton and Eleanor Gass travelled to Blackpool to meet Janice Gower.

After eight ends, the two fours were level at 8-8 and, four ends later, it was 11-11. The Carlisle four then scored on each of the following five ends to lead 18-11 at which point the home four conceded.

In the Mixed Fours, Linda Rose and Eleanor Gass had the assistance of Jack Walker and John Baird when they met M Clarke of York. The Carlisle four was never behind and led 15-3 after 11 ends.

The York quartet did stage a rally but Baird’s four restricted them to four singles and a brace and with the score at 16-9 York conceded.

To summarise the national position, Cumbria will not be represented in the men’s singles, pairs or triples but Gavin Taylor will play Hornsea in the regional fours finals.

John Crozier is through to the regional finals of the senior singles and Ray Gall and John Wills are at the same stage of the senior pairs.

In the senior triples, Anthony Little meets Mike Kelly on Monday at 6.00pm and, in the senior fours, Little also plays Kelly at noon on Wednesday 22nd.

In the inter area final of the Two Wood Singles, Kevin Harrison will play Tim Houghton of Blackpool.

In the mixed fours, John Baird’s win over M Clark of York sees his four through to the national finals and they will play Bill Hobart’s Barwell four on February 24 at Loddon Vale IBC in Basingstoke.

In the ladies events, the inter area finals are as follows, Janice Gower meets Linda Rose in the singles, Janice Gower meets Christine Wharton and Eleanor Gass in the pairs. Ann Smith-Watson meets Eleanor Gass in the senior singles area final.

Looking ahead and Cumbria Indoor Bowls Club’s Mason Trophy side will be in action tomorrow when they take on West Denton.

The game commences at 10.15am and the Home side is Sue Devlin, Judith Clifford, Sheena Kirkpatrick and Cindy Edmondson.

The four travelling to West Denton are Helen Raynerd, Margaret Docherty, Christine Wharton and Eleanor Gass.

The weekend ahead is all about the Carlisle Pairs which is taking place on Saturday and Sunday.

The event enjoys generous sponsorship by Heineken and all 32 entries have been taken.

There is normally a smattering of top Scottish players but this year the event clashes with another tournament north of the border.

But one Scottish pair which will be coming is the David Peacock / Martyn Rice combination which won the tournament in 2015, Desmond was the winner last year!

There are about one third of the entries taken by visitors which means a good percentage of local players for those who are coming to spectate.

The format of two seven end sets followed by a tie break if required is excellent for spectators and I would imagine that there will be a good crowd on both days. Play commences on Saturday at 10.30am.

Outdoor Bowls

In just about eight weeks, some outdoor clubs will be opening and County Administrator Cyril Atkinson is already busy preparing for both the HVP match programme and the Roland Starkie Triples Tournament which takes place on Monday, May 1.

The programme of HVP matches is very much as last year and all members should have had forms.

Cyril is anxious to get teams selected and would like the forms returned by the end of February if possible.

Entries for the Roland Starkie would also be welcomed as soon as possible. This will enable Cyril to make the necessary arrangements with the clubs whose greens are being used.

Again entries ASAP please, the venues are expected to be much as last year.