Tough start for Feering

4:03pm Tuesday 22nd April 2008

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Feering Bell II's first summer Braintree and District Petanque League campaign got under way with a tough match against reigning winter champions Chequers PC, of Great Tey.

The Bell triple of Bird, Pearse and Winter started well with two on the first end but the Chequers trio of Britt, Herman and Eve then built a 5-2 lead.

Pearse shot out the Chequers' nearest boule on the next end to allow the Bell to point in for three, making it 5-5.

Excellent pointing by Britt put Chequers back in control and at 10-5, the game seemed to be getting away from the Bell.

However on the next end, with the Chequers out of boule, Winter displaced the cosh allowing the Bell to point in for four, putting them back in the game. At 11-11 it could have gone either way.

But an excellent point from Bird saw Chequers use all of their boule, allowing Pearse to point in for the game, 13-11.

This reverse stung the Chequers into action.

In the singles, Britt was quickly 12-0 up against Winter. A consolation three points were secured before Britt finished with a good 13-3 win.

In the doubles, excellent shooting by Herman saw Chequers into a 6-0 lead.

On the next end Herman was unfortunate to shoot out his own boule allowing Bird and Pearse to get four, but this was to be their only score as Eve's pointing regained control of the game.

At 9-4 Herman shot out the nearest Bell boule and the Chequers pair pointed in for a well-deserved 13-4 win and secured the match 2-1.

Winter League runners-up Colne Angel also got off to a good start, with a 2-1 win over Rayne Swan 2.

Simon Bird, who has been in excellent form of late, along with Daphne Barrow and Julie Constable sailed through the triples 13-0 before the home team even knew what was happening.

Tom Smith and Matthew Waldie repaired some of the damage, winning the doubles 13-9, but Bird was too strong in the singles, defeating Colin Sams 13-5.

Rayne Swan 1 defeated local rivals Rayne Cock 1 3-0. Adam Buxton, Lorne Gibson and Vince Schofield were untroubled in the triples winning 13-1.

The doubles and singles were closer affairs with scores of 13-11 and 13-10 to the Swan.

Elsewhere in the Daniel Robinson and Sons-sponsored league, Onley Arms PC from Stisted started well with a 3-0 home win over Rayne Swan 3.