Downton Dragons Team

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The Dragons are winners in 2023
The Downton Dragons have won league 5A of the Bournemouth and District Morning Triples league and have been promoted to league 4. They will receive their trophy at the B&D Presentation Dinner.
The main Downton Dragons team is as follows: Steve Allen(Captain) Charles Burrows (Vice Captain) Neil Gillespie, Colin Morris, Cathy Burrows, Dawn Allen, Lynda Hale, John James and Nick Purkis. Simon Stacey and Geoff Warr also played one match for us.
Steve Allen
Downton Captain
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Downton v Fordingbridge Fire B&D Morning Triples

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Match Report Saturday 2nd September 2023 This is the last match of the B&D morning open triples league.It was against Fordingbridge Fire at Fordingbridge. The weather was fine and sunny. As Dawn Allen was still recovering from her operation and Neil was unable to play we called upon our reserve players again Nick Purkis and John James to take their place.The teams were; Team 1. Steve Allen, Colin Morris and Nick Purkis Team 2. John James, Cathy Burrows and Charles Burrows. Team 1 won the first end and managed to stay in front throughout the game but it was pretty close at times and by winning the last end we won the rink 13 shots to 9 shots. Team 2 . They had a close match for the first five ends but on the sixth end they got five shots and after that they romped home winning by a massive score of 37 shots to 13 shots. This win meant the Downton Dragons are now top of league in Division 5A and are eligible for promotion to Division 4. I would like to congratulate the team for their hard work throughout the season in achieving the success that they richly deserve. Steve Allen Downton Dragons Captain
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Downton Bustards v Branksome Park Falcons

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The last match of the season pitted 3rd place Bustards against bottom of the league Falcons. Although there was only pride to play for, both rinks produced some great shots, on what was probably our best green of the year; and the sun came out!
Rink 1 – Rosemary, Alan & Geoff. Nine rinks each, but a four to start & a six to finish, gave our team the edge in a 23-13 win.
Rink 2 – Ivan, Muriel & Cathy. A close game until a winning six end streak mid match put the home team in control. A four & a five also helped, as we won eleven ends & the match 22-13.
Overall score – Bustards 45 v 26 Falcons. Downton 6 points, Falcons 0 points.
In my first season as captain, I would like to thank Cathy, Paul, Muriel, Alan, Rosemary, Geoff, Tony & Lewis for playing for the Bustards, for playing so well throughout the season & for the support & commitment they have given me. Coming third & winning 11 out of 14 matches, is a great achievement. Thank you & well done.
Congratulations to Lyndhurst & Swanage on their promotion. As they were the only teams to beat us all season, they thoroughly deserved it.
Congratulations also to the Dragons, who have won division 5a. Well played team.
Ivan Buss – 2nd September 2023.

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Downton through to final

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Downton v Milford-on-Sea in Ivor Fourmy Cup, Men’s New Forest League.24/8. This was a semi final match with a home and away format. The winners being the team with the highest total of shots. On this occasion all four triples excelled from the off, with the the home squad having a 17 point lead after 6ends and the away team having a similar lead after ten ends. These leads were added to by the end of the match( just 15ends), giving Downton a comfortable victory of 45shots. Downton go on to play the final, at Downton, against Fordingbridge B.
Alan Waters 26/8

Bournemouth Buffalos v Downton Bustards

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 The Bustards travelled to Bournemouth for our final away game of the season. We have got to know several of the Bournemouth players really well this season, as they switch their players between the Broncos & the Buffalos. Their players are good fun, they like coming to Downton & we have really enjoyed playing our four matches against them.
The green was very wet when we arrived after heavy overnight rain, but luckily the match started in bright sunshine. Sadly, after an hour or so, we had a heavy shower & had to leave the green for a few minutes. When we came back on, we managed to play 15/18 ends before the heavens opened & the match was abandoned, with the result at that point to stand.
Rink 1 – Rosemary, Alan & Geoff. If we had only played the minimum 12 ends, this match would have been lost, but after 15 ends the score was level 11-11. Well done on fighting back to get an important point.
Rink 2 – Paul, Ivan & Cathy. A four on the second end, set the trend & after 15 ends the score was 18-10, with our trio having won 9/15 ends.
Overall score – Bustards 29 v 21 Buffalos. Downton 5 points, Buffalos 1 point.
With Highcliffe losing today, we are now guaranteed to finish third. Congratulations to all of the Bustards squad members, on winning 10 out of 13 matches, with one to go.
Final game of the season is at home to bottom of the league Branksome Park Falcons next Saturday (2/9), with a 10am start. The bar will be open from midday, so why not come along to support the team, enjoy the match & have an end of season beer with us.
Ivan Buss – 26th August 2023.

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Downton v Highcliffe D

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Match Report 26th August 2023
With Dawn and Charles both recovering from hospital operations and Neil unavailable we had to call upon Simon , John and Nick to replace them. We were playing top of the league Highcliffe D. It was without doubt one of the toughest matches we played this season with the lead changing back and forth during the games.
John, Cathy and Nick managed to win the last end to win 14 shots to 11 shots.
Steve, Simon and Colin went down by six shots on the second end but slowly climbed back up to draw and then overtake the opponent to win the game by one shot 22 shots to 21.
We are now top of the league with one more match to play. If we win this match we will be promoted!
Hoorah!
Steve Allen

Downton hosting two New Forest Plate Finals

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On Saturday, 9th September Downton Bowls Club will be hosting two New Forest Plate Finals.

The first final will start at 10.00am and the second at 2.00pm so there will be much to see all day.

Teas, coffees and other refreshments will be available over the course of the day – and the Bar will be open!

Spectators are warmly welcome.

Leisure Centre ‘Fun Day’

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On Sunday, 3rd September the Leisure Centre in Downton is holding its ‘Fun Day’ from 11.00am – 4.00pm and, hopefully, there will be some people wishing to have a go at playing Bowls.
We are planning to have the Green open for a roll-up, so please look in when you come along.

Downton Dragons v Knyveton Gardens C

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Match Report 19/08/23
I can’t believe I am writing this but the Dragons have just beaten the league leaders away on both rinks!
Thanks to Geoff for filling in for Neil.
The teams were:
  • Geoff, Cathy and Charles who won 20 shots to 14 shots.
  • Steve, Lynda and Colin who won 15 shots to 13 shots.
If we win the next two matches and other results go our way we could get promoted to Division 4!
Steve Allen, Captain, Downton Dragons
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Eight Wealth Cup

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Last Sunday, Marie and Alan were the only Mixed Pair team to represent Downton to one of the 32 teams from Bournemouth and District, Wilton, and other clubs – including a 12-strong contingent from Fordingbridge who hosted this big annual competition.

There were six rounds being three preliminary rounds, then the quarter finals, the semi finals and, of course, the final.  To reach and play the final round, those 4 players had by then played 48 ends and bowled 196 woods – quite some feat of stamina and concentration.

This game was played on six different rinks, over two directions, as Fordingbridge changed the rink direction after the three preliminary rounds.

The Final round was played between Noreen Jones and Colin Grant of Fordingbridge and our own Downton team.  Marie was on top form, even outplaying Alan, (who openly admits this….) on this occasion! But, as a strong team together, they won every round taking home the Eight Wealth Cup and £160 between them.

They were presented with the cup by Derek Purse, the President of Fordingbridge, who said he was impressed by the standard of the consistently good bowling he had seen today

Out of 32 Mixed pairs, It was a great day for Marie and Alan to proudly win the cup for Downton.