WITH the sun finally shining on the backs of the bowlers, the heat is on in the Alan Myerscough Ulverston and District Bowling League.

Hawcoat Park find themselves dropping to third in the Division One table after suffering a heavy defeat at the hands of King Alfred, who now find themselves in second place.

Martin Barrow and Stuart Price were convincing winners for the Islanders, while Peter McDonald and Colin Knipe both had single-figure victories for Hawcoat.

Two in-form teams met on the Glaxo green, with the home side comfortably running out 10-4 victors over Askam, and in doing so they the top spot once again. Top man Peter Viney continued his tremendous form, backed up by Rod ‘the Plod’ Lewis, while a rare appearance from Ian Jones saw him travel back to the village as their best winner.

In a week when the top six all met each other in a sort of “Wonderful Wednesday” – if Sky TV were involved – Salthouse kept in touch with the leaders with a 10-4 defeat of Lindal Moor.

Malla Marshall had a great victory for them against his old club, along with Chris Lloyd and Mark Burns.

If they stay in this form, they will be challenging for the title come September.

With the top six teams all meeting, it stands to reason that big clashes were also happening at the other end.

Third-bottom Roose travelled to second-bottom Hawcoat Park to play the A-team and, at one stage, led the game 6-1, only to see a spirited fightback from the Park to tie the game 6-6.

However, great wins for Mark Johnson, Billy Bowes and Barry Pooley meant Roose took the aggregate points and the game 9-6.

Barrow Island are still winless and cast adrift at the bottom after a heavy defeat away at Dalton CC, where merit leader Gareth Jones was in fine form, along with Steve Davey and Katie Banks.

The closest match of the week was fought out between Walney Park and Ulverston Cons A, where the home side won seven of the games but lost the aggregate points after tremendous displays by Paul Clark and Doctor Harding on what is almost his home green now.

Coop again showed the power of the Dave is strong as they defeated Post Office 9-5 at Dane Avenue. Two Daves – Pedley and Dawes – performed best in a quintet of Dave winners.

The Posties themselves celebrated ‘Dave Day’, with Dave Mellen winning well.

Results

Division One: Coop 9 Post Office 5, Dalton CC 11 Barrow Island 3, Glaxo 10 Askam 4, Hawcoat Park A 6 Roose 9, King Alfred 12 Hawcoat Park 2, Salthouse 10 Lindal Moor 4, Walney Park 7 Ulverston Cons A 8.

Division Two: Kings Head 13 Walney Park A 1, Kirkby 9 Dalton CC A 5, Lindal Moor A 8 Askam A 6, Police 12 Glaxo A 2, Red River 11 West Mount 3, Ulverston Cons 9 Coop A 5, West Shore 9 Salthouse A 5.