Author: TC

Back at Fortress Suffolk once more, Hustlers were confident of extending their winning streak.

1st leg got us off to a reasonable start, with Chris narrowly missing out on another 40, with Mart beating his man & TC managing to scrape a tie with his as we lost by a single pin.  Despite Mike getting our first 9 off the night, 2nd leg faltered, dropping 17 pins to leave us 18 behind at the midpoint.
 

2nd leg total 98 v 115

3rd leg total 95 v 117

4th leg total 109 v 106

Grand total 408 v 445

WON by -37

Fortified by last week’s opening win, Hustlers returned to Saracens looking to start a run against Golden Miller.

A cracking start from first leg saw Lofty get our first flattener of the season on the second ball of his penultimate hand, converting the first spare of the night, while TC hit our first 9.  He and Chris posted our first 40s of the night to establish a 5-pin lead.  A flurry of 9s from second leg helped them each to the 40 mark as they set about adding a further 10 pins to the lead at halftime.

A second win (and the safe return of Swayner from his kitty hunting, of course), put a smile back on the ‘Slurs’ faces as we look forward to next week’s return to the Suffolk and a match against Mitre.

14/10/13 v Golden Miller @ Saracens

2nd leg total 126 v 116

3rd leg total 119 v 125

4th leg total 144 v 132

Grand total 518 v 497

WON by 21

Still desperately seeking that first win of the season, a recuperating Hustlers returned to the Suffolk to face new opponents, Stragglers.

A middling performance from our openers showed a few sparks of hope asthy set a 6-pin lead.  Hope continued to grow as Stavros got our first 40 of the night (and his 1st of the season) & Mike just missed out as they helped extend the lead to 10 pins at half-time.

Buouyed by the win, we head off to Saracens next week to face Golden Miller.

7/10/13 v Stragglers @ Suffolk

2nd leg total 109 v 105

3rd leg total 98 v 105

4th leg total 121 v 116

Grand total 431 v 423

WON by 8

A still depleted Hustlerst travelled to the Merryfellow for a cup match against felllow pointless skittlers, Rebels and a chance to regain some form.

A steady start this week as 1st leg slowly settled into the game and eased into a 7-pin lead, with Wallsy accounting for our 1st 40 of the night.  Chris continued his 40 form, but Mike & a rusty Lewis struggled tokeep up and we were down by a narrow 2 pins at the midpoint of the game.

With Rich continuing his run of form to score our 3rd 40, Pete narrowly missed joining him, while JT confirmed his ownership of Barry with another stunning beaver as they lost a further pin.  And so it was down to the anchors once more to decide the fate of the match.  And what a fight ensued, with spares from both Rob & Neil as all 3 racked up excellent 40s.  With our best leg of the sdeason so far, they proved a match for the Rebels, but couldn’t quite do enough to beat them.

And so our Hospitals Cup came to an end.  It’s back to normality next week as we return to the Suffolk for the resumption of the League programme.

2nd leg total 106 v 115

3rd leg total 113 v 114

4th leg total 139 v 139

Grand total 470 v 473

WON by -3

With the injuries racking up, a crook Hustlers ventured out to take on Saracens A, looking to finally get in the points.

A steady start saw JT get our first 40 (& 9, to boot) of the night, ably assisted by further 40s from debutant Chris & veteran Pete, putting us into an early 4 pin lead.  2nd leg saw Mike partner the deadly duo of TC (who did well to evade the clutches of our Brasilian mascot, Barry)& Stavros.  The lowest scoring leg did well to keep within 10 pins of the Saras & we turned around at the halfway point trailing by a narrow 6 pins, eminently gettable.

3rd leg set about closing the gap, with only Rich beating his man, despite our vice-skip’s 9 and Stu getting our 1st spare of the season, but somehow lost a further 2 pins, leaving the anchors to turn things our way.  Neil’s opening 9 helped close the gap, before a glorious pair of spares from him & Gary finally saw us regain the lead, albeit briefly.  An exchange of leads left it uo to the final hand to decide the match as we went into it all square.  With a 40 from Gary & Neil’s season high 53, the task ultimately proved just too tough & we fell by a mere 3 pins.

Hospitals Cup is upon us next week, and we travel to the Merryfellow to face the Rebels in our 3rd consecutive away match.

2nd leg total 104 v 114

3rd leg total 127 v 129

4th leg total 135 v 130

Grand total 491 v 494

WON by -3

Still very depleted, Hustlers ventured up to Shurdington, looking to get the season opening win as they took on Hatherley & Reddings CC.

A lively start soon saw the ‘Slurs edge into a narrow lead, only to see that whitttled away as the leg progressed, finally trailling by 21 pins.  2nd leg, with a still injured JT at the fore, got off to a flying start, pulling pins from the off.  But a glitch in form saw them leak a few pins, to leave us trailling by 48 at the midpoint.

Knowing all was not yet lost, 3rd leg set about closing the gap.  A hatful of 9s finally helped them field a healthy score, despite Clive knackering his back reaching for his pint, with Wallsy narrowly beating our skip to top score.  Only the 7 pins dropped was looking like a good sign as the anchors stepped up to pull the game back from the brink.  Mopre 9s ensued as Gary & Neil both clocked up a 40.  But it proved insufficient  in the end.  Although Hustlers improved on last week’s score, victory ultimately narrowly evaded their grasp.

It’s on the road again next week as we head to the Saracens Club, where we have tasted success in the past – we can do so again.

2nd leg total 99 v 126

3rd leg total 125 v 132

4th leg total 120 v 131

Grand total 443 v 509

WON by -66

After a lovely Summer break, the new season has finally arrived and a much depleted Hustlers begin life in Prem B with a home game against the Baro Boys.

A bit of a mixed bag soon saw Pistols setting our first 40 of the season, thanks to our maiden spare.  TC’s negative BYM helped the Boys to set an initial lead of just 3 pins.  A rare appearance from Alan helped a steady 2nd leg pull back those pins and turn the game around at the halfway point to give us a narrow 6-pin lead.

With Stu winning the raffle, surely the omens were looking good.  2 spareless 40s from Stu and Cap’n Clive helped wipe out Steve’s bottom score deficit as 3rd leg ended in a tie and leaving the lead intact for the anchors to defend.  While JT literally threw himself into the game on his way to equalling bottom score with the help of our first beaver of the season, Neil looked to be pleasing the Indian match-fixing as he faltered mid-leg, while Rob decided to practice his best Guy Gibson impression.  And so tension built throughout the leg as the lead petered away,  leaving it all up to the last hand to decide.  Unfortunately, we were not good enough to hold on and the Baros won the leg by 12 to take the game at the last.

Not the best of starts, but not too desperate either, so we hope that can improve as we move on next week to Hatherley & Reddings CC next week with a still depleted team.

9/9/13 v Baro Boys@ Suffolk

2nd leg total 112 v 103

3rd leg total 113 v 113

4th leg total 104 v 116

Grand total 441 v 447

WON by -6

As the new season approaches, Hustlers wamed up with a "friendly" match against the auld enemy, the Anchor Old Ladies. This looked particularky challenging this year, as the ‘Slurs were much depleted.

1st leg struggled to find form against equally shaky Anchors, losing by a mere 3 pins.  2nd leg proved more successful, with 40s from Pete & Stavros helping to turn the game around anfd give us a 1-pin lead at the halfway point.

The halftime feed and subsequent guest players then played their part as 3rd leg conceded 39 pins, leaving the anchors with a tough task.  But, with Rob’s top score. they managed to win the leg – just not by enough to turn the game.

A rare victory meant the Anchors became the inaugural winners of the Jim Swan Memmorial Trophu

16/8/13 v Anchor Old Ladies @ Suffolk

1st leg total 92 v 101

2nd leg total 117 v 113

3rd leg total 92 v 131

4th leg total 137 v 134

Grand total 444 v 479

Won by -35

Finally we get to draw the season to a close, as Hustlers face the Sinners in this long-awaited rescheduled return match.

A tough start for the 1st leg as we dropped 17 pins thanks to two Sinners 40s.  Another pair of 40s were conceded by 2nd leg, who added a further 15 pins to the deficit.  This wasn’t in the script.

Cap’n Clive’s top score (& our first 40 of the night) helped stem the tide, as 3rd leg won their battle and left the anchors just a 17-pin gap.  Rob & Neil chipped in with 40s to try and counter Pete’s bottom score  Despite winning the leg, it wasn’t quite enough totake the game.

But the Hustlers go marching on.  2nd place just eluded us, but we still go up another division – the Premiership beckons.

22/4/13 v Sinners @ Suffolk

2nd leg total 106 v 121

3rd leg total 115 v 106

4th leg total 113 v 111

Grand total 441 v 456

WON by -15

A big game in prospect tonight as the Hustlers looked to complete a double over the Chosen Champs and secure automatic promotion in the process.

Gary & TC did well to coubter Swayner’s efforts to lose the leg and ended with a narrow 3-pin lead.  A fleeting visit from Lofty saw him get our only spare of the night on his way to top score, with Lewis & AS helping to stretch the lead by a single pin – just 4 up at the midpoint.

Steve narrowly escaped bottom score, but a 40 from a resurgent Rich, with support from Cap’n Clive, ensured the lead crept out by another 2 pins, leaving the anchors to secure the game.  A few squeaky moments until Pete’s final hand 9 secured promotion, set up by steady Rob (just needs 95 next week to break the 1000 mark), & Neil throwing away the chance of a 40.

It’s the last game of the season, with the long-awaited rearranged return of the Sinners at the Suffolk.  A win could well see us finish as runners-up!

17/4/13 v Chosen Champs @ Churchdown Club

2nd leg total 110 v 109

3rd leg total 110 v 108

4th leg total 113 v 113

Grand total 437 v 431

WON by 6