Monday April 22, 2024 by Donna J
Home Advantage Counting for Little – So Far!
This time last year I wrote: “The last vestiges of winter have been defenestrated, young birds are hatching, lawns are being mowed again.” This year however I can no longer cast the mind back to three consecutive days without rain! Under the circumstances wonders have been worked to get the green ready for the bowls season and John should indeed take a bow for doing so.
Not an auspicious start, though. We began the Thursday League season with a home encounter with last year’s League champions Tideswell. They didn’t gain that recognition without reason and humbled us somewhat, making it clear that we’ll need to work hard to remain in the newly attained status of Division One.
On Thursday this week we were due to visit our old friends at Bakewell, but necessary maintenance to their playing surface dictated that our fixtures against them this year be switched. Therefore the match was played at Parwich, in Arctic conditions I may add, but enforced “home” advantage was not taken and we were again left to lick our wounds at the finish, albeit by a mere 5 points this time.
Other teams will no doubt be in similar boats with Bakewell at present, so it’s quite possible that they will be left to play the second half of the season on the surface they know so well.
However the season is a marathon and not a sprint. We’ve seen what we’re up against and will put things right. We’ll approach each game with all guns blazing and I’m sure can rise up that table and be there or thereabouts come the latter stages of the campaign. Vagaries of the fixtures calendar mandate that we don’t play away from home until the first Thursday in May, as the Tuesday League season starts with home match against Hope Works tomorrow night (23rd April) and then an “Away” visit to Bakewell on our own patch…
2nd May we will incur petrol costs for the first time with a day out to Belper.
Support would be most welcome as we recover the iffy start and strive to bring the silverware home – but suggest you bring a raincoat! Like and follow us too on Facebook/Parwich Crown Green Bowling Club
Mark J.