Northumberland’s Dave Robson was the star of the England Veterans Over 50s side in the recent Six Nations tournament in Perth. He not only helped England to beat Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Guernsey and Isle of Man to win the team event, winning all of his sets in every match  but also took the Over 50s  Mens title, beating another England player Costas Papantoniou of Middlesex in the final.

YMCA North Tyneside entertained Springwell  in the Premier division of the Northumbria League and it turned out to be an  extremely close encounter with seven of the matches going to a decider. John Williamson

beat Nigel Rodgers 11-9 in the fifth to give the visitors a good start but Paul Baines and Andy Dryden replied with five end victories over Alex Smith and Dave Pringle respectively. Williamson then won another five ender against Baines to level matters. The doubles pairing of Smith and Williamson put the visitors ahead and Pringle increased their lead by beating Rodgers. Dryden then got one back with a narrow win over Smith

and the match was level again when Pringle, injured in his previous match, had to concede to Baines. Dryden then came from behind to edge it over Williamson 14 – 12 in the fifth but the match ended as a draw when 

Smith beat Rodgers in another five ender. 

Newton A, relegated from the Premier last year, made a good start in Division One when Anthony Ainley and Graeme Bell were unbeaten as they defeated Riding Mill B 7 – 3. Neil Rodgers of Ouston was in fine form in division two getting a hat-trick to help his side defeat Cramlington Swifts 8 – 2.   Whitley Chapel shared the points at Cramlington against the Spartans in a division three match with Steve Oxley winning all of his sets. 

 

Aubrey Drapkin