02/09/2026
Plenderleith Memorial
Post by Darren Plenderleith
A massive thank you to everyone that attended yesterday. The day ran smoothly from start to finish.
I have a lot of people to thank so I’ll start here…
I want to thank all those that sponsored the competition to make this a special day. Darren Sanford , Stuart Gittings (SKG Electrical) Ben Percival, Phil Storer, Kamal Miah (Maya Bar and restaurant) Dale Such (Tammie’s Tours) and Coors brewing company. Without your support in sponsorship the competition would’t have been the same, so thank you so much.
I want to thank Darren Sanford again, not only his sponsorship, but his work and effort to help get the surroundings of the green ready for the day, fixing ditch boards, getting the bouncy castle ready for the kids to taking down the broken gazebo from the storm the night before the list goes on…
Rob Horton for his work on getting the green ready for the day was excellent, he works endlessly on the green from January to December but was up on the morning to groom and cut the green ready for the day, he then played and went to help support cooking on the BBQ amazing…
Sophie Plenderleith and Kate Brown for cooking cakes and cookies they were so nice I lost count how many I had and diet must start tomorrow 🙃
The people that helped measure and mark cards, the list is endless and I’d be listing names all day, I called players to the green and asked for a card marker, within seconds there was someone collecting the card. Without you it doesn’t just make my life as the comp organiser difficult but the game can’t start, you know who you all are so thank you.
Matt Horton, Mark stringer, Julie masters, Laura Doherty, June Barsby, helping take blackouts round, the raffle and helping on the food area, Julie also helped me set posters and programs for the event. I am truly sorry if I have missed someone out that has helped make this day so special but I haven’t ment to.
Onto the day
The weather was looking perfect while we were down early sorting the green and surrounding but it turned for a while not long after the start with thick grey clouds and the rain pelting down it wasn’t looking good, but after about 45-50min the sun was shining more spectators turned up and stopped to the end of an excellent days bowling.
I won’t talk about all the First round games but I seen Jordie Baddeley winning a pot luck pairs charity event the day before and he was hoping to be crowned champion for the second day running but paul lamb must of had carling in his eyes, if it was a game of singles between Paul lamb and mr jelly arm him self Karl shanks i think Karl would of come on top winning 21-2, but Jordie had different ideas playing some good bowls to stay in the game, Liam and Karl played excellent coming out on top 21-13
First Quarter final Sophie and Greg got off to a flying start with Sophie leading well and Greg knocking everything off that he needed too. Phil and Stu staged a small fight back and held 3 a couple of times with Greg playing a great last bowl to win these ends. On the final end Phil and Stu were holding 3, Greg strikes and hits the jack bouncing off a bowl and going back up the green to count the shot required to win the game,
Second Quarter finals saw Darren Plenderleith and Ryan prosser coming from behind, Ben was leading excellently and James coming in with some killer second bowls to take a quick lead of 10-2, Darren and Ryan kept on battling but couldn’t seem to get back into the game and at 13-5 things weren’t looking good, but then Darren found some excellent leads and Ryan coming in with some excellent bowls saw them getting back to 16-11 behind, Darren then threw the jack off seeing Ben set one of his favourite marks on the green and lead very well, Darren and Ryan looked in trouble laying 1 down, Ryan stuck bens bowl out making it 16-12. Darren then lead on the ridge of death using his left arm saw Ben and James both struggle, concentrating so much to get a bowl on road saw them both lose there weight, Darren and Ryan then came out on top winning 21-16
In quarter final three Matt and Adam fresh of his win the Ashby Pearson pairs Saturday made a fast start. Going 8-2 infront. Never relinquishing control of the game with some outstanding bowls at the back from Adam, despite Tyler and Michael’s best efforts they couldn’t close the gap. Matt and Adam winning 21-12
In the last quarter final Mr crab arm him self Reece Farr and Yorkshire’s Gary Wike who was definitely still feeling good after winning the Yorkshire cup the night before with Pudsey bowling club, they both went 14-6 up playing very in 3 quarter corners, lamby was shouting send them further having a laugh against his good friend Karl shanks (the banter was brilliant and was making everyone laugh) but then Gary threw the jack further then he wanted and lost the end, Karl basically having banter back with lamby then decided to send the jack further into the corner his self who is known for not going further then 20meters, from that point they went from 14-6 down to 18-14 infront and laying 2 to go 20-14 up, Mr crab played real bowl to count to make it 18-15. Then winning the next two ands and getting back to 18-17, but unfortunately couldn’t keep that run going and dropped a 3 on the last end which ment Liam and Karl progressed to the semi final winning 21-17
Semi finals saw Matt Horton and Adam bell play very well, after playing so well in his first 2 games Karl shanks struggled to get a weight and went a few down with lamby shouting what’s going on here and giving Karl a taste of his own medicine, Liam and Karl tried there best to get back into it but couldn’t the game seeing Matt and Adam win 21-9
In the other semi final Darren Plenderleith wasn’t the crowd’s favourite in some friendly banter as he was playing his daughter Sophie Plenderleith but Darren lead well and after 12 strikes and 11 hits from Greg, Darren and Ryan came out on top winning 21-07
I massive congratulations to Sophie Plenderleith, she’s only been playing for just over a year, your Grandma would of been cheering you on while watching from above, to reach the semi final was a massive achievement with Greg Smith coaching her on the green, she was smiling from ear to ear so I can’t thank you enough Greg for making it such a memorable day for her.
The final saw some great bowling again.
Darren and Ryan were up against it from the off. Matt was leading very well, with Adam playing superbly at the back opening up a lead of 15-7, Darren and Ryan had different ideas and fought to get back in the game and at 15-14 it was anyone’s game. Ryan lead the Jack out nowhere near where he’d been placing it and a disappointing end after such a good comeback found Matt and Adam get a cheap 3, Matt then continued to lead very well and again Adam played some excellent bowls at the back and opened up a lead to 19-14. Darren and Ryan were not ready to come off still fighting to the end Matt played a poor lead which Ryan capitalised on, Darren playing a good second bowl to make 2. Next couple of ends again saw Darren and Ryan fight back to 19-18, Ryan lead was capitalised on, Matt put one 3/4 inch away, Ryan plays is second a foot short and Matt nearly knocked it in. Darren tried to play the plant but was unsuccessful and going 20-18 behind. The last end was anyone’s. Matt leads out into the far corner and lead writhin 4 inch Ryan just gets too wide and doesn’t quite get back, Matt then plays 18 inch short bank on road, Ryan tries again to get round putting his bowl slightly too wide but past the jack. Darren turns over and beats Matt’s lead putting pressure on Adam’s last bowl. Adam again plays a bowl from the gods, with one bowl to come and laying game down Darren plays 4 foot over to play the Jack for game, running down the green thinking he’s got it, just misses the Jack and Adam and Matt become Plenderleith memorial champions 2026
A total of £580 was raised for MacMillan cancer so thank you to everyone who donated. Was a fantastic day, Thank you all 💚💚💚
