Holcombe Brook B stage big finish to win Howarth Cup in thrilling final

Bellingham, of the First Division, faced a difficult challenge faced with a 58.5-game advantage the Division Three leaders had been given by the handicapping system.

If the higher-division team were to be successful in the final staged at Lostock they would have to restrict Holcombe Brook to no more than 13 games over 12 sets.

Bellingham won the mixed sets 24-4.

The left-handed Max Carroll’s serve caused Bellingham some early, minor trouble, but Rangel Metodiev – with a fine outswinging serve – and Emily Broughton comfortably won their set.

Ewan Findlow and Gracie Grundy battled hard in the face of stronger firepower as they took one game.

Bellingham remained ahead of target in the second group of matches with a 24-2 win.

In the girls’ sets, Livia Harper and Charlotte Broughton made no mistake in a 6-0 win.

Holcombe Brook's Scarlett Simmons and Imogen Short put up more resistance against Bellingham’s second pairing of Emily Broughton and Grace Preston, taking two games. It was then up to the boys to try to produce an unlikely victory for Holcombe Brook.

Bellingham's Rob Cowley and Metodiev quickly and clinically won 6-0, Cowley's forehand proving a powerful weapon.

As the final set began the match score was 66.5-66 to Holcombe Brook B.

Joe Hamer and Adam Scarth kept their team's noses in front as they took an early 2-1 lead.

Their solid defensive play forced Bellingham's Dan and Ben Hurst to make errors and the Holcombe Brook pair ran out 6-2 winners to clinch a 72.5-68 match victory for their side.

Results

BSF Junior League

Division One: Markland Hill B 0 Holcombe Brook SC A 12, Bellingham 11.5 Markland Hill A 0.5, Winstanley 2.5 Bradshaw A 9.5.

Division Two: David Lloyd (Bolton) 6 David Lloyd (Chorley) 6, Bradshaw B 3 Hawkshaw A 9.

Division Three: Hawkshaw B 9 Tyldesley 3.

BSF Men's League

Division One: Tyldesley A 2 Holcombe Brook A 7, Ellesmere A 7 Leigh A 2, David Lloyd Chorley A 9 Markland Hill A 0, Lostock A 8 Chorley A 1.

Division Two: Elton Vale A 3 David Lloyd Abitare A 6, Hawkshaw A 6 David Lloyd Chorley B 3, Darwen 7 Walmer A 2, David Lloyd Abitare B 4 Ellesmere B 5.

Division Three: Markland Hill B 5 Lostock B 4, Barrow Bridge A 3 Eagley A 6, Leigh B 4 Roe Green A 5, Holcombe Brook B 4 Winton 5.

Division Four: Walmer B 3 David Lloyd Abitare C 6, Chorley B 7 Bradshaw A 2, Eagley B 3 Claremont 6, David Lloyd Abitare D 1 Hawkshaw B 8.

Division Five: Lostock C 5 Hawkshaw C 4, Monton 8 Meadow Hill A 1, Bradshaw B 8 Elton Vale B 1, Astley & Tyldesley 5 Markland Hill C 4.

Division Six: Ellesmere C 7 Eagley C 2, Holcombe Brook C 4 Chorley C 5, Bradshaw C 3 Tyldesley B 6, Hawkshaw D 7 Barrow Bridge B 2.

Division Seven: Markland Hill D 9 Hawkshaw E 0, Meadow Hill B 1 Lostock D 8, Eagley D 0 Holcombe Brook D 9.

BSF Mixed League

Division One: Hawkshaw A 25 Markland Hill B 68, Lostock A 66 Holcombe Brook A 35, Markland Hill A 22 Bradshaw A 72, David Lloyd Abitare A 56 Walmer A 47.

Division Two: Bradshaw B 69 David Lloyd Abitare B 36, Chorley 44 Lostock B 60, Holcombe Brook B 61 Hawkshaw B 46.

Division Three: Hawkshaw C 0 Longsight St Catherine's A 72, Elton Vale 59 Holcombe Brook C 39, Barrow Bridge A 57 David Lloyd (Chorley) 29.

Division Four: Walmer B 38 Markland Hill D 62, Lostock C 21 David Lloyd Abitare D 72, Meadow Hill 47 Lostock D 59.

Division Five: Bradshaw C 0 Barrow Bridge B 72, Holcombe Brook D 43 Hawkshaw D 68.

Tables

Junior League

Division One

P W D T L Pts

Holcombe Bk SC A 9 9 0 0 0 27

Bellingham 9 8 0 0 1 24

Bradshaw A 9 4 1 0 4 13

Markland Hill A 9 2 2 1 4 10

Winstanley 9 1 1 1 6 6

Markland Hill B 9 0 0 0 9 0

Division Two

Lostock A 7 6 0 0 1 18

David Lloyd (Ch) 7 5 0 1 1 17

David Lloyd (Bltn) 7 3 0 1 3 11

Hawkshaw A 8 3 0 0 5 9

Bradshaw B 7 0 0 0 7 0

Division Three

Holcombe Bk SC B 5 5 0 0 0 15

Lostock B 5 4 0 0 1 12

Hawkshaw B 6 2 0 0 4 6

Tyldesley 6 0 0 0 6 0

Men's League

Division One

P W Ab L Pts

David Lloyd Ch A 9 9 0 0 18

Ellesmere A 9 6 0 3 12

Markland Hill A 9 5 0 4 10

Holcombe Bk A 9 5 0 4 10

Leigh A 9 4 0 5 8

Chorley A 9 4 0 5 8

Lostock A 9 2 0 7 4

Tyldesley A 9 1 0 8 2

Division Two

Hawkshaw A 9 9 0 0 18

David Lloyd Ab A 9 7 0 2 14

David Lloyd Ch B 9 5 1 3 11

Walmer A 9 4 0 5 8

Darwen 9 3 1 5 7

David Lloyd Ab B 9 3 0 6 6

Ellesmere B 9 3 0 6 6

Elton Vale A 9 1 0 8 2

Division Three

Lostock B 9 6 0 3 12

Eagley A 9 6 0 3 12

Winton 9 6 0 3 12

Leigh B 9 5 0 4 10

Roe Green A 9 5 0 4 10

Markland Hill B 9 4 0 5 8

Barrow Bridge A 9 3 0 6 6

Holcombe Bk B 9 1 0 8 2

Division Four

David Lloyd Ab C 9 9 0 0 18

Hawkshaw B 9 7 1 1 15

Bradshaw A 9 6 0 3 12

Chorley B 9 5 0 4 10

Claremont 9 4 0 5 8

Eagley B 9 2 0 7 4

David Lloyd Ab D 9 2 0 7 4

Walmer B 9 0 1 8 1

Division Five

Elton Vale B 9 7 0 2 14

Lostock C 9 6 0 3 12

Meadow Hill A 9 6 0 3 12

Bradshaw B 9 5 0 4 10

Markland Hill C 9 5 0 4 10

Monton 9 3 0 6 6

Hawkshaw C 9 3 0 6 6

Astley & Tyld 9 1 0 8 2

Division Six

Holcombe Bk C 9 8 0 1 16

Ellesmere C 9 8 0 1 16

Tyldesley B 9 6 0 3 12

Eagley C 9 4 0 5 8

Chorley C 9 3 1 5 7

Bradshaw C 9 3 1 5 7

Barrow Bridge B 9 2 0 7 4

Hawkshaw D 9 1 0 8 2

Division Seven

Markland Hill D 7 7 0 0 14

Lostock D 8 6 0 2 12

Roe Green B 7 5 0 2 10

Holcombe Brook D 8 4 0 4 8

Eagley D 8 2 0 6 4

Meadow Hill B 8 1 1 6 3

Hawkshaw E 8 1 1 6 3

Mixed League

Division One

P W D L Pts

Holcombe Bk A 9 8 0 1 16

Markland Hill A 9 7 0 2 14

Hawkshaw A 9 6 0 3 12

Lostock A 9 6 0 3 12

David Lloyd Ab A 9 4 0 5 8

Walmer A 9 4 0 5 8

Bradshaw A 9 1 0 8 2

Markland Hill B 9 0 0 9 0

Division Two

Chorley 8 8 0 0 16

Ellesmere 7 5 0 2 10

David Lloyd Ab B 8 5 0 3 10

Lostock B 8 4 0 4 8

Hawkshaw B 8 3 0 5 6

Holcombe Bk B 7 2 0 5 4

Bradshaw B 8 0 0 8 0

Division Three

David Lloyd (Ch) 8 8 0 0 16

Holcombe Brook C 8 7 0 1 14

Barrow Bridge A 8 5 0 3 10

Longs't St Cath's A 8 3 0 5 6

Hawkshaw C 8 2 0 6 4

Elton Vale 7 1 0 6 2

Markland Hill C 7 1 0 6 2

Division Four

Lostock C 8 7 0 1 14

David Lloyd Ab C 7 6 1 0 13

Meadow Hill 7 5 1 1 11

Walmer B 8 4 0 4 8

Lostock D 8 3 0 5 6

David Lloyd Ab D 8 1 0 7 2

Markland Hill D 8 0 0 8 0

Division Five

Holcombe Bk D 7 7 0 0 14

Bradshaw C 7 5 0 2 10

Hawkshaw D 6 4 0 2 8

Lostock E 6 2 0 4 4

Hawkshaw E 6 1 0 5 2

Barrow Bridge B 6 0 0 6 0