Forres Bowling Club's season comes to a close as 20 players enjoy closing match

AT THE end of another all-too-short season, 20 players took part in Forres Bowling Club's Closing Day 4-3-2-1 match.

Before the action began, Tara Englemann from the Quarriers charity received a £432 cheque for monies raised at the Caitlin Dustan Triples.

Peggy Locke and Paul Coutts were the afternoon's winners. Thirty points up and with a maximum in the bank by half-time, their only blip came in the third set.

Paul's wife Lesley finished in second place. Her only loss was a narrow first set defeat. She scored a maximum, but lost one too.

Brian Riddell was going well, hitting a maximum before losing his final set.

20 points down at the halfway stage, Brian Caldwell had a great second half. He also got a 10 on his way to finishing ahead.

Alex Porter put his initial set loss behind him to win all the others. Although he also got a maximum, all of his games were tightly contested ones.

Ahead at half-time, despite having lost a 10, Alana Coutts fell away in the second half and was delighted to still finish with a positive scorecard.

Dean Dobbs started well, and hit a maximum in his second set. His form slipped thereafter.

Charlie Watt was level having scored, and lost, a maximum going into the final end. Losing another 10 was not what he wanted!

John Matthews scored that final end maximum which helped make up for the one he'd lost earlier.

Hazel Caldwell had a miserable time on Rink 1. Although she was closest to the jack on several occasions, she won just one end and lost two maximums.

Scores: P Coutts 36 up; L Coutts 18 up; B Riddell 12 up; B Caldwell 12 up; A Porter 8 up; A Coutts 2 up; D Dobbs 8 down; C Watt 10 down; J Matthews 10 down; H Caldwell 62 down.

The result of the final Monday Hat-Night of the season was decided over the final four ends.

Henry Davidson, Lesley Mackintosh and Derek Sobey were 6-5 up on Gary Mackie before scoring eight shots in three ends to put the result beyond doubt. Gary had the final say though, scoring at the last.

Score: D Sobey 14, G Mackie 6.

Peggy Locke, Billy Felton and Robert McRitchie were in sparkling form at the final Wednesday afternoon hat of 2023.

The trio dropped just five shots as they blew away all the other teams to win all four of their sets.

Eight shots down with just a handful of ends to play, but Brian Caldwell still managed to grab a distant second place.

Skibo McKenzie won his middle two sets and was peels going into the last where he lost all of the ends.

Ed Harris will hope for better next season after losing all four sets.

Scores: R McRitchie 25 up; B Caldwell 1 down; A McKenzie 5 down; E Harris 19 down.

Like last week, Dean Dobbs was a winner at Thursday's Moving Hat. This time the stage was set, and he was playing shotgun to Lesley Coutts.

Between them, they ensured that no big bullies ran away with their pocket money! They kept on the move despite only drawing their second set.

In a rare skipping role, Morag Ritchie also kept on the move. A third set loss scuppered her chances though.

Although Alana Coutts never moved, she only lost one set. She won seven out of eight mid-evening ends.

A big finish almost got Gary Mackie back on level terms. He trailed 6-0 after just two ends, and was seven shots adrift going into the final pair of ends.

Charlie Watt was going well until he lost the his final handful of ends.

Henry Davidson had the opportunity to finish ahead, but blew it.

Scores: L Coutts 9 up; M Ritchie 2 up; A Coutts peels; G Mackie 1 down; C Watt 3 down; H Davidson 7 down.