SURE-sponsored Vagabonds welcome Moore to the island this weekend for what promises to be a cracking South Lancashire/Cheshire Division Two encounter.

Vagabonds ran out winners in the previous fixture back in October 49-22, however, since that result Moore have had some notable high-scoring results and will be looking to continue their recent good form at Ballafletcher.

The home side will still be smarting after last weekend’s narrow loss away to league leaders Ruskin Park going down 11-9.

Training has gone well this week and with news that Ross McCulloch is available for selection after a recent ankle injury bodes well for the home side. The pack last weekend was outstanding. Adam Matheson, Lee Brooks, Rob Martin and debutant Luke Purdy all excelled in the tight play.

Locks Mark Howarth and Chris Neil combined well with the youth of Francisco Iturria and veteran war horse Chris Vorster in the backrow.

Howarth has worked hard in his spare time building up size and power in his arms and it certainly paid off last weekend when he pinched ball as if he was taking candy from a baby. If the pack can fire once again this weekend then the backline could be in for a field day.

This Saturday promises to be a great day of rugby with the women’s team welcoming Sheffield for a 11.30am kick off. Alongside the first team fixture the club’s second team host Douglas RFC in what also promises to be a cracker of a match in the Manx Plate final.

BOSSES at Manx Radio say they are ‘hugely disappointed’ that staff are to be lost as part of a restructuring forced by a planned cut in the government’s subsidy.

The broadcaster is funded both by the Manx Government’s annual subvention and by commercial revenue.

But from April the subvention is expected to be cut in the Budget – taking the total funding from Treasury from the current £927,000 to £850,000.

As a result, the company is consulting with staff to identify potential savings and create a new structure for the company that would ensure the station is fit for the future.

It is looking to reduce its staff presentation team from five down to one and plans for the vast majority of programmes to be presented on a freelance basis in the future, something which has become the norm in commercial radio.

The news, sales and engineering teams have all come under close scrutiny. It is expected that the number of news staff will be cut from nine to seven.

Two news editor posts – news editor online and news editor broadcast – are earmarked for closure to be replaced with a new, single news editor position. It is expected that there will be a further reduction to newsroom staff in the summer as a broadcast journalist is retiring and their position will not be filled.

Manx Radio’s chairman David North said: ‘The staff at Manx Radio are extremely talented and have been committed to delivering the best listener experience possible. It is hugely disappointing that some of our award winning team are likely to leave the station at this time and I’m sure this will come as a great disappointment to many listeners.

‘However, all listeners should be re-assured that the Manx Radio board will be doing all it can to retain the range and quality of programming that listeners have come to expect and enjoy from the station over recent years.’

Manx Radio’s managing director Anthony Pugh added: ‘It is very regretful that the company could be losing some talented and loyal individuals. However, our main objective has to be to maintain the award-winning services of Manx Radio for our listeners without further burdening the Manx taxpayer.

‘We have worked hard to ensure the majority of our programming will remain largely unchanged and we will still be offering the island business community the same excellent standards and opportunities for advertising. Our engineering team will also continue to offer first rate engineering services to commercial clients.’

He added: ‘The restructure of Manx Radio will allow the station to continue on a sure footing for the future. The station commands the premier role in broadcasting in the Isle of Man and will continue to do so.’

Last year, the station’s subvention was actually cut from £961,000 in 2010-11 to £756,000 but was bolstered by a £171,000 refund of BBC licence fee money.

This year’s figure of £850,000 is made up of a Treasury subvention of about £710,000 plus a second BBC dividend of about £140,000.

Manx Radio bosses say the proposed Budget reduction to £850,000 leaves the station around £300,000 short of where it would be, had government adhered to the funding formula approved by Tynwald in 2006.

Subject to the 2012-13 Budget being approved by Tynwald, the savings will have to be identified and implemented by Manx Radio by March 31 this year.

• The latest figures released by Rajar show that Manx Radio had a weekly reach of 40,000 in the last quarter of 2011, which works out at 58 per cent of the potential audience. On average, listeners spent 11.7 hours tuning in per week.

NOW that the Manx Shield table has been settled, the two end-of-season competitions can get under way.

Still sponsored by Shimmin Wilson & Co, the Manx Trophy and Manx Bowl are contested by the top three and bottom three from the Shield table respectively. The teams play each other on a league basis home and away, with the top two playing off against each other on finals day.

This week, Ramsey B take on Southern Nomads at Mooragh Park in the Manx Trophy. Ramsey just squeezed into the competition and will need to step up a gear to beat Nomads. The Southerners lack of match fitness didn’t bother them last week when the comfortably beat Ramsey in a friendly. The northerners will struggle a little with injuries too. Big bear prop John Drummond is out for the season and one or two others were struggling with knocks from last week. Nomads, however, should still be fresh and will look to set down a marker in this competition.

In the Manx Bowl, Castletown take on Emerging Nomads at Poulsom Park in what should be quite a tight game. Town haven’t gone well at all in the Shield and their skipper Luke Purdy jumped ship to Vagabonds mid-season. They should, however, put in a little extra effort for their southern rivals and I expect it to finish close.

Saturday’s Fixtures

South Lancs/Cheshire Division Two

Douglas v Ruskin Park @ Port-e-Chee ko 2.15pm

Vagabonds v Moore @ Ballafletcher ko 2.15pm

Southport v Ramsey @ Southport ko 2pm

RFUW Championship North Two

Vagabonds v Sheffield @ Ballafletcher ko 11.30am

Manx Plate Final

Douglas B v Vagabonds B

@ Ballafletcher ko 2.30pm

Shimmin Wilson Manx Trophy

Ramsey B v Southern Nomads

@ Mooragh Park ko 2.15pm

Shimmin Wilson Manx Bowl

Castletown v Emerging Nomads

@ Poulsom Park ko 2.15pm

PREMISES in Strand Street have been sold for more than £3 million.

Strand Street Properties (IOM) Retail Ltd, Queen Victoria House, Victoria Street, Douglas, sold 27/33 Strand Street, Douglas, for £3,225,000 to Limmia Investments Ltd, 48 Athol Street, Douglas.

Other transactions recorded at the registry:

Holborn Enterprises Ltd, Peregrine House, Peel Road, Douglas, sold a plot of land adjoining Ballagyr and Kirk Michael roads, German, for £1,500,000 to Time and Tide Homes Ltd, 3 The Elms, Lezayre Road, Ramsey.

William Anthony Harrison and Carmel Kathleen Harrison sold 31 The Park, Onchan for £430,000 to Paul Oliphant-Smith and Doreen Oliphant-Smith, 7a King Edward Road, Onchan.

JCP Consulting (IOM) Ltd, sold 4 Albert Street, Douglas, for £275,000 to Kesslea Estates Ltd.

Margaret Joan Rushton sold 53 Campion Way, Douglas, for £245,000 to Manlo 62 Ltd, 14 Links View, Onchan.

Barbara Clarke sold 56 Ballamaddrell, Port Erin, for £180,000 to Edwin Aidan Kewin and Sarah Jane Kewin, Anfield, Somerset Road, Douglas.

The administrators of the estate of Hilary Joyce Cooper sold 4 Victoria Avenue, Douglas, for £95,000 to Delia Marie Christine McGuire, 5 Castlemona Avenue, Douglas.

• Please note: We publish details of all house sales unless we receive a written request from the police or probation service.

Sponsored by Cowley Groves. Follow them on {http://twitter.com/#!/CowleyGrovesiom|Twitter} and {http://www.facebook.com/CowleyGrovesiom|Facebook}.

TWO Douglas primary schools are to merge under the leadership of one head teacher.

Murray’s Road Junior School head teacher Steve Taylor is stepping down at half term, for health reasons. He is to return to classroom teaching,

So the Department of Education and Children has brought forward its long term plan to merge Murray’s Road School with its feeder infant school, Ballaquayle. Linda Green, head teacher at Ballaquayle, will be in charge of both schools.

Mr Taylor has been in charge of Murray’s Road School, which has 201 pupils on the register, for 15 years.

Recent periods of ill health have prompted his decision. Although sad to be leaving Murray’s Road, Mr Taylor said his decision was in the best interests of both the school and his own long-term health. He said he was looking forward to once again working as a primary teacher without the additional stresses and challenges that headship can bring.

Director of education Martin Barrow thanked Mr Taylor and said: ‘He has taken a difficult decision and I know it has been significantly influenced by his wish to ensure that Murray’s Road is able to move forward under consistent leadership.’

Mrs Green has been head teacher at Ballaquayle since 1998 and will become head teacher of both schools with immediate effect.

She said: ‘I am delighted and excited to have been given this opportunity to bring the two schools together.

‘I see my role over the next year or so very much about establishing a single identity for the two schools so that pupils are able to progress smoothly from Key Stage 1 at Ballaquayle to Key Stage 2 at Murray’s Road.’

The Department will take the necessary action to formally amalgamate the schools.

Mr Barrow commented: ‘The department feels there is much to gain from joining these schools under a single headteacher.

‘In particular, the move should ensure even greater continuity and consistency for the children as they move between the two sites.’

He stressed the move wasn’t driven by financial constraints.

‘This model was under consideration well before the current economic difficulties and the decision is based on educational rather than financial reasons,’ Mr Barrow said. ‘In the short term, we see few if any financial savings from this and even in the longer term any saving is likely to be minimal.’

IN recent weeks the Manx Sound Exchange has looked at how Manx bands and musicians can get away from the island and the logistics of touring the UK and further afield in order to perform to new faces and further your cause.

But let us assume that not every musician in the island is young, sexy and has the cavalier attitude to life best exemplified by the unemployed.

For the many Manxies not in a position to jump on a ferry to take their bands to next level, what is available here at home?

In terms of recording facilities, we are in an age where a laptop with a decent memory and a sprinkling of recording software is enough to record, mix and master your music to a decent quality.

But that doesn’t mean the physical studio experience is extinct.

There are several well-equipped studios dotted around the island, though many are private affairs not really available for use to the great unwashed.

I am, however, aware of a handful of facilities available for hire.

In Peel, Lee Morgan runs Factory Lane Studio, which was Maldune’s base for their swansong album last year.

The website musicfanonline.co.uk gives a decent account of the facilities and equipment, and the hourly rate for recording and mixing is reasonable. The videos of Maldune’s output give a taste of what’s possible.

In deepest darkest Foxdale Phil Reynolds, the man behind new indie record label project Small Bear Records (more on that soon), operates out of his own self-built studio, which has catered for bands – even ones Phil wasn’t in – and is worth consideration: www.smallbearrecords.com

For those young enough to benefit (I believe the cut-off age is 24) the Youth Service’s Soundcheck scheme has recording facilities on Kensington Road in Douglas, with the clued-up Paul Cooper at the helm.

Samples of the kind of music that flows out of that set up can be previewed at soundcloud.com/soundcheck-iom-youth

An exciting prospect is the Northern Lights Community Centre in Ramsey, the downstairs of which is in the process of being kitted out as a proper studio, which will have the benefit of a number of experienced knob-twiddlers guiding musicians.

These include Scott Clark, who’s recently-built studio in Ballaugh is also available and worth investigation.

Lee Brooks’ ramblings on the rumblings of the island’s music scene. You can help support the scene by contacting Lee at {mailto:lee.brooks@newsiom.co.im|lee.brooks(at)newsiom.co.im} or on 695674 with Manx music news, reviews and photos

The missing 16-year-old schoolboy has now been located.

Jordan Daniel Quayle had last been seen at 4:30pm yesterday (Thursday) in Douglas.

Police issued details of Queen Elizabeth II High School student Jordan’s appearance and last known wherabouts this morning in a public appeal for information. He has now been found safe and well in Douglas.

SIMON Andrews will team up with 17-time TT champion John McGuinness in the Honda Legends team for the 2012 Isle of Man TT Races fuelled by Monster Energy.

Worcester-born Andrews was the fastest newcomer in the 2011 TT Races, recording a lap of 125.174mph as he took 11th place in the PokerStars Senior Race. He also finished 11th in the Royal London 360 Superbike Race in his debut year.

He will join up with McGuinness who secured his 16th and 17th TT victories last year with wins in the Dainese Superbike and PokerStars Senior TT as well as winning the overall championship.

The pair will also be part of a four-strong line up with Australian Cameron Donald and 2011 Monster Energy Supersport Race winner Gary Johnson in the FIM Endurance World Championship.

Donald and Johnson will also race Hondas at the TT and North West 200 while Johnson will also contest the 2012 British Superstock Championship with Honda (UK) Racing.

The team will campaign in the Isle of Man aboard the 2012 version of the CBR1000RR Fireblade as Honda celebrates the 20th anniversary of the legendary machine.

A SELECT committee looking into how politicians should declare their interests will sit next week.

The Local Authorities: Members’ Interests Committee was formed following the submission of a petition for redress of grievance on Tynwald Day last year.

The public sitting, which any member of the public can attend, will begin at 2pm on Monday.

The committee is tasked with considering the process surrounding declarations of interest by local authority members.

Giving evidence at the public sitting will be Rae Hamilton, who lodged the petition, and former chairman of Onchan Commissioners Brian Stowell.

They will give evidence at 2pm and 2.30pm respectively. Castletown MHK Richard Ronan is chairing the committee, with members Juan Turner MLC and Malew and Santon MHK Graham Cregeen.

JUST under 30 government employees were promoted within 24 months of retirement in the past 10 years, figures released in the House of Keys show.

Zac Hall (Lib Van, Onchan) had requested the figures from Chief Minister Allan Bell, together with an estimate of the impact promotions so close to retirement had made on the final salary pension liability.

In his written reply, Mr Bell listed a total of 29 government staff in the last 10 years who had been promoted within 24 months of their retirement date.

In the last financial year, there was only one such case, in the Department of Social Care, and in 2010/11 there were two – one each in Treasury and Social Care.

But the Chief Minister said it had not been possible to estimate the cost of lump sum and annual pensions.

He explained: ‘The administrative effort required to access data (some of which is held in manual form in archive) and to complete the necessary calculations would be considerable and would, potentially, detract from other pensions-related priorities currently being pursued.’

But Mr Bell said that when an appointment is made by way of promotion, the successful candidate will become subject to the relevant pay point or pay scale/range – irrespective of their age and proximity to their contractual retirement age.

The cost to government in pay terms and future pension liability was therefore likely to be broadly constant. He added: ‘While a promotion will, ultimately, impact on a job holder’s final pensionable earnings, it is not automatically the case that a promotee within 24 months of their contractual retirement age would, at their contractual retirement date, have greater reckonable service than a younger appointee.’

Mr Bell pointed out that owing to the forthcoming introduction of the new Government Unified Pension Scheme (GUS) in April of this year, the calculation of final pensionable earnings will change and be based on the annual average of the best three consecutive years’ pensionable pay in the last 13 years.

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Shimmin Wilson Trophy encounter between Ramsey B versus Southern Nomads off

THE Shimmin Wilson Trophy encounter between Ramsey B and Southern Nomads, which was due to be played on Saturday at Mooragh Park has been postponed.

A combination of injuries, unavailabilities and first team call ups has left the northerners unable to field a team this week, meaning the game will be rescheduled for later in the season.

AN elderly man died as a result of burns after being admitted to Noble’s Hospital last month an inquest has heard.

The inquest on 75-year-old Edward Walter Corlett, a retired postman, was opened and adjourned pending completion of inquiries.

The court heard Mr Corlett died in the intensive care unit of Noble’s Hospital on January 23 after being admitted with what were described in court as ‘non-survivable burns’ following a blaze in a house in Larivane Meadows, Andreas.

Evidence from Dr Christopher Clague, who completed a post mortem examination on Mr Corlett ,said he had died from shock and multiple organ failure as a result of suffering 30 per cent burns to his body, principally his head upper body and upper limbs.

Coroner John Needham adjourned the inquest to a date to be set and offered condolences to Mr Corlett’s family.

Already 1,400 entered in September’s annual mountain bike race

ENTRIES are filling up quickly for this year’s Sleepwells Hotel End to End Mountain Bike Race, with more than 1,400 already entered for September 9’s event.

Online entries only opened on February 1, but since then they have been flooding in. Indeed within nine minutes of them being taken on {http://www.manxe2e.org/categories/view/3|www.manx2e2.org|End to End website}, 78 had already submitted entries.

Organisers, the Manx Mountain Bike Club, are capping the amount allowed at 1,700 so anyone who considers themselves fit enough to take part is urged to get their £37 entries (£50 with transport) in as soon as possible. {https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?event_id=680|To enter click here|End to End online entry}

A BRACE of perfect scores helped Dawsy claw his way back into contention in the latest round of Pundits’ Picks.

The St George’s goalkeeper correctly predicted the score in Onchan’s 3-1 win at Police in the FA Cup, as well as St Johns’ 2-0 home victory over Ramsey on his way to top scoring for the week with 10 points.

Current leader Andy D was not far behind, though, as he also guess the Onchan score as he collected nine points, meaning he is now 10 ahead Dawsy in the overall standings.

Union Mills shot-stopper Dooner also came up trumps with a perfect score. although in somewhat suspicious circumstances because it was his own team that were involved as they beat Douglas and District 3-0. That result means the Garey Mooar No.1 picked up eight points to help close the gap on third-place Dave N who had a poor week, picking up just six points.

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This week’s round of fixtures throws up some interesting clashes as several Premier League sides go head-to-head with Division Two outfits so it could be a weekend for cupsets.

Andy D

Cu-Plas FA Cup First Round

Braddan 2-4 Castletown

Corinthians 4-1 Gymns

Foxdale 1-6 St George’s

Onchan 3-2 Ayre AET

Ramsey 1-2 DHSOB

Rushen 2-1 Peel

St Mary’s 4-1 Douglas Royal

Union Mills 2-4 St John’s

Canada Life Premier League

RYCOB 1-4 Laxey

JCK Division Two

Douglas and District 2-5 Marown

Malew 2-3 Pulrose

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Dave N

Cu-Plas FA Cup First Round

Braddan 0-6 Castletown

Corinthians 5-2 Gymns

Foxdale 1-11 St George’s

Onchan 3-1 Ayre

Ramsey 2-2 DHSOB (2-4 AET)

Rushen 4-2 Peel

St Mary’s 7-3 Douglas Royal

Union Mills 2-4 St John’s

Canada Life Premier League

RYCOB 0-5 Laxey

JCK Division Two

Douglas and District 0-4 Marown

Malew 1-4 Pulrose

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Dawsy

Cu-Plas FA Cup First Round

Braddan 1-5 Castletown

Corinthians 6-0 Gymns

Foxdale 0-7 St George’s

Onchan 2-3 Ayre

Ramsey 2-3 DHSOB

Rushen 4-1 Peel

St Mary’s 9-1 Douglas Royal

Union Mills 1-5 St John’s

Canada Life Premier League

RYCOB 1-3 Laxey

JCK Division Two

Douglas and District 1-3 Marown

Malew 0-2 Pulrose

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Dooner

Cu-Plas FA Cup First Round

Braddan 0-3 Castletown

Corinthians 4-1 Gymns

Foxdale 0-6 St George’s

Onchan 2-1 Ayre

Ramsey 2-1 DHSOB

Rushen 3-2 Peel

St Mary’s 5-1 Douglas Royal

Union Mills 1-2 St John’s

Canada Life Premier League

RYCOB 2-6 Laxey

JCK Division Two

Douglas and District 1-4 Marown

Malew 2-2 Pulrose

TREASURY Minister Eddie Teare has welcomed another fall in the island’s inflation rate which has now reached its lowest level for more than two years.

The Retail Prices Index fell for the fifth consecutive month in January to 4.0 per cent, down from 4.7 per cent the previous month and the lowest figure since December 2009.

Inflation had hit a 20-year high rate of 6.8 per cent in August last year but has fallen every month since then.

Mr Teare said: ‘The ongoing fall in the inflation rate is most welcome, and the good news is that we would expect it to fall further this year even though that might not be every month.

‘At a time when salary awards are being kept to a minimum for many, falling inflation helps maintain real disposable incomes, with resulting benefits in particular to retailers, who are at the sharp end in times of economic slowdown’.

Mr Teare attributed the fall in the inflation rate on the fact that last year’s increase in VAT was now out of the equation – and also on reduced pressure on oil and energy prices due to the economic downturn.

Motorists won’t have seen prices at the pumps come down - but importantly neither have they gone up, and the RPI measures the change in the cost of a basket of retail goods and services.

CONCERN about the safety of metal-on-metal hip replacements should not apply to patients who have had surgery in the Isle of Man, the Department of Health has confirmed.

Following recent reports in the UK media surrounding concerns over metal-on-metal replacements and the potential for blood poisoning, the DoH has moved to allay fears by confirming that Noble’s Hospital has not, and does not, use this type of hip joint.

‘Anyone who has had a hip replacement operation in the Isle of Man is not affected by this potential problem and has no cause for concern,’ a department spokesman said.

Metal-on-metal replacements are used particularly for the resurfacing technique of hip replacements.

Some types of metal-on-metal hip replacements may cause problems, particularly the DePuy ASR types.

Most patients who have had this make fitted will have already been contacted directly, either by the company or their surgeon.

Not all patients have problems with this type of hip replacement, but one recommended course of action for those who have them is that surgeons hold follow-up appointments annually for five years post-operatively, and more frequently in the presence of symptoms.

The majority of patients implanted with metal-on-metal hip replacements have well-functioning hips and are thought to be at a low risk of developing serious problems.

Anyone in the Isle of Man who has had a DePuy ASR or ASR XL hip replacement fitted elsewhere and has not yet heard from their consultant or hospital should contact them straight away, regardless of whether they are in pain or not.

THE next meeting of the Isle of Man Literary Society will tackle problems facing the biographer with a talk called Writing Lies, to be delivered by Dr Jennifer Kewley Draskau.

The local author works at the Centre for Manx Studies/University of Liverpool and will discuss her commissioned biographies about two fascinating historical characacters - Illiam Dhone and Princess Mary Rose Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and ancestor of the Earls of Derby. The meeting will be held at Jabberwocky, in Castle Street, Douglas, at 7.30pm on February 14.

THE inclement weather meant that the winter leagues could only operate on a shortened course at Rowany Golf Club over the weekend, with holes one to seven then 15 to 18 and the first seven again.

This slowed play at the first as finishing groups had to alternate with the early finishers but fair to say it meant the league was able to continue. The positions are still close with five points covering second to 12th place.

Leaders Gary Conwell and Dave Kneen continue to leak fuel, but the damage was limited to one point as they managed a half with Barry Firth and Neil Thomas who said it was a good even game and a fair result.

Closing to within two points were the enigmatic duo of Greg Galloway and Steve Meehan as they halted Dale Wilcock and John Meehan’s comeback by beating them 3 and 2.

It was good to welcome back Jock Potts after his operation who completed the ‘Last of the Summer Wine’ group that boasted over 280 years of life experience between them.

Potts with Eric Grace lost out to Chris Pogue and Martyn Redmayne 4 and 3 but it was the youngster Redmayne (67) that swung the game with three birdies.

Tony Corrin and Bryn Jones carry serenely on moving to third with a 2 and 1 win over the mercurial pair of Andy Cain and Tim Croft.

The latter had rushed to make the game only arriving in the island at 11am - jet lag was mentioned but you don’t get jet lag on the Eurostar. Jones maintained that the fish supplier was trawling for excuses!

Jim Cringle and Mal Quayle (despite Manchester United losing) had an enjoyable game where they shared the spoils with Paul Russell and Billy Hogg, a match played in good spirit heralding the right result.

Slip up of the day came from Bill Denard and George McArdle who twice let a 3 up lead go and, as their game unravelled opponents, Steve Gandy and Chris Cain found their game and nicked the points 2 and 1. Cain was having a nose bleed as they reached the dizzy heights of seventh.

Eric Drinkwater and Tony Potts came off second best yet again after another tight game against Nick Grounds and Albie Stoddart losing 3 and 1. Drinkwater had an amazing shot on the 7th, his thinned approach was travelling at high speed and should have disappeared into the awaiting gorse but it hit the stick square on and stopped within a foot - unfortunately that was the last of his luck.

Ducking and diving in and out of the red zone have been Darren Robinson and Nigel Whitehouse along with Andy Corcoran and Rob Humphreys-Jones and this week the latter were so gentlemanly they made the former feel so relaxed they found their A game and took the points with a 1 up win. Both teams remain just two points out of the relegation band.

League positions: 1, Conwell and Kneen 17 +30; 2. Galloway and Meehan 15 +13; 3. Jones and Corrin 14 +16; 4. Redmayne and Pogue 14 +7; 5. Hogg and Russell 13 +2; 6. Firth and Thomas 13 -5; 7. Gandy and Cain 12 +1; 8. Stoddart and Grounds 12 0.

This week Kneen and Conwell meet the in-form Gandy and Cain while Drinkwater and Potts aim to upset second place Galloway and Meehan. Match of the day could be the clash between third place Jones and Corrin who take on Wilcock and Meehan still smarting from Saturday’s defeat.

IT was a cracking day at Peel Golf Club on Saturday. There was no wind for once, but for the first hour or so there was a heavy frost and the greens were difficult so the later players certainly had the best conditions.

Well over 100 players were out in force and the scoring was excellent. Dave Brown (13) took sixth with 40 points, losing on countback to Dave Leadley (12) who coped well with the early frost for fifth.

Jamie Crellin (6) had 41 for fourth place while new member and sweet swinger Bob Cowell (6) was third with 41 and a tidy 70 gross and the in-form Phil Christian (5) came back in a neat 33 gross for his 41 which gave him second on countback.

However, John Costello (15) took the win with a super 42 points. He had a steady 19 out but 23 points on the back nine did the trick.

This coming week is the Tower Insurance monthly medal.

LAST weekend was certainly one of contrasts as far as the weather was concerned with Saturday’s dry, bright and calm conditions giving way to some very wet, cold and blustery weather on Sunday for the Mount Murray club stableford and winter eclectic fifth round.

Andy Cowin coped best of all on Sunday in returning a very good 39 points, with three birdies in his last six holes helping him secure a countback victory over Martin Rundle who must be ruing a quadruple bogey on the 18th hole which undoubtedly cost him the win.

Junior Matt Nicholson put in another solid performance to claim third with 37, with Andy James and Alan Bannister in fourth and fifth respectively on 36.

In the eclectic, Cowin’s performance on the day saw him climb to the top of the leaderboard on 61 but only just from Daryl Callister who has the same score. There are a further nine players within two shots of the leaders so an interesting final round is forecast in three weeks’ time.

In Saturday’s stableford junior Herman Loubser stormed to a very impressive 44 points (68 gross) to win by a clear four shots from Jonathon Potts (40) with Paul Sheffield (37) in third.

This weekend sees the normal stableford on Saturday before a return to the winter league on Sunday with the final qualifying round taking place.

Although the top seven in the league are safely through, a further 15 teams are still in with a realistic chance of claiming one of the remaining nine knock-out places.