Lightning step out on national stage in fine form

Spalding Lightning continued their perfect start in national team events with second-round wins in all three competitions.
The men’s national Denny Cup campaign continued with a 75-64 shots win against Stamford IBC. Lightning raced out of the blocks to lead 28-6 after five ends. At 15 ends they were 16 shots ahead
(56-40) but the match became tighter over the next three at 65-53.
Lightning were able to keep that lead, winning by 11 shots. The third round is against Lincoln on Saturday, December 6.
Rink scores – Home: Lewis Parnell, Dale Parnell, Calvin Leuty and Jordan Philpott won 19-16; Dan Mills, Martin Simpson, Rob Aves and Kevin Ekins won 20-18; Away: Graham Smith, Max Butters, Andy Dunham and Martin Spencer won 19-10 (top rink), Brian Martin, Owen Aspinall, Simon Lilley and Stephen Harris lost 17-20.
The ladies’ national Yetton Trophy side started their competition with a comfortable 91-59 win again Stamford. The team, who were knocked out at the first stage last season by Boston, never looked in trouble this time and after five ends had opened a 19-shot lead, gradually increasing their lead throughout the game to win by a 32-shot margin.
The third round draw paired the ladies with Lincoln, on Saturday, December 6.
Rink scores – Home: Sheila Chamberlain, Trish Stafford, Maggie Wheatley and Annie Dunham won 26-14, Gill Haydon (debut), Mandy Parkin, Tracy Philpott and Ruby Philpott won 18-16; Away: Jean Patterson, Carole Nunney, Betty Deaton and Chelsea Spencer won 30-7 (top rink), Ann Newbury, Sue Slayven, Karen Martin and Maisie Belding lost 17-22.
The mixed national Egham Trophy team finished the weekend with a 77-61 win against Boston. Lightning led 15-14 after five ends and extended it to 33-27 after ten. The gap kept growing, 52-43 after 15 ends and 67-52 at 18 before Boston conceded with a couple of ends to finish.
Lincoln are also the third round opponents, this time on Sunday, December 14.
Rink scores – Home: Jean Patterson, Danielle Wild, Dan Mills and Jordan Philpott won 25-11 (top rink), Graham Smith, Karen Martin, Andy Dunham and Annie Dunham won 24-13; Away: Ruby Philpott, Tracy Philpott, Stephen Harris and Mathew Orrey won 19-13, Kevin Ekins, Louise Harris, Chelsea Spencer and Martin Spencer lost 9-24.
Spalding Lightning bounced back in the ladies’ Trudy Bates South Division after defeat in their opening match. A fine win at home to Boston saw them triumph by 73 shots to 59.
The team won on three of the four rinks to collect 12 of the available 14 points. The top winning rink was skipped by Maggie Wheatley, ably assisted by Sue Slayven, Paula Lawson and Trish Stafford who won 23-13. Their next match is at home against Stamford on Thursday, December 11.
Rink scores: Shelia Chamberlain, Gill Haydon, June Taylor and Maisie Belding won 20-16; Sue Slayven, Paula Lawson, Trish Stafford and Maggie Wheatley won 23-13; Jenny Wakefield, Christine Jackson, Mandy Parkin and Karen Martin won 18-15; Ann Newbury, Christine Williamson, Carole Nunney and Betty Deaton lost 12-15.
In the men’s over 60s Division One League at Boston A, Lightning were beaten 95-52, with no rink wins or match points, losing 14-0. Their next match is at Scunthorpe today (Thursday).
Rink scores: Mick Dolton, Mike Taylor, Gavin Staite and Chris Warboys lost 14-19; Martyn Stanley, David Amess, Graham Hicks and Ian Harwood lost 20-27; Eric Wakefield, Ian Stafford, Terry Windsor and Martin Simpson lost 12-26; Tony Westland, Rob West, Anthony Cronin and David Nunney lost 6-23.
Spalding’s Dominic McVittie is participating in the prestigious Hong Kong Classic tournament, representing Bowls England in both the men’s singles and men’s pairs alongside Harry Goodwin, with Sophie Tolchard and Lincolnshire’s Amy Pharaoh in the ladies’ competitions.
Owen Aspinall has been called up for the mixed u18 international team representing England at Cumbernauld in Scotland in January 2026. He will skip the pairs with former teammate Ollie Jeapes, who is now at Huntingdon. He will also be skipping the fours alongside fellow Lincolnshire bowler Jake Johnson.
Aspinall, Max Butters and Jessica Butters have been selected for the two u18 national inter-county teams. Aspinall and Max Butters will be starting their campaign in the Lincolnshire Tigers team against Nottinghamshire on Saturday, November 29, with Jessica Butters playing in the Lincolnshire Bears team at a later date.