It was a day to remember for Spalding IBC’s Chelsea Spencer at the Ladies’ World Matchplay qualifiers at Nottingham Indoor Bowls Club.
In the first round, she beat Welsh international Emma Woodcock in straight sets (6-3, 6-5) before beating Jacqueline Henderson on the last end of the tie break (10-3, 6-7, 2-1).
Spencer had to hold her nerve again as she beat Izzy Pymm from Melton in the quarter-final (9-1, 4-7, 2-0) and continued her top form against former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sian Honnor, winning in straight sets (7-6, 8-4).
That earned her a place in the final qualifying round where she met fellow England international Holly Chaytor. The final was of the highest quality, and Spencer won the first set 8-6. Chaytor battled hard to win the second 5-3 to take the match into a tie break. That went into a tense final end but Spencer held her nerve to win the last end to qualify for her first Ladies’ World Matchplay.
That takes place at Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk in January and will see her partnered with one of the world’s top eight players in the mixed pairs.
