How time flies, only the other day you are looking forward to the first match of the season and here we are on the eve of the third. Last night's match was away to Horsell A. For those of us who have played there before, it means an early start to grab the limited parking (would you believe only four places), One member of our team missed out, parked in the pub car park opposite, only to move it to a side street, after being looked at suspiciously by two patrons.

With our team assembled and discovering we were playing West to East, instead of in the usual opposite direction. OPBC won the toss and choose to take the mat. With the sun peaking through and a solitary spectator the match started.

The hosts got off to a flyer winning the opening end by three shots, Undaunted OPBC won the next by a single shot and settling down to play some inspired shots, reeled off three more consecutive ends. Score after five ends Horsell A 3 OPBC 5.

With the spectators now doubled and both away supporters, the match having looked to be going the way of the visitors, turned in the opposite direction. Often choosing a long jack, Horsell plied on the pressure, seemingly to take the match away from OPBC. They won the next eight ends in a row, with some excellent team bowling and the Bowls Gods smiling on them. During this spell, OPBC hit the jack four times only to see it finish closer to an opponents wood. Score after twelve ends was now Horsell A 16 OPBC 3.

It looked like OPBC were dead and buried. But the Bowls Gods hadn't finished. With the hosts poised to win another end, the last OPBC bowl took three wicks and ended up on the jack, to win the end by a single shot.

This was too much for one of the away supporters, who lived locally. Having decided the game was over she decided to walk home. After all her team were still 16-6 down with only five ends to play. A pity really because she missed seeing the OPBC

claw their way back into the match, They won the next two ends, to make it three in a row and reduce the deficit. They then one the sixteenth end by two shots, to reduce it further and continuing a remarkable come back, won the penultimate end as well. So with one end to go, it was all to play for. Could OPBC pull off the impossible? Not quite, they indeed won the last ends (six in a row), but not by enough. Final score Horsell A 16 OPBC 13.

A fine game, played in a competitive spirit with the OPBC team of Gill Lindsay-Smith, Gus Romero, Barry Griffin and Mike Farris playing their part and never giving in, even when the odds looked stacked against them. Well done and welcome to Division One, not for the feint hearted.

Date	Headline	Story
25/05/2025	A Win @ Horsell	War of the Woods!
14/05/2025	Victory for Egham	A Great Finish By The Visitors
06/05/2025	Victory @Hersham	1st Top Flight Win In The NWSBA MIXED LEAGUE DIVISION ONE