DIRECTORS TROPHY ON A KNIFE EDGE

The Jubilant Suffolk team - well some of them !

Round 4 of the Directors Trophy, the East Midlands Intercounties Skeet at Eriswell Lodge.

The early hype behind this one was Northants were fielding a strong team with more than a smattering of England shooters in their ranks, and went into the shoot feeling confident, but the home side Suffolk had other ideas.

Shooting got underway promptly at 8-30am in bright autumnal sunshine, with a light breeze coming in from the low house side of the range, although this was to strengthen slightly as the day proceeded, but nothing too much to worry about so long as you gave every target the respect it deserved.

Its 8-30am and ref Hazel Whiten calls the first squad to order.

Cambridgeshire the Directors Trophy current leaders were the first team to complete setting the benchmark score of 572/600, Chris Morris top scoring on 99/100.

Next home were Suffolk and they proceeded to blow the leading score out of the water recording a massive team score of 590/600, the third highest total in the history of this event, Darren Parsons the Suffolk skipper leading by example with a 100 straight. As we know though it’s not about one or two high scores in the Intercounties shoots, its consistent scoring that gets you to the top of the leader board, and Suffolk were not short on those with Robbie Manning 96, Paul Simpson 100, Peter Bloomfield 98, Stuart Smith 98, Andy Stephenson 96, Will Baker 92 and Adrian Cook 98 all playing their part.

Darren Parsons (Suffolk) on his way to the first ton of the day.

At lunchtime Northants arrived, and there were more than one or two concerned glances at the scoreboard when the size of the task before them just got a whole lot more difficult, the margin of error was minimal, with an average of two clays lost per shooter meaning defeat, the pressure must have been significant as Northants started leaking one or two targets per layout, and In the final reckoning Northants fell 11 targets short of the Suffolk total.

The remaining Senior teams came, and one by one fell by the wayside succumbing to the Suffolk team, so its many congratulations to them, and commiserations to the Northants team of Dave Morgan, 98, Mick Russell 99, Neil Faulkner 97, Mick Rolstone 95, Leon Gill 97, Stuart Lobley 93, Simon Vogel 92 and Julian Williams 93 who had to settle for the runners-up glassware.

In Ladies where the Seniors failed the Northants Ladies kept their part of the bargain by winning a narrow victory over second place finishers Notts. Izzy Russell top scored for Northants on 98, and was also the highest scoring lady on the day. Kirstin Vogel got the clinching score of 90 to ease the Northants girls over the winning line with a winning total of 188/200, Ruth Markham and Rose Palmer completed the winning quartet.

Northants Ladies flying the flag !

In Veterans it was business as usual for Suffolk as they recorded a narrow two-point win over second place finishers Northants. Eric Chapman and Bernie Polley top scored for Suffolk on 96 each to give them a team total 0f 192/200, Brian Richardson and Spencer Basham completed the winning line-up, John Miller of Notts was the top veteran on the day scoring 97.

Juniors followed a similar pattern with Suffolk taking the honours, with Northants again runners-up by two points, and once again it was Tom McGregor who did the damage recording Suffolk’s third ton of the day and earning him the JHG Trophy for the second time running following his great shooting at Barrow Heath last weekend in the Intercounties Sporting. Tom was well backed up by Josh Nunn 90 and first time Intercounties shooter Henry Lungley 87 aged just 11, and shooting a 20 bore, to give them victory.

Henry Lungley - Suffolk Juniors

As always, we give thanks to the hosting ground, this time in the shape of Eriswell Lodge and Stuart Smith the owner. I haven’t been to Eriswell Lodge since it was formerly called Lakenheath CTC, and I didn’t really know what to expect, and to say I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement.

The facilities were excellent, the ground looked in great shape and it was more than obvious Stuart had thought long and hard about all those little touches around the ground that give it that feel of being at a proper venue. The staff and refs were excellent and the restaurant was about the best shooting ground grub I’ve ever tasted, and good value. If you haven’t already made the journey to the ground I can thoroughly recommend it, and there are more improvements on the horizon with a new two storey clubhouse being planned.

Scoreboard of the Year ?

Our attentions now turn to the Directors Trophy standings and it couldn’t be closer with just one point separating three counties, Cambs hold a narrow lead, with Northants and Suffolk tied in second place with just two more shoots to go. It will definitely go to the last shoot to determine the winners, and we will doubtless be doing all sorts of calculations to work out what county needs to do what to win the coveted title for 2017.

Next up is the Intercounties FITASC at Sporting Targets on the 6^th, 7^th & 8^th of October.

	AR	DTL	ESP	ESK	FITASC	ABT	TOTAL
BEDS	4	0	8	1			13
CAMBS	6	8	5	6			25
LEICS	2	5	1	2			10
LINCS	5	4	3	3			15
NOTTS	3	7	2	4			16
NORFOLK	0	6	4	5			15
NORTHANTS	8	2	7	7			24
SUFFOLK	7	3	6	8			24