We intially went 3 down, despite a stickup from Juan continuing his good form of the previous week, and this was held after 2 hands. A good third hand saw Rafa hit a flopper then finish with 18 (to nicely balance the oxo he got the previous week), to give us an 11 lead after 3 hands.

 

The lead grew steadily as different players got stick ups and the hand scores stayed high. Many calls for Jacks went up. PA got the classic Jack shot to earn many Jacks – unfortunately the excitement was too much as he bolted the third ball.

The beer and Jacks flowed as the stickups came. For some reason there was what appeared to be a wig on the alley, and there were several Michael Jackson quotes.

 

Down to the 6^th hand and Flash became the 7^th player to get a stickup (and Jacks), just leaving Al-Z as the last man standing. He had been steadily improving all night after a slow start, and on the last hand made it 8 out of 8 as he hit a 13. Many High Fives and Jacks. We were well ahead by now, and eventually won the match by 49.

 

As far as we can remember this was the first time in Hartstoppers history that every player got a stick up in the same match. A perfect 8 and a great team performance!

 

Quote of the night:

Flash - on the 6^th hand after becoming the 7^th player of the night to get a stick-up:

“So, is it just the captain who hasn’t got a stick up tonight?”

 

Magic (Champagne, Jack) moment:

Captains reply as he gets a stick up 13 on the last hand to make it a Perfect 8 for the team, to earn a full house of Jacks!

 

Top Score – Juan 60

 

Thu 11th September V Chimps @ Home

Score :  418 - 405 (Won by 13)

 

Chimps go Bananas as Stopppers Swing to Victory

 

A fantastic performance from Alan ‘Juan’ Fowler on his birthday, hitting 80 to break the previous alley record of 76, gave Hartstoppers a 2 out of 2 winning start to the first season back in Section B.

 

The match started very close, with the lead swinging back and forth between Chimps and Hartstoppers. First we were down, and then up, then down, then back up, where we stayed. There wasn’t much in it to start with, single figure lead by Chimps. Then consecutive stick ups from Juan and Al-Z, of 14 then15, gave us a small lead after 2 hands. A poor 3^rd saw us behind again, but back with a small lead after the 4^th hand. This was slightly increased on the 5^th, before a big score on the 6^th saw us go into the last hand 20 ahead.

 

A low 48 from Chimps meant we only needed 29 to win. We struggled, with only 19 from the first 5 players (including an oxo). Hartley hit a 6, leaving Juan to take the match in style with his 4^th stick up of the night, to give him a 14, and an alley record acore of 80!

 

Well done the birthday boy!

 

Quote of the night:

 

“It must be my birthday!” Juan after stick up number 2.

“Dunno about Stevie G, more like Stevie W”, after the oxo!

 

 

Magic (Champagne, Jack) moment:

 

Juan’s final stick up of 14 to give him an alley record of 80.

 

Top Score – Juan 80

 

Wed 3rd September V Old Spice Yokels @ Colliton 1

Score :  435 - 421 (Won by 14)

 

Stoppers gain Away Win in First Section B game

 

We made a good start to life in Section B with a comfortable-ish away win against Yokels on Colliton Alley 1.

 

El Cid (a late replacement for Dreamon) lost the toss and we were put on first.  We started well – PA got a good 9 (no second fronter’s!) and Bomber hit a stick up.  A hand of 65 saw us lead by a couple after the first hand.  A Hartley stick-up in the second hand saw us edge further in front.

 

A pattern was emerging, as although our hand score went down, so did their’s.  We won each of the first 4 hands by small margins, and we led by 12.  The fifth hand saw them peg our lead back to 10 pins.

 

The penultimate hand proved to be the important hand of the night.  Flash got a stick-up and that was followed up by Hartley getting his second of the night.  We hit a hand of 72.  To their credit Yokels responded with 70 to see us leading by 12.  In the last hand we set them 70 to win, but they never looked like getting them.

 

Hartley top scored with 65 and 2 stick-ups – that equalled his stick-up total in 24 games in 2008-09!!

 

Top Score:-  Hartley 65

 

Champagne Moment :- Hartley’s Second Stick Up

 

Best Quote :- Enjoyed PA’s analogy linking Rafa’s throwing to the ability of various Liverpool players – Rafa to note more Stevie G and less Lucas please!!