The Bees are buzzing

Brewers Bees beat Steamers by 13-pins in the play-off to take the top spot in Section C, which sees them return to Section B as champions after just one season in the C section, after being relegated in season 22-23, as were opponents Steamers who also go back up at the first attempt.

Brewers Bees are one of the longest running skittle teams with their origins dating back to the 50’s at the Brewers Arms, Martinstown , where the team were known as Brewers Arms ‘B’ and played in Section A on a Wednesday, a night they shared with Brewers Arms A who also were in Section A.

For the 60-61 season the team had moved to town to play at the Plume of Feathers on a Friday, and were now known as Brewers Bees. Bees stayed at the Feathers until 1972 with every season being played in Section A.

For the 72-73 season the Bees played at Chequers on a Friday and stayed there for three seasons, the last season 74-75 saw the team relegated for the first time in their history.

Brewers Bees moved to the Bulls Head for season 75-76 playing in Section B on a Thursday, before switching to a Friday for 76-77, a season that brought another relegation. Three seasons were spent in Section C before they got promoted as champions in 1980. Back in Section B the Bees had a mid table finish in 80-81 before finishing runners up, 2 points behind Skimmers to go back to Section A in 1982.

Bees spent eight season back in Section A, with their highest finish coming in 82-83, fourth place. A bottom place finish in 89-90 had the Bees back in Section B for 90-91, and although they finished as runners up, there was no promotion throughout the league as the sections were made smaller. But Bees were back just two seasons later going up as champions in 92-93, although it was only a one season stay as relegation followed in 93-94 after Bees finished level on points with two other teams , but lost the play-off.

Brewers Bees finished third in Section B in both 94-95 and 95-96 before going up as champions in 96-97, and finished as runners up in Section A in 97-98. Brewers Bees finest hour came in season 00-01 when they topped Section A to be champions.

After over twenty five years at the Bulls Head the Bees moved to the Conservative Club for the 02-03 season where they stayed until the club closed in 2011. While at the club Brewers Bees finished as runners up in Section A in 2007.

The Bees moved to the Wool Legion for the 11-12 season before returning to Town to play at the Cornwall Hotel for one season. A move to Tom Browns on a Thursday was next for the Bees where they stayed for five season.

Bees last season at Tom Browns saw them relegated, so they were back in Section B for season 18-19, playing at their new home, alley 2 at the Trinity Club on a Friday.

As well as a proud league history the Brewers Bees have won the knockout cup on seven occasions, 61,62,65,70,82,83 and 97. In more recent times they have reached two cup finals both finishing in defeat, 2009 and 2015.

Unfortunately we have no records of Section A winners before 1980 so we don’t know if those cup successes before 1980 were matched with any Section A titles.  

Essentials up as champions

Essentials beat Puddletown Wanderers by 20-pins in the play-off at the Colliton Club to win Section B, both teams are heading back to Section A, but it’s the Essentials who go up as champions. Essentials have spent the past two seasons in Section B after relegation from Section A in 2022, while Wanderers are back in A after just one season in the second tier after they were relegated in 2023.

It’s the second time that the side from the Spitfire Club have won Section B, the first time came in 2019, which was the same season they reached the Knockout Cup Final, which they lost to Royal Oak Wanderers.

Essentials first played in the D&DSL as Greyhound Essentials in 2010 and played at the Greyhound, Winterborne Kingston before moving to the Spitfire Club, Crossways in 2013. They won Section D in 2011 and were runners up in Section C in 2012, Essentials stayed in Section B for three seasons before relegation back to Section C in 2015, Essentials returned to Section B after they won Section C 2018.

This weeks skittles

Play offs – Wednesday 17th April

Section B – Puddletown Wanderers v Essentials on alley two at the Colliton Club. Board to be marked by Martin Osborne.
Section C – Steamers v Brewers Bees on alley one at the Colliton Club. Board to be marked by Brian Newton.

Pairs Competition Finals 19th April

At Goldies, book in from 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start

Entry forms for Season 24-25

All teams should have received an email from the League Secretary yesterday with the entry form for the 24-25 season attached. If you did not receive the email please contact Brian Newton.

Any new teams that want to join the league please contact Brian Newton ASAP.

Entry forms need to be returned to Brian Newton by FRIDAY 7th JUNE 2024

Late entries will be subject to an administration fee of £5.

Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting will be held on FRIDAY, JUNE 28th, 2024 at 8 p.m. in the
Dorset Room at the Colliton Club, Colliton Park, Dorchester. Only one team member is
allowed to attend.
Any Rule changes or nominations for the Officers of the League and the Committee
shall be submitted to the Hon. Secretary 14 days prior to the date of the Annual General
Meeting.

Please be advised of Rule 2 paragraph three: The failure of any team to attend
the Annual General Meeting irrespective of whether their apologies have been tendered shall result in a £20 fine. Late entries will be subject to an administration fee of £5.

Semi Final results 

Knockout Cup Semi Finals 
Puddletown Wanderers 450 (L Raines, M King 64), Country Boys 427 (R Smith 72)  
Patriots 412 (T Macey 61), Colliton Magpie Imps 390 (L Brown 60)   

Final to be played on Friday 26th April at the Victoria Hotel, board to be marked by Derek Burt
Puddletown Wanderers v Patriots 

Plate Semi Finals 
Swan Abbots 399 (S Bowman 64), Alcotops 374 (M House 51)   
Dewlish Monsters 431 (T Hewish 58), Untouchables 420 (D Owen, C Elliott 61)   

Final to be played on Friday 26th April at The Spitfire Club, Crossways, board to be marked by Charlie Gosney 
Swan Abbots v Dewlish Monsters

Presentation Evening tickets

A message from Brian Newton.

Tickets for the presentation evening to take place at the Trinity Club on Friday 10th May are now available at £4 each. Just get in touch if you would like to buy tickets for your team or just yourself!

I will be at the Pairs Competition this Friday at the Victoria Hotel or telephone me on 854783 or mobile 07909 753467 and we can arrange a time to collect your tickets. BACS accepted as are cheques and of course CASH.

If you buy your tickets on the door on the 10th May the price will be £5 so get yours early to save a few quid.

Winners of trophies so far:

SECTION A
2023-24 Wareham Legionaires – Runners-up Breakaways

SECTION B
2023-24 Puddletown Wanderers and Essentials (play off on Wednesday 17th April)

SECTION C
2023-24 Steamers and Brewers Bees (play off on Wednesday 17th April)

SECTION D
2023-24 Strugglers – Runners-up New Inn Chuckers
Bottom – Easy Beats winners of the Wooden Spoon

LADIES SECTION
2023-24 Vixens – Runners up Crackerjacs

OPEN SECRETARIES SHIELD
2023-24 Lloyd Mitchem of Hammers – Runner up Mike House of Alcotops

STICKER UP CUP
2023-24 Zack Fowler of Colliton Wide Boys – Runner up Dylan O’Donovan of Hotshots

OPEN SINGLES COMPETITION
2023-24 Darryl Burt of Skimmers – Mark Eavis of Puddletown Wanderers was second and
Matthew Slade of Colliton Wide Boys was third

LADIES SINGLES
2023-24 Vicki Cooper of Vixens
Runners up Maggs Edwards of Plodders

LADIES PAIRS
2023-24 Clare Clark and Kelly Mitchell of Ladettes
Runners up Samantha Read and Frances Ricardo of Vixens

2023-24 OXO TROPHY – Hot Cheese Stampers with 10 oxos

TOP SCORE OF THE SEASON
OPEN LEAGUE – Jordan Smith of Country Boys with 85
LADIES LEAGUE – Nikki Fowler of Vixens with 62