royal takes the honners and gets to quarters

6 March, 2018

First match of the second round here at Blackpool Newton Hall Holiday Park in the Co-op Funeralcare International Open 2018 and it was between Ian Honnor and Mark Royal. Honnor opened up proceedings in the first set and left a struggling Royal well behind very quickly.  6-2 up by the completion of the fifth end Honner was in a strong position and it was all Royal could do to sneak a single in end six but that was all he was allowed as Honnor went on to take the first set 8,3,

Second set and Royal made a good recovery going 1-5 up by the end of the fourth. Honnor took the next two ends with a double and a single then Royal grabbed a swift double to go into end eight 4-7 up. Honnor was doing all he could to catch up and close the second set and match but Royal was determined to get the tie break and kept Honnor down to two singles. Second set to Royal 6-7. Into the tie break and after the dust seemingly settled it was one end each - last end of the tie break and Honnor was facing match lie with his last bowl when he made the mistake of forgetting that he could call a tie break as he looked at the clock, saw he had 4 seconds normal time left to play his bowl - forgot about the available time out and rushed his bowl out of his hand - missed and the match went to Royal who now goes through to the quarter finals.