Here in the Co-op Funeralcare International Open at the host venue, Blackpool Newton Hall Holiday Park, it was the turn for Australian Trentan Healey to go up against England’s Les ‘Razor’ Gillett on what promised to be a good match. With a good crowd in it was a match that developed into a nail biting scrap between the two players as they traded bowl for bowl. It had the audience on their seat edges as the Australian produced wonder bowls to keep an on form Gillett at bay. By the 4th end of the first set the score sat at 4-2 to Gillett. Not to be outdone Healey responded with a single in end 5 and a double in end 6, Gillett produced some superb bowls to take a double on end 7 to go 6-5 up. Healey came straight back with a superb draw bowl to take a single in end 8 to take the score to 6 all - into the last end and it was Healey that hung on to a close single to take the first set 6-7.
Second set and Healey turned into a powerhouse, no matter what Gillett did it was the Australian that produced the goods end after end. Gillett opened up taking a double on the first end and then Healey stopped him dead in his tracks as he took 9 shots over the next 5 ends. Gillett took a single on end 7 but Healey took a single on end 8 and Gillett shook hands with the Australian at the scoreline of 3-10. Healey goes through to the second ecstatic with his performance.