LONGMEADOW Indoor Bowls Club's Graham Standley did his club proud when he finished runner-up in the Warner Holidays Champion of Champions finals.

The competition is for club champions and Standley had to win the Whitchurch club's title and get through several preliminary rounds starting back in October. But one of his toughest tests was against Peter Hobday (Victory, Portsmouth) whom he beat 21-19 on the 28th end in the first round.

Standley beat Martyn Sekjer (Beckenham, Kent) 21-17 after 26 ends in the semi-final to qualify for a final of two former England internationals, his opponent being Bill Hobart (Boston, Lincolnshire).

And Standley went down fighting, in front of 200 spectators at Warners Gunton Hall, near Lowestoft.

Trailing 8-4, he played a running wood which took out an excellent draw shot by Hobart to take a levelling four. And, in the 15th end, Standley played on to Hobart's wood to take three shots. But Hobart won the game of conversion shots 21-17 in the end.

Standley's runners-up prize was £500 plus a holiday worth £400.

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