ROB Winnington has vowed to end soon his wait to win again one of the Mid-Cheshire Bowling Association’s singles titles.

The Castle Private man could not halt Thomas Vickers’ march to victory in Comberbach on Friday, leaving him without a finals-night victory since taking home the Guardian Cup in 2006.

“I feel I’m as close as I’ve ever been to the form I was in back then,” he said afterwards.

“I’ve got down to the last two a couple of times in the past year or so, and my confidence is high.

“I think both of us wanted to get hold of the jack from the start of the final, and unfortunately I couldn’t quite manage to do so.

“Tom played exceptionally well, and it made it difficult once he found a mark he liked.”

Winnington did get the better of one member of the Vickers family, Thomas’ dad Alan, during a one-sided quarter final.

In the last four he halted the run of John Brooker, who edged Matthew Thurlwell (Comberbach) after the last end of the evening’s closest encounter.

“You tired me out,” said the Frodsham Red Lion regular when shaking his opponent’s hand.

Earlier, Brooker had held his nerve to beat Cheshire newcomer Thurlwell in a head-to-head that ebbed and flowed throughout.

“I just couldn’t get away from him,” said the Comberbach regular afterwards.

“That’s bowls. I knew he’d be hard to beat, and that’s how it turned out.”

Winnington defeated clubmate Jason Cornes (21-13), while Simon Cookson protected an early advantage established against dad Glynn to progress in the other last-eight tie.

Results

Quarter finals (handicap in brackets): John Brooker FRL (3) 21 Matthew Thurlwell Com (2) 19; Alan Vickers WhC (2) 7 Rob Winnington CP (2) 21; Glynn Cookson WhC (scr) 15 Simon Cookson WhC (2) 21; Thomas Vickers WhC (scr) 21 Jason Cornes CP (2) 13.

Semi finals: Brooker 11 Winnington 21; Cookson 9 Vickers 21.

Final: Winnington 12 Vickers 21.