CHELMSFORD BOWLING CLUB claimed a top win in the England bowling competition.
Chelmsford A's first preliminary round match was at Burnham Hillside BC B.
In the Two Bowl Singles Chelmsford's Tony Collings was beaten 17-12 by Peter Whiting. Next to finish was the Four Bowl Singles, with Chelmsford's champion Graham Robson winning 21–10 in fine style against Brian Clayton. The Chelmsford win was followed by another excellent victory by Roger Jones, Barry Colbourne, Steve Edwards and skip Martyn Gardner in the fours, 26–10.
Fred Dowding skipped Chelmsford's Triples outfit to another win, 19–16, to clinch the match.
The pairs match involving Ray Walker and Terry Little ended at 20 ends, with the Chelmsford duo leading 21–18 over Sid Curtis and Greg Gladden.
Chelmsford now meet either Falcon A or Burnham Hillside A in the first round.
In the Over-55 Singles competition Gardner beat Joe Harris of Great Baddow BC 21–11.
Colbourne and Ray Keeble met Bob Pooley and Alan Hart of Stock & Buttsbury BC in the preliminary round of the over-55 Pairs and won 14–12.
Walker and Little travelled to Romford BC to meet Colin Morton and his partner, winning 20–15. Chelmsford met Bournemouth Park BC, Southend, in the first round of the L&SC BA Pairs competition at Southend. Walker and Little quickly got into their stride against Gary and Bob Telling. At ten ends the Chelmsford duo led 9–5, finishing at 18 ends with the Tellings conceding the match 21–10.
Graham Robson played Maldon's Geoff Gasson in the first round of the Two Bowl Singles with Gasson two shots up going into the last end but managing to restrict Robson to one shot to win 13-12.
Chelmsford A played Chelmsford B in a division two encounter in the Chelmsford and District Bowling Association (C&D BA) results.
The A's won by four shots to preserve an unbeaten league start to the season.
Chelmsford D beat Great Baddow D by a massive 25 shots overall, while PML A overcame Chelmsford C.