26 Sep TIM POULTER WINS THE JOHN HOYLE

On a glorious day at Huddersfield Recreations home of Moldgreen Conservative Club Tim Poulter won the John Hoyle Memorial Trophy for a second time.

The finale of the HVBA’s 2026 season saw many of the games elite players play the quarter-files, semi-finals and the final played out in front of a bumper crown.

The quarter-final started with Peter Kain, a veteran inter-district player take on Kevin McCluskey of Huddersfield Recreation in a David and Goliath game. Kevin came into the game from his sick-bed and normally plies his trade in Division 4 of the 10-man league but these handicaps didn’t deter him as he went on to win 21-16. In the next game two previous winners of the trophy, Andy Wike and Tim Poulter came together which had the makings of a real tussle but Tim was in imperious mood and  won 21-9. The third quarter-final paired Barry Tinker with Frank Greenwood who’s won more or less every trophy available in his 92 years but this wasn’t the year he was going to add the John Hoyle to his tally when he went down 21-17 to Barry’s yellow peril bowls. The final game pitted two of the Inter-District Away team together with Garry Senior winning Edwin Haigh 21-16,

In the semi-final Kevin McCluskey gallantly went down 21-11 to Tim’s pin-point bowling whilst Garry Senior put paid to Barry’s hopes of breaking into the big time on the competitions stage winning 21-15.

Tim’s passage to the final had been effortless but Garry had had a couple of challenging games. Both finalists play in the Inter-District Away team and both were off scratch for the final. This had all the hallmarks of a classic final and it didn’t disappoint and it was nip and tuck throughout the game with Tim holding the biggest lead of 14-8 at the half-way stage but Garry came back at him and levelled at 15 across before Tim put on another spurt to get to 19-15 only for Garry to claw that back to 19 across and anyone’s game. Tim held his nerve and closed the game off with a couple of singles that Garry couldn’t match on a green he knew so well being the greenkeeper.

On the day Huddersfield Recreation were superb hosts and donated £264 to the HVBA’s target of reaching £500 for The Kirkwood. The green was in fantastic condition, referee Ray Tunnacliffe once again added to the stature of one of our finals days and Paul English had everything in apple pie order for his final final as Competitions Secretary.

Our picture shows Doreen Hoyle supervising her grandsons Jack and Joseph in presenting the John Hoyle Memorial Trophy to Tim Poulter. Once again the Hoyle family sponsored the competition prize money enabling all proceeds of the day to go towards The Kirkwood fund which will easily pass the £500 marks when everything is taken into consideration.