With the gauntlet having been thrown down, a charity challenge match recently took place on Tenby bowling green. It featured two members of Swansea Bowls - a popular online bowls community - who met head to head in what was billed as a 'grudge' clash. But it was more fun than grudge, as Ashley 'Beastie' Reese took on Andrew 'Yam Yam' Hopkins in a match to raise funds for little Hayley Walsh, of Whitland. Five-year-old Hayley has been diagnosed with late infantile Batten Disease, a rare disease of the nervous system. So, when the two bowlers decided to play, they felt there could hardly be a more deserving cause for any sponsorship and funds raised as a result of their efforts on the green, particularly as Whitland is The Beast's home town. The match, best of three sets, was played after the recent Tenby v Ammanford friendly and was witnessed by a large crowd at the greenside and on the clubhouse balcony. The first set went as most pundits predicted, with Yam Yam storming to an easy 9-1 win - a sign of things to come the crowd thought. But The Beast obviously had other ideas, as he staged a tremendous fightback to win the second set and force a tie-break, which, following a close measure, he also won 2-0 to end as challenge champion. The crowd was stunned, the unthinkable had happened, the shy and retiring Beastie had confounded all his critics and put the hot favourite to the sword. Well done Beastie. The rest of the evening was very special as everyone dug deep to support the Hayley Walsh appeal, the raffle was a huge success and Hayley's parents were overwhelmed with the efforts made on the day. "Although I am sure both players wanted to win, the attitude was not to do so at all costs, but to use the occasion to help a deserving cause and at the same time entertain the Swansea Bowls and Tenby BC members, which they did in spades," said Ed James, Swansea Bowls administrator. Footnote: Soon after the match, The Beast announced he is to retire from all future challenge matches and to go down in history as the undisputed and unbeaten champion of Swansea Bowls!