NEYLAND 85

FIVE ARCHES 62

The Five Arches team travelled to Neyland on Sunday for their opening league Division Two game of the season. Much of the talk amongst the players following the publication of the fixture list was that this first game was always going to be difficult and so it proved.

From past experience, the Five Arches players knew, and it was their game plan, to bowl straight to the jack and dominate the heads on what has always been a difficult green to read. The plan was right, but the execution was not. The green was heavy and the lines straight that suited the Neyland bowlers who were more adept at playing on a surface they have come to know well.

It was a dispirited team that left the green knowing that they had not preformed to the standard they are capable of. During the post match analysis, blame was attributed for the loss on the green, bad luck and 'wicks', but it was left to one of the more senior bowlers to put the match into the correct context by saying that the Five Arches players did not 'bowl the green' rather than let the green dominate the bowler.

Five Arches lost by 23 shots overall and won only 34 of the 84 ends.

On rink one at the 12th end, the Arches rink, skipped by Graham Hill, were three shots down and it was time to change tactics as the Neyland team were playing well on three-quarter and long jacks. Five Arches put up a short jack and the improvement was immediate picking up 17 shots over the next nine ends, including five threes to win by 10 shots.

On rink two, Roy Powling's quartet found the Neyland second causing a lot of problems as he drove straight into the head on numerous occasions scattering the Arches bowls leaving it difficult to draw around woods on a rink that was taking very little green. The rink eventually went down by 14 shots.

Mike Gouldingay's four were well in the game right up to the 16th end and were only two shots adrift of Neyland at this stage and in with a chance of a win, but dropped eight in three ends which proved to be the winning margin for the Neyland rink.

The situation on rink four was fairly even up to the 10th end when with one wood to come from the Neyland skip, and with the Arches holding shot, his wood wicked-off the inside of a lose wide wood to hit the jack across to where Neyland had six woods waiting. This was the turning point of the game with Tony Brown and his boys finally going down by seven shots.

The Stena Line sponsored Five Arches team's next league fixture is against Pembroke Dock Pater on Saturday, May 9.

Rink scores (Five Arches first, Neyland skips only) were as follows:

K. Lloyd, B. Cloake, L. Richards, G. Hill 25; B. Barrett 15.

R. Hurlow, T. Powling, G. Beynon, R. Powling 8; G. Nuthall 26.

S. Askew, N. Hensman, J. Hubbard, M. Gouldingay 14; G. Robson 22.

A. Lloyd, R. Wilkins, A. Hooper, T. Brown 15; A. King 22.

Whist results

Thursday, April 23: top score, - Joyce Waters (179); 1st lady - Mary Renowden (175); 2nd lady - Mair Marquiss (173); 1st gent - Ginnie Beeken (169); 2nd gent - Mabel Whitaker (169 after cutting cards); first half winner - Jean Salisbury (93); second half - Jill Groom (86); longest sitter - Bert Barnikel (seven times); lowest score - Bill Whitaker; raffles - Mabel Whitaker and Mary Renowden.  

Monday, April 27: top score - Mabel Whitaker (183); 1st lady - Vera Burrows (182); 2nd lady - Muriel Griffiths, (167); 1st gent - Gladys Irvine (179); 2nd gent - Pauline Barnikel (178); first half winner - Jill Groom (87); second half - Mary Draper (85); longest sitter - Joyce Waters (six times); lowest score - Olive Frost; raffles - Mary Draper and Mabel Whitaker.

Bowling club whist is held twice weekly, Monday and Thursday, 7 pm sharp. New members and visitors are always welcome.

Bonus Ball winners

Wednesday, April 22 - Ann Marie; Saturday, April 25 - Joan and John Lloyd.

Darts report

As the football season gives way to the cricket season, so the end comes to the darts with the bowling club's final game away to the Swan in Jameston.

After a promising start with fine wins from Mike and JR, they capitulated in the remaining games to lose the match 7-2.

An enjoyable evening was had by all and everyone looks forward to another exciting season next year.

Many thanks to everyone who took part, made refreshments and supported the team.