WHITLAND BORDERERS 64 (4 pts.) FIVE ARCHES 79 (10)

Going to Whitland to play bowls is always a daunting prospect as in many ways they can be compared to the Tenby club who champion a blend of youth and experience in their teams. The Five Arches and Borderers teams mirrored their selection policies by giving youth a chance last Sunday in a game played in perfect conditions and on a green that looked and played well.

This was an evenly contested game that swung in favour of both teams in different sections of the game.

After five ends, the Arches were ahead by three shots, at 10 ends the Borderers were in the lead by one and with 15 ends played, the Arches were back in front by three shots.

The game was now perfectly poised and with league points at stake interest switched between bowling and the four scoreboards to work out who was in front overall.

This tension was relieved somewhat at the 17th end when a great cheer went up from rink five following a pick up of six shots by Lee Richards and his team.

This was a confidence boost that impacted immediately across all four rinks, resulting in the Arches winning 12 of the remaining 16 ends, with each rink contributing the same three wins out of four.

This 15-shot win was an excellent team performance from the Stena Line sponsored Five Arches side and, although two rinks lost, it was the contribution from everyone that secured the winning margin of 10 points to four.

Rink two was skipped by Mike Gouldingay, supported by Stuart Askew, Neil Hensman and Jon Hubbard, who battled throughout against a Borderers quartet that always had the initiative up to the last end when Mike had the opportunity to snatch victory, only to see his two woods drift past the jack and to go down by one shot.

Tony Brown was on rink four and his team of Jim Taylor, Aaron Lloyd and Ashley Hooper had a very tight game up to the 17th end when they stepped up a gear to score seven shots in the last five ends to secure a win by five.

Rink four saw a great comeback from Roy Powling's team of Ben Simmons, Tony Powling and Gwyn Beynon. At the halfway stage, Roy was down by 12 shots and had only won two ends, but such was the team spirit that they fought back to win eight of the remaining 11 ends, only to finally go down by five shots. In tight games like this, all shots gained or saved are valuable to the team's overall score.

It was a changed Arches foursome that started on rink five. Lee Richards moved up from third to skip the rink, with Ken Lloyd moving from lead to third and first starts in the Arches side were given to Eamonn Maher at lead and the ever-improving young Cameron White at second. The Arches rink won by 16 shots and dominated play throughout. Everyone contributed, but praise must go to Eamonn and Cameron who both had excellent games up front, making it easier for the back two to build on the platform they set.

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

S. Askew, N. Hensman, J. Hubbard, M. Gouldingay 15; J. Hammond 16.

J. Taylor, A. Lloyd, A. Hooper, T. Brown 19; D. Jenner 14.

B. Simmons, T. Powling, G. Beynon, R. Powling 16; P. Williams 21.

E. Maher, C. White, K. Lloyd, L. Richards 29; D. Ford 13.

Five Arches Team

The Stena Line sponsored Five Arches team to play St. Katherines in a second division league game this Sunday, starting at 2 pm, is: R. Hurlow, T. Powling, G. Beynon, R. Powling; S. Askew, N. Hensman, M. Gouldingay, J. Hubbard; J. Taylor, C. Webb, A. Hooper, T. Brown; E. Maher, K. Lloyd, G. Hill, L. Richards.

whist results

Thursday, May 21: top score - Jean Salisbury (197); 1st lady - Muriel Griffiths (173); 2nd lady - Vera Burrows (172); 1st gent - Ginnie Beeken (174); 2nd gent - Joyce Waters (172); first half winner - Gladys Irvine (96); 2nd half - Mary Draper (88); longest sitter - Phyllis Jones (eight times); lowest score - Olive Frost; raffles - Phyllis Jones and Mary Renowden.  

Monday, May 25: top score -  Phyllis Jones (189); 1st lady - Mair Marquiss (164); 2nd lady - Olive Frost (164 after cutting cards); 1st gent -Jill Groom (183); 2nd gent - Joyce Waters (180); first half winner - Pauline Barnikel (95); 2nd half - Bill Whitaker  (90); longest sitter - Margaret Hill (eight times); lowest score - Mabel Whitaker; raffles - Mair Marquiss and Mary Renowden.       

Whist is played at Tenby Bowling Club twice a week, Monday and Thursday at 7 pm sharp. New members and visitors are always welcome.

Bonus ball winners

Wednesday, May 20 - Archie Rafferty; Saturday, May 23 - Lynn Delabertouche.

Tenby 113 Avonvale, (Bristol area) 102

This week's friendly match was a much tougher affair. Firstly, the weather was bitterly cold, testing the hardiest bowlers, and our bowling friends from across the English border meant business. We lost on three fiercely contested, low scoring rinks, but the other three rinks more than made up for any short comings in the Tenby team, running out winners by eleven shots.

Rink results (Tenby first, visiting skips only):

B. Winstone, C. Lloyd, T. Brutnell and B. Barnikel 11; R. Townend 14.

P. Barnikel, M. Skyrme, T. Powling and T. Brown 13; M. Williams 15.

E. Maher, D. Brown, M. Draper and M. Gouldingay 23; P.Stevens 24. 

H. Ebdon, H. Meades, A. Hooper and L. Evans 20; C. Williams 17. 

V. Roberts, G. Beeken, K. Lloyd and D. King Thomas 23; S. Sander 19. 

S. Askew, D. Rees, G. Brutnell and G. Beynon 23; B. Giles 13.

Carruthers Shield

Tenby have passed the preliminary round  of the 2009 Carruthers Shield, a Welsh inter-club annual contest, with flying colours.

We play the first round proper at home against section 53 winner (a group of four West Glamorgan teams yet to be finalised) on Saturday, June 20. If we do as well as last year, we will enjoy mostly home advantage - not to be sneezed at!

PCBA League

Now that the first flush of league results have been posted, it is obvious that the Tenby bowlers all mean business this season. 

The Tenby First Division team boast a 99 per cent record so far with an amazing shots advantage. The Five Arches are Division Two leaders, also with healthy plus shot count. The Meyrick-Owen Shield has hardly started, they are waiting for our summer to arrive and who can blame them. Our ladies, Tenby Arches team are also continuing last season's devastating form, all bowling with that new found confidence so important in competitive sport.