Welsh Club Championship (Carruthers Shield)

Tenby 93 Pontrhydyfen 50

After successfully navigating their way past Caerleon and Morriston in the first and second rounds of the Carruthers Shield, the Tenby team, sponsored by Layton and Co Solicitors and Chandler Rogers Estate Agents, returned to their own Sutton Street headquarters on Saturday to face the most successful team in the history of the competition.

Pontrhydyfen have won the title no fewer than seven times - six times since 1999 - and only lost by one shot in the 2007 final. A small village in the Afan Valley, in Neath Port Talbot county borough, their side is littered with Welsh internationals, World and Commonwealth champions and multiple Welsh and British Isles champions.

This game was the sternest test that the Tenby club has faced in its entire history and Pontrhydyfen went into the match as firm favourites to end the Seasiders' tenure as Welsh club champions.

At five ends, the home side were down by six shots (12-18) and the task facing them was beginning to show as Pontrhydyfen started to settle into the match, with their international players showing their skill by quickly adapting to the Tenby 'green'.

Tenby rallied superbly over the next five ends and led by six by the 10th (35-29). From there, they took control of the match by taking the challenge to the Afan Valley team and led at 15 ends by 28 shots (66-38). By the time the 18th end was recorded, the match as a contest was over as Tenby extended their lead to 36 shots and upon the conclusion, a victory of 43 was secured.

Rink one saw Phil Carpenter take on multiple Commonwealth Games medal winner David Wilkins. David was superb for the away team and showed just why he has attained over 120 Welsh international caps.

The match was close up until the 10th end, when it was tied at 8-8, but then the Tenby rink won the next five ends and pulled away to lead 20-8. Newly-crowned Pembrokeshire pairs champion, Jonathan Webb, was in great form, as was skip Phil Carpenter, himself a former Welsh international, and the final score of 22-14 could have been much greater if it had not been for the skill of David Wilkins.

Next door, Pat Currie teamed up with Welsh international John Roberts and for five ends they could not get on the scoreboard as they trailed 0-7 to another Welsh international, Barrie Evans. The rink rallied, though, with lead Neil Dickinson having a superb game. Neil totally outplayed opposite number Ben Thomas (back to back Welsh indoor singles champion 2008 and 2009) to help the rink take an 8-7 lead by the 10th (end).

A count of five then broke a close scoring match and after the 18th end, the Pontrhydyfen four conceded defeat as the rain came in, with the score at 20-12.

Junior internationals Luke and Craig Guymer once again formed a great 'rink' partnership, with the excellent Luke Rees and Mike Jackson also both in great form on rink three. They took on former world champion, William Thomas, and like the contest on rink one, the match was evenly poised at 10 ends, with the home rink behind 7-8. A strong finish from ends 13 to 21 saw them win 20-13.

Paul Diment played on rink four against another Welsh international, Jeff Wilkins, and at five ends, the strong combination of the Tenby captain and Pembrokeshire singles champion, Peter Day, trailed 3-5. A change in tactics, which involved the front end of David Spencer and Joe Richards changing 'hands' (not literally!), reaped dividends and by the 10th end, they had built up a lead of six shots (12-6). David Spencer, in my opinion, played his best ever game for Tenby and was backed up by the excellent Joe Richards. The rink at 15 ends had now raced into a 23-6 lead and a count of six on the 18th saw a huge win of 31-11 being recorded.

I believe this was the best ever performance by a Tenby team and could even rival the historic events of last August when the Welsh title was won for the first time. It is always hard to defend a title, as teams will always be better prepared and determined to be the first to defeat the holders. Considering the strength of the opposition, the scoreline has no doubt sent a message to Welsh bowls and after the result, Tenby have been installed as 6/4 favourites to retain their title.

Next up will be another Afan Valley team, Glyncorrwg. Although they have not got the pedigree of Pontrhydyfen, they are an extremely skilful side and Tenby have a hard task on their hands to progress to the semi-finals.

Obviously, home advantage is a great boost at this stage of the competition and, with the match again being held at Sutton Street in just over a week's time, I do not see anything but a win. However, lessons have been learnt from our earlier defeat at home to Whitland and complacency will not be an issue for this match. I reported after the Whitland defeat that it could very well be a result which focused us and so far I have been proved, like selection, right(!).

Rink scores (Tenby first, Pontrhydyfen skips only):

G. Hewitt, J. Webb, A. Muskett, P. Carpenter 22; D. Wilkins 14.

N. Dickinson, J. Baggott, J. Roberts, P. Currie 20; B. Evans 12.

L. Rees, M. Jackson, L. Guymer, C. Guymer 20; W. Thomas 13.

D. Spencer, J. Richards, P. Day, P. Diment 31; J. Wilkins 11.

Tenby 87

Britton Ferry 137

Tenby club captain Tony Brown welcomed G. Morit and his team from Britton Ferry to the Sutton Street green on a very warm sunny afternoon for bowls.

Their captain was delighted with the green as always an ideal bowling surface that Britton Ferry never experience in their part of Wales - all credit down to Chris Jenkins, greenkeeper.

This team was the strongest side Tenby has played against in this year's friendly fixtures.

Rink scores (Tenby first, visiting skips only):

Steve Cullen, Stewart Askew, Ken Lloyd, Tony Brown 16 G. Morit 19.

Ray French, Ken Williams, Tony Powling, Roy Powling 6 A. Frinqubt 38.

Dai Rees, Harry Meades, Mike Goldingay, Ashley Hooper 18 B. Jenkins 18.

Brian Winstone, Jim Taylor, Cameron White, Jon Hubbard 18 M. Johnson 30.

Iris French, Pauline Barnikel, Margaret Skyme, Rene Silcox 20 E. Edwards 13.

Val Price, Anne Evans, Margaret Barwick, Marrion Jones 9 K. Davies 19.

TENBY ARCHES 38

ST. ISSELL'S 36

The Tenby Arches (sponsored by The Fourcroft Hotel) played St. Issell's Ladies last Thursday afternoon. The weather was very kind, with sunny intervals.

Rink five saw Vera's side 5-9 down at tea-time. They fought back to take the lead on the 17th end to make it 16-13, but finished 18-20 down.

Alison and co were 13-5 up at tea-time. They managed to stay in the lead throughout the game to finish winners, 20-16.

Rink scores (Tenby first, St. Issell's skips only):

G. Brutnell, G. Beeken R. Silcox, V. Williams 18 B. Lawrence 20.

M. Skyrme, A. Owens, H. Baggott, A. Redman 20 B. Lewis 16.

Whist

Winners

Thursday, July 22: top score - Gladys Irvine, 185; 1st lady - Pauline Barnikel, 176; 2nd lady - Mair Marquiss, 174; 1st gent - Elsie Breadnam, 181; 2nd gent - Margaret Hill, 166; first half winner - Muriel Griffiths, 90; second half -Ginnie Beeken, 80; longest sitter - Vi Roberts, six sits earning half-a-dozen eggs; lowest score - Bert Barnikel; raffles - Mary Draper and Jean Salisbury.

Monday, July 26: top score -Ginnie Beeken, 183; 1st. lady, Phyllis Jones , 173; 2nd lady -Olive Frost, 157; 1st gent -Pauline Barnikel, 175; 2nd gent - Gladys Irvine, 171; first half - Mair Marquiss, 90; second half - Jean Salisbury, 86; longest sitter - Elsie Breadnam, six sits; lowest score - Margaret Hill; raffles - Mair Marquiss and Phyllis Jones.