Long after the Newport contingent had left and the home team were disappearing into the darkening evening, Derek Bath and Geoff Aston could be seen in the gloom of the clubhouse engrossed in animated conversation. Were they discussing the merits of each other's performance or were they just chewing the cud over an excellent pint of ale? Perhaps it was both, since they had emerged as victors from a tight struggle against Herbie Rowland and Colin Davies. Maybe they were congratulating themselves on the way in which they had dovetailed so well, enabling them to walk off the course with satisfied smiles. Herbie and Colin had struggled somewhat with the notorious Tenby rough and they could not match Geoff's magnificent surge through holes 13 to 16. They may still be there in the clubhouse basking in reflected glory. Brian Morgan will need to more than glance behind him. It's not the taxman he has to fear, but the handicappers. He nodded in agreement as Roy Harper and Phil Turner claimed that he played better than his handicap indicated. He felt that he was on song and, as well as Tony Morris played, his still ended up as a supporting performance, even though he was close to a hole-in-one on the 12th. They were another pair who enjoyed a jigsaw performance, interlocking well to demoralise the opposition. So well was he hitting the ball that Brian feared that he may have damaged Hywel Probert as his second shot on the 10th scampered close to or through Hywel's legs. Whatever happened, it did not affect the outcome of Stan and Hywel's game ahead of them. They were being treated to a demonstration of superb golf by Alan Griffiths and his partner, Barry Onions. Playing to his nine handicap, Alan went out in 35 and back in 39, not allowing the Tenby pair to win a single hole. They did stand their ground, however, and only conceded three holes in total, being forced to maintain their concentration and having to halve many holes with pars. Roy Gundry and David Morgan had a titanic struggle against Rhidian Smith and his partner Henry Parry. Rhidian walked off the course bemoaning the fact that, however well he plays, he just can't win a game at Tenby. This week he was pipped at the post as Roy and David just needed a half on the 18th to win the game. In the event they won the hole with the last putt of the game, which was a Roy Gundry 20-foot special (according to Roy, that is!). Such is his prowess that he had his posterior tight against the wall for his second shot - poor wall! Another in-form player was Allan Keating as he proceeded to outscore Malcolm Owen and Howel Williams, using his shots to good advantage. Malcolm and Howel were under the impression that he and his partner (or should that be non partner) Des Stone had swapped handicaps for the day. Allan was pleased that the game was over by the 16th - he was tired from all the extra weight he had to carry! Firing a ball into the bushes just below the 12th hole, Des had crawled into the undergrowth to retrieve it. Five minutes later, he joined his group as they walked off the green, grinning widely from ear to ear, and showing off the seven balls he had found. This, along with two others, made up for the eight he had lost. Malcolm Arlott, aided and abetted by Brian Waters, was full of praise for the sportsmanship of his opposition - both ex head teachers. Malcolm found himself tight up against the bank of the bunker on the 18th and was impressed by the offer of a wedge from Dai Thomas to help him get out of it. Scratching his head in bemusement and with a rueful smile, he had to gently point out that a right-handed club was of no use to a left-handed player. Brian and Malcolm were two up after 14 holes and hopeful of a successful conclusion to the afternoon, but Dai and Glan Rees had other ideas. The game came down to the last hole and the last putt, leaving the home pair rueing a missed opportunity on the 16th. Two games ended all-square. Bob Howse and Ken Gouldsbrough managed to snatch a half from the jaws of victory, according to Ken. At one stage they were four up, but conceded holes to Mel Edster and Tony Bailey to find themselves only two up with two to play. Winning the 17th gave the visitors the impetus they needed as they proceeded to follow it with a birdie on the 18th to claim a well-earned half. In one of the most sociable of games, Roy Morgan and John Williams enjoyed the company of Gareth Thomas and John Civil. While John continued with his military golf, Roy threaded his way patiently down the middle on each hole. The opposition matched them and the game ended as it started - all square. But what of the Seniors captain, you may ask? In his words of welcome Newman was delighted to inform everyone that he was proud to have completed the course in a round of 66. He also added that that round was completed with three other golfers on the previous Saturday in the Texas Scramble. He couldn't repeat it in this match. His sca--, sorry partner this week was the redoubtable Owen Monaghan, but even with the shots available to him they could not overcome the staunch resistance of Gareth Evans and Chris James. Gareth indicated that Owen was a bit nervous and apprehensive on the first two tees, probably because he was exalted to 'Captain's Mate'. Once he relaxed and got going, he caused them more than one or two problems, but not enough to achieve a result. So there it was - Tenby with four wins and two halves, Newport with three wins and two halves. Everything depended on the last match. Cometh the hour, cometh the man - and Martin Neilan was that man. He virtually destroyed the opposition single- handed as he demonstrated to Roy Phillips and Richard Watts how the course should be played. 'Marvellous Martin' brought home the bacon and saved the team from embarrassment in his usual enigmatic style. Results: N. Vincent and O. Monaghan lost to G. Evans and C. James 4 and 2; S. Hudson and H. Probert lost to A. Griffiths and B. Onions 3 and 2; T. Morris and B. Morgan bt R. Harper and P. Turner 5 and 4; B. Howse and K. Gouldsbrough halved with M. Edster and T. Bailey; R. Gundry and D. Morgan bt R. Smith and H. Parry by two holes; J. Williams and R. Morgan halved with G. Thomas and J. Civil; D. Stone and A. Keating bt M. Owen and H. Williams 4 and 3; M. Arlott and B. Morgan lost to G. Rees and D. Thomas one hole; G. Aston and D. Bath bt H. Rowland and C. Davies 2 and 1; M. Neilan and F. Dibner bt R. Phillips and R. Watts 3 and 2.
