BARRY Romilly Bowling Club’s season gets better and better with successes across the board during the past week.

On Wednesday, August 12, The ‘Rom’ visited Penarth Windsor in the Munro Cup and came away with a superb win, this was followed by victories for both Club and ‘A’ teams keeping them well on course for their respective league titles.

On a fine Saturday afternoon Romilly welcomed Gilfach to Romilly Park for CML Division 1 game which would be vital in the context of league placings.

Current third placed Gilfach would have a dramatic effect on the title race should they win as they were only 16 points behind and with second placed St Joseph’s playing Gelli Park at home with the probability of taking a minimum of 12 points a Romilly win was a must.

From the outset the Gilfach players appeared up for the game as all their rinks were loudly encouraging each of their bowls and by the fifth end the score was in favour of the visitors 16 – 18. The game continued to be close during ends six to 10 but the ‘Rom’ had edged ahead by eight shots 40 – 32 mainly due to the rink of Alun Bryan, Ray Hewitson,

Fred Phillips and Brian Foscolo who were ahead by 14 – 3.

As the match progressed all rinks were embroiled in close ends but by the 15th end Romilly had extended their lead and had moved further ahead overall 58 – 47. Over the final ends the game became very tense as first Foscolo’s rink who had been leading comfortably by 11 shots at one stage succumbed to some excellent bowling from the opposition and found themselves down 16 – 17 on the 19th end.

The Romilly rink composed themselves and after laying some excellent bowls made a four on the 20th end, finishing with a two on the final end to win 22 – 17. The rink of Jeff Coles, Gwynne Rees, George Trepleton and Jeff Wright had been behind up to the 11th end but upped their game from the 12th to the 17th ends scoring 12 shots without reply eventually winning 20 – 18.

With two rinks home and dry it was left to Graham Cogbill and Mel Newman to guide their rinks to victory and it was Romilly’s captain Newman’s rink, although behind for most of the game against the opposing rink skipped by Welsh International Carl Wood who finished strongly scoring nine shots to three during the last six ends to win 21 –17, the skip receiving solid support from Kelvyne Mills, Terry Bloomfield and Clive Collins.

It was left to the rink of Gary Eastment, Rhodri Phillips, Mike Doyle and Cogbill to give the ‘Rom’ maximum points and having been in front from the off they duly obliged winning fairly comfortably by seven shots 22 – 15. The overall score was 85 – 67 in favour of Romilly and with all rinks successful a superb 14 points was achieved, maintaining their position at the top of the league. Next week's game is away to Troedyrhiw.

Romilly 'A' travelled the short distance on Saturday to play Rhoose in a CML Division 5 game aiming to maintain their position at the top of the league. Once again the game was to be played on a carpet green which is always a concern when teams who play on grass try to adjust to the pace especially the Romilly players coming from Romilly Park’s slow paced green.

Romilly had some fortune in the fact they had played on a carpet green at St Mellons two weeks previously giving the players recent practice which would help build their confidence. Romilly were expecting a difficult game as the home side had beaten second placed Blaenrhondda in recent weeks but after the first five ends the ‘Rom’ held a slight advantage of two shots.

Over the next five ends the game remained close with the green becoming difficult as the wind was affecting the bowls causing the lines to change but Romilly adjusted reasonably well and after 10 ends still held a narrow three shot advantage. Three Romilly rinks skipped by Tony Freeman, Andrew Hacher and Roger Jones were in very tight struggles with the score on each rink within one but the rink of Howard Jones was six down after 15 ends against the home rink skipped by Paul Williams.

At the start of the 16th end the ‘Rom’ were behind overall by five shots and a big effort was required to turn the game around and two rinks managed that as the experience of Phil Gershenson, Mike Gronow, Bob Wyatt and Freeman out-bowled their opposition over the final six ends scoring seven shots to two winning by six shots 18 – 12.

Similarly the rink of Dennis Mottram, Tony Jones, Brian Cheal and Roger Jones who were behind on the 15th end upped their games scoring 10 shots to two over the final ends winning by six shots 19 – 13. Romilly already had four points in the bag and it was left to the rinks Hacher and Howard Jones to gain victories and overall points but Rhoose were not in the mood to give in and with the ‘Rom’ 12 shots ahead Hacher’s rink who had been leading until the 14th end went ‘walkabout’ dropping six shots over the last few ends to lose by three shots 15 – 18.

This left the rink of Terry Mahoney, Paul Clarke, Alfie Woolcock and Howard Jones to see the game out and although losing they gained enough shots to allow Romilly a hard fought victory by just five shots 69 – 64 with the ‘Rom’ taking 10 vital points to Rhoose’s four. This win ensures Romilly ‘A’ will go up to Division four but their home game next Saturday against second placed Blaenrhondda will probably be the league title decider with Romilly currently four points ahead.

Last Wednesday Barry Romilly Bowlers travelled to Penarth Windsor for the last Munro Cup match of the season and the game turned out to be the decider on who would be the Cup holders, it was a repeat of last year when the outcome was an 11 points to three win for the ‘Rom’.

Ironically Romilly were seven points behind and therefore had to win 11 points to three at least to retain the Cup. On a fine evening for bowls and on a green renowned for it’s generous pace the game commenced with a number spectators looking forward to a competitive game of bowls and with all players knowing each other well they were all up for the game.

The early ends were keenly contested with plenty of good bowls being delivered but Romilly took an early three shot lead. As the game progressed Romilly rinks were playing well and all rinks were ahead by the 10th end 36 – 27 but this was only half-way and a strong Windsor team were always going to make it difficult for the ‘Rom’ on their own green.

For Romilly it wasn’t about ensuring an overall win but also needing the three rinks win to achieve the necessary 11 plus points to retain the Cup so each rink were battling hard against some fine individual bowling from the home players. By the 15th end it was Romilly who had edged further ahead and were on target leading by 17 shots but more importantly were ahead on three rinks and level on the other.

With three ends to play each Romilly rink were holding the upper hand and with three rinks far enough ahead Romilly cruised to a resounding win 76 – 53 scoring 13 points to one and retaining the Munro Cup. Rink Scores:-

Mel Newman 23 v Tony Holmes 9

Graham Cogbill 16 v Steve Close 11

Fred Phillips 17 v Ken McLeod 17

Brian Foscolo 20 v Mat Woodcock 16