MILLWOOD Bowling Club endured a third trip in as many weeks away from home going up to visit Treharris for a Division 4 game, hoping to get back on to the winning track after the last two away defeats.

Although the home side were short of a player in two of the four rinks, thereby forfeiting some score shots, their winning margin was too much for Millwood to make up in the long run.

After the fifth end had been played there was already an ominous sign that things were not going well for Millwood for the home side had taken a 14 - 28 shot lead, which after the tenth end Treharris had increased their lead by another one shot to lead by 23 - 38 shots.

As much as Millwood tried to pull back some of the deficit up to the 15th end, Treharris pulled further away to take a commanding 33 - 62 shot advantage, though Millwood did reduce the deficit slightly more than the final five ends, but still finished up losing by a 31 shot margin at 86 - 55.

Millwood’s rink three skipped by Gary Williams were the only winners in this hard fought game and gained two points.

Even with the reduced Treharris score, this loss did not improve Millwood’s league position. There might be some consolation for Millwood towards the end of the season, in the comfort that the three Valley teams have to come to Millwood for their away games.

Rink 1: K Turner, T Watkins, S John skip - 30 (minus 25 per cent) 22.5

B Webb, D Lougher, A Bumford, J Slee skip - 11

Rink 2: J Phillips, D Jones, D Naldrett skip - 18 (minus 25 per cent) 13.5

A Annis, B Davies, K Davies, P Taylor skip - 9

Rink 3: A England, A Evans, J House, B Prosser skip - 9

T Mahoney, N Parry, A Evans, G Williams skip - 24

Rink 4: M Evans, H Evans, G Baker, J Hudd skip - 29

K Lewys, D Lewis, H Spencer, B Crockford skip - 11

Treharris 74 (before amendments 86), Millwood 55

Welcoming the players from Rumney A to the club, Millwood were hoping to take full advantage of the home game to get back on the winning trail again.

When the first five ends had been completed, both sides were deadlocked at 20 shots apiece. Unfortunately, at the half-way stage of the game, Rumney had taken a 33 - 47 advantage over Millwood, so the pressure was now firmly on the home side to respond to the task in hand.

Even though they tried as hard as they could, no impression was made to the score reduction, for at the 15th end, Rumney had further increased their lead and now led by 43 - 62 shots.

The final ends saw no change in the nature of the game and Rumney ran out winners by a 42 shot margin to end up 50 shots to 95 winners.

Certainly not what Millwood were hoping for, but both sides played the game in the usual sporting manner as befits every game of bowls.

Both teams enjoyed the hospitality in the clubhouse after the game, and look forward to the next fixture to try to improve their league positions.

Rink 2: B Williams, G Smith, AA Williams skip - 13 (minus 25 per cent) 10

B England, R Capanini, R Goold, DR Jones skip - 25

Rink 3: R Wills, P Childs, N Tutton, B Howcroft skip - 10

G Harris, H Bush, B Jennings, B Donovan skip - 28

Rink 4: M Evans, H Hodgkinson, M Williams, R Gregory skip - 9

J Collins, A Harding, G Lewis, T Gooding skip - 25

Rink 5: A Thompson, D Cameron, J Stone, J Butler skip - 21

T Davies, A Penny, B Shanahan, J Shanahan skip - 17

Millwood A 50 (before amendment 53), Rumney A 95

Entertaining the team from Cowbridge for this latest round of the Munro Cup, the home side took no time at all to start the proceedings by taking a nine shot lead after the first four ends by the score 17 –8.  
There was a mighty tussle going on into the fifth to ninth ends, for the scores were only 34 - 32 for the home side to be in the lead.
Millwood soon settled the matters by picking up a welcoming 12 shot margin at the end of the 13th end and led at 50 shots to 38. Millwood finally hung on to their overall winning shot total to run out fairly comfortable winners by taking the game by 71 shots to 61 for Cowbridge.
After the latest results not going Millwood’s way, it was a relief to win this latest game. Once again a big win by Brian Crockford’s rink four certainly did help matters.
Rink 3: D Lewis, B Davies, D Gorringe, P Taylor skip - 10
R Frayling, T Williams, T Lewis, C Pritchard skip - 16
Rink 4: B Webb, P Childs, A Bumford, B Crockford skip - 31
M Bradley, N Davey, R Lewis, D Snelling skip - 7
Rink 5: K Lewys, G Stone, M Williams, G Williams skip - 22
G Lloyd, T Purnell, B Williams, G Morton skip  - 13
Rink 6: B Howcroft, N Tutton, J Butler, K Davies skip - 8
M Davey, B Richards, B Howe, C Wilson skip - 25
Millwood 71, Cowbridge 61