SULLY Bowls Championship teams played their first games after the Christmas break with the club side home against Taff Ely and the 0’60 team away to Newport with both sides coming away with positive results.

The Stadium Team welcomed Taff Ely to Sully on Saturday and were expecting a convincing win as the Sully Team are proving to be a strong side at home.

The game began with Sully on the offensive and they quickly moved to a 30 shot lead, 46 – 16 by the fifth end. By the end of the tenth Sully continued to force the pace and were still ahead by 31 shots, 71 – 40.

Sully were in no mood to relinquish their advantage and by the 15th end had moved to a 52 shot lead with all rinks ahead and a maximum 22 points.

As the game continued over the final ends Sully remained well ahead but allowed Taff Ely to reduce the deficit by 11 shots for a winning margin of 41 shots, 131 – 90.

One disappointment was the rink of Matthew Woodcock who unfortunately dropped six shots over the last four ends to lose out by two shots, 16 –18.

Sully, by winning on five rinks, picked up 20 of the 22 points on offer which keeps the pressure on second placed Newport, with Blaenau Gwent favourites to win the league.

Sully’s target is to finish second which would be an improvement on each of the last two seasons.

Rink scores Sully first:

F Phillips 26 v 15 A Malkin

M Woodcock 16 v 18 M Thomas

B Griffiths 26 v 15 R Rand

K McLeod 22 v 13 I Randell

M Clarke 21 v 16 L Bridge

B Foscolo 20 v 13 A Dash

The 0’60 Team had to visit Newport last Wednesday and win two of the four rinks to guarantee qualification to the play offs’.

Newport are also in the mix to qualify and a struggle for Sully was expected, but the battling qualities of the Sully rinks is very evident this season and although the game was close with Sully slightly behind skips Ken McLeod and Dave Snelling ensured the result by fighting back to win their games from behind earning the four points required.

Congratulations to Martin Clarke who has made the Welsh Senior Team for the forthcoming four nation’s tournament to be held at Stanley in March.