BARRY Romilly Bowls Club and ‘A’ sides were without games last weekend due to their proposed opponents Troedyrhiw and Blaenrhonnda being involved in the second round of the Carruthers Shield.

With the Club on a roll it was agreed that both sides play each other to keep up the momentum, all members were keen on the idea to play especially many ‘A’ team players who are always looking to prove the selectors wrong.

On a fine sunny afternoon both sides arrived at the park keen to play and the banter began even before players stood on the green with captains Des Bannister and Mel Newman rallying their troops prior to commencement.

Each of the four rink games had their individual moments with all players attempting to psyche each other out but it didn’t stop the players from taking the game serious.

Club captain Mel Newman was in no mood to be beaten by his ‘A’ side opponents and went straight into overdrive skipping his rink to a 15 shot lead after six ends.

His opposite number Brian Cheal was powerless to halt the Club rink from going further ahead and by the 15th end Newman’s rink were now 26 shots ahead 33 – 7 and their advantage had increased 31 shots at the final end winning 43 – 12.

The other three ‘A’ side rinks were faring better with Andrew Hatcher’s rink pushing Mike Doyle’s rink all the way and in fact were leading 15 – 13 until the 18th end but then Doyle’s rink picked up a three and a six to go ahead by four shots on the penultimate end but Hatcher who played well all afternoon managed a two on the final end to lose by just two shots 17 – 19.

The rink of Club skip Brian Foscolo was drawn against ‘A’ team skip Howard Jones and this game remained close up until the tenth end with the score at six apiece but then Foscolo’s rink upped their game scoring 10 shots on the next three ends.

Jones fought back taking four on the next two ends but then dropped a seven on end 16 leaving Foscolo’s rink ahead by 13 shots 23 – 10 and going on to win by 25 – 13.

The final rink game saw Fred Phillips play the ‘A’ side rink skipped by Bryn Gough who were in brilliant form from the outset with lead Phil Herbert and second Dave Noble peppering the jack and with normal lead Colin Davies playing third and bowling out of his skin, Phillips’s rink were finding it difficult to make any headway.

Gough’s rink maintained their form right to the last end and were deserved winners by 26 – 16 but the Club side still finished well ahead with the final score 104 – 68.

The score was immaterial as the winners were the Club players who obviously enjoyed the afternoon as the laughter and light hearted comments across the rinks mixed in well with a competitive game.

Rink Scores ‘A’ team first:-

P Herbert D Noble, C Davies and B Gough 26 v R Baker, P Williams, A Bryan and F Phillips 16

K Clements, D Cameron, D Bannister and A Hatcher 17 v G Eastmen, P Gershenson, R Hewitson and M Doyle 19

C Tapscott, T Mahoney, K Wesgate and B Cheal 12 v K Mills, T Bloomfield, C Collins and M Newman 43

L Jones, B Griffiths, M Gronow and H D Jones 13 v G Rees, Rhod Phillips, R Jones and B Foscolo 25