ROMILLY Bowls Club continued their tremendous form by remaining unbeaten after last week's games as the ‘A’ team played two away matches, firstly on Thursday against league leaders Blaenrhondda and on Saturday against Ynyscynon.

The club side had a home game against Ferndale who they beat in the first game of the season at Ferndale by 14 – 0.

The ‘Rom’ welcomed Ferndale to Romilly Park on Saturday in the first of the league reverse fixtures.

Having white-washed the visitors in the first game of the season Romilly were awaiting a strong challenge from a proud side who are the current league champions.

The game began with the visitors as expected pressurising the Sully rinks with excellent bowls and by the fifth end held an advantage of 10 shots. This was mainly due to the visitors front players on the rink, skipped by Tom Thomas, bowling some brilliant bowls making it difficult for the Romilly rink, skipped by Brian Foscolo, who were 1 – 13 at this stage.

By the end of the tenth the Romilly rinks of Mel Newman, Graham Cogbill and Jeff Wright were having close battles with their opposition but Foscolo’s rink was still up against it struggling 3 – 17 with the overall score 34 – 43 in favour of the visitors.

The Romilly rinks of Newman and Cogbill began to take command on their rinks with Newman winning six consecutive ends going ahead by eight shots 20 – 12 and Cogbill’s rink scoring well from ends 10 to 15 surged ahead by 10 shots 18 – 8.

Over the same ends Foscolo’s rink of lead G Rees and second R Jones at last began to get woods close giving opportunities for third Fred Phillips and skip Foscolo to add their woods and win six ends to the oppositions one scoring 14 shots to one against reducing their deficit to four 14 – 18.

Unfortunately the rink of P Williams, A Bryan, G Trepleton and skip Jeff Wright having been leading by 10 – 2 at seven ends lost nine consecutive ends to fall behind by nine shots 10 – 19.

The overall score at end 15 was now 62 – 57 in Romilly’s favour and now with a narrow lead of five they were now looking strong and as the game moved into the last six ends Romilly were looking good and by the 19th end the ‘Rom’ were leading by 13 shots.

What happened over the final two ends was like watching a horror show as first Newman’s rink and then Cogbill’s rink both dropped six shots, it didn’t end their as Wright left a shot open on the final end for opposition skip Paul Jones to play and he duly obliged by removing the only close Romilly wood in the head making a five.

After being 13 ahead Romilly were now just one ahead with only Foscolo’s rink left on the green two down with Ferndale holding game but Foscolo with one bowl left saved the day as he drew his second shot for a drawn game.

Romilly and Ferndale shared the rinks giving seven points to both sides with the score 85 - 85.

Romilly still remain undefeated and will have to improve their concentration when the play their nearest rivals St Joseph’s in Cardiff next week.

Romilly’s ‘A’ team travelled to league leaders Blaenrhondda on Thursday for a re-arranged fixture.

An early start of 5.30pm was requested and the ‘Rom’ players left early for the one hour drive arriving for a 5.30pm start but the home side eventually turned up allowing for a 6pm start and a shortened game of 18 ends.

The first five ends were positive for Romilly who held a slender five shot advantage thanks to the rinks of Alan Bryan and Mel Newman both leading 6 – 1. As the game progressed to end 10 the rinks of Bryn Gough and Graham Cogbill were both struggling against good opposition bowling but Bryan and Newman’s rinks still remained in control allowing the ‘Rom’ to maintain their advantage moving to nine ahead 39 – 30.

By the 15th end Cogbill’s rink had fought back to go ahead 15 – 14 but Gough was still under the cosh and was six behind but Romilly’s other rinks were playing well with Bryan and Newman both ahead by 12 and seven respectively.

With three ends to play Romilly were holding an 11 shot lead 61 – 50 with the home side in shock at not being used to losing on their own green but they showed fighting qualities over the last three ends.

Cogbill’s rink were leading by three but the opposition rink made a three to tie their game. Gough’s rink fought hard and although picking up a five on the 16th end to get to within one shot they dropped to singles to lose by three 16 – 19.

Newman’s rink had lead throughout their game and were seven shots ahead with three ends to play but managed to drop a four, four, one to lose by two shots.

Fortunately Bryan’s rink of T Bloomfield, A M Jones and G Rees had played superbly all night and secured a brilliant Romilly win with a 15 shot victory making the overall score 72 – 62.

Romilly secured nine points to Blaenrhondda’s four points. Romilly ‘A’ are on an a seven match unbeaten run taking them to the top of their league.

Romilly ‘A’ travelled away to Ynyscynon as the new league leaders and with a new found confidence expecting to win rather than looking for four points as in previous seasons.

The game began with three Romilly rinks ahead at the fifth end but the rink of Tony Freeman who have taken all before them this season experienced the other side of the coin as they failed to score during the early ends and going 14 shots behind giving the home side a 10 shot advantage.

At the end of the tenth end Freeman was still well down 5 – 18, Andrew Hacher’s rink had also gone behind by six with Ray Hewitson’s rink struggling at three down, it was only Howard Jones rink in front but only by one shot.

At this stage Romilly looked in deep trouble with a deficit of 21 shots. From the 11th end there was a remarkable switch in the game as the ‘Rom’ began their fight back firstly Freeman pulled back five shots, then Hewitson’s rink clawed their way back to be just one behind.

Hacher’s rink recovered their deficit to go ahead by two and Howard Jones rink had gone five clear reducing the overall score to just two down 56 – 58.

With six ends to play Romilly continued to pressurise the home team with Freeman pulling back four more shots to only lose by four after such a poor start and Hewitson using all his experience to get his rink home by two shots 23 –21 picking up six shots over the final two ends.

Andrew Hacher’s rink who had come from behind to lead at the 15th end continued in control finally winning by three shots 21 – 18, while Howard Jones rink who had led from the first end continued their form to win comfortably 21 – 15 giving Romilly ‘A’ another fine away win 80 – 74 and with three winning rinks collected 12 points to Ynyscynon’s two points. Romilly’s unbeaten run has now moved to eight which is a fantastic achievement.