pendine 92 (12 pts)

Five arches 64 (2)

Pendine commenced their league season with their first game at home to Five Arches (Tenby). It was a pleasant and dry afternoon and the green looked good. Five Arches had won their first two games, both against Castle of Haverfordwest, picking up a total of 22 points in the process, so a hard game was envisaged.

Rink two had captain Mal Evans's rink against captain Ben Cloake's four and the Arches lads found the green much sooner than the home four. With skip Ben and his third James Criddle excelling, they were 12-8 up at 10 ends and 16-9 up on the 13th, but Mal's boys picked up five shots on the 14th end to be only 16-14 down. Ben's rink dug in, though, and ran out deserved 25-17 winners.

Rink three saw Arwel Edwards's four facing the impressive Ashley Hooper's quartet. Both started steadily and at five ends it was just 4-3 to Pendine, but by the 10th end the lead had increased to 13-4. The Arches fought back, however, and got to 16-all by the 19th end, only to be finally pipped 18-17.

Rink four had Geoff Hale skipping his four against young Ben Simmons (back into bowls this season) and after five ends the home rink were 5-3 down. By the 10th, though, they had turned it around to lead 15-3, with Ben's lads struggling with the pace of the green, and Pendine eventually went on to run out 25-12 winners.

Unfortunately, on rink five, the Arches could only field three players, Tenby having grabbed some of their players for their Carruthers game. Therefore, skip Stewart King Thomas faced Neil Dickinson's trio and at five ends it was 4-4, but the SKT unit won the next eight ends to lead 19-4 and eventually 24-12 by the end.

Rink scores (Pendine first) were as follows:

J. Shields, P. Leeds, D. King Thomas and M. Evans 17; R. Thomas, T. Powling, J. Criddle and B. Cloake 25.

D. James, A. Collinge, C. Rance and A. Edwards 18; B. Bentham, T. Lewis, K. Lloyd and A. Hooper 17.

R. Truelove, D. Roberts, E. Davies and G. Hales 25; J. Rees, J. Hubbard, S. Davies and B. Simmons 12.

G. Lewis, M. Dix, R. Gosnold and S. King Thomas 32; M. Day, P. Hooper and N. Dickinson 10.

The Welsh Academy at Pendine

On Sunday last, Pendine were afforded the honour of hosting the Welsh Academy for the second year running at their club and green.

In the morning, the Academy, directed and coached under John Baggot and his assistants, took part in a session of instruction, before enjoying a buffet lunch provided by the host club.

In the afternoon, five rinks from the Welsh Academy squad faced a match against four rinks from Pendine and a guest rink from Haverfordwest Bowling Club.

The Academy squad included four young Pembrokeshire bowlers, namely Charlie Morse (Whitland BC), James Haydn-Davies (Haverfordwest BC), plus Cameron White and Aeron Lloyd, who had to play for their club, Tenby, in a league game in the afternoon.

The Academy won on two rinks and drew on another, on a fine afternoon, with the green running smoothly all day.

Afterwards, the Academy, their officials, their opponents and families were provided with an excellent two-course supper to finish off the day, with Pendine members serving everyone. It was much appreciated by one and all there that day.

Pendine 109 (12 pts.) Fishguard and goodwick 65 (2)

Pendine played the second of their Division One league games last Saturday, at home to newly-promoted Fishguard BC, and fielded the same side as the previous week's game against Five Arches.

The weather was dry and the surface was in good heart and all rinks were occupied as Pendine Ladies were also playing their match against Fishguard Ladies on rinks one and two, with the men on rinks three, four, five and six.

Rink three had Arwel Edwards up aginst Mike Barringer's quartet, and the weight of green was found immediately by Arwel's lads as they picked up a 5, 3, 2 and 7 on the first five ends to be 17-2 up. With lead Don and second Arthur pegging the jack, plus Curt and Arwel adding to the score, they went on to win by 49 shots to seven.

Rink four, however, was a reversal of rink three, as Pendine struggled against Richard Thomas's four who were 6-1 up after five ends, 12-9 at 10 ends and 21-10 at 15 ends and finished well to win 29-14.

Rink five had Mal Evans's lads against Tom Evans's four, with Tom up 7-6 after five, but Mal's rink were 11-9 up by the tea break and then picked up a 4, 2 and 2 to lead 19-10 after 15 and eventually win by 24-15.

Rink six saw Stewart KT's four against Davo Hughes's unit, who struggled at the start and were 16-2 down at tea. Although winning the last four ends, they finally lost to Pendine by 22-14.

Rink scores (Pendine first) were as follows:

D. James, A. Collinge, C. Rance, A. Edwards 49; T. Kempt, D. Price, P. Dodd, M. Barringer 7.

R. Truelove, D. Roberts, E. Davies, G. Hale 11; G. Evans, D. Humble, J. Lloyd, R. Thomas 29.

J. Shields, P. Leeds, D. King Thomas, M. Evans 24; W. Morris, A. Hayes, S. Teremian, T. Evans 15.

G. Lewis, M. Dix, R. Gosnold, S. King Thomas 22; B. Longland, N. Evans, B. Williams, D. Hughes 14.

The Pendine Ladies' rinks also won overall in their match against Fishguard Ladies.