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Rhymney Royal BC 81 Girlings BC 60.5 - Saturday 28th August 2010
The last home game of the season for the Royal bowlers produced a close but influencial result on the final league positions in division 2 of the Monmouthshire league. The defeat for the visitors condemned them to relegation whilst the home success kept alive the Royal's slim hopes of promotion to the county's elite.
Full credit to the visitors for their battling performances across all rinks where their reward was just a solitary point for a draw in one of the contests. On this rink visiting skip Brian Gould and his bowlers thrice came back from trailing to level the scores against the Royal's N. James with J. Doyle, R. Withers and D. Lynch but settled for a shared 18 - 18 scoreline. On the other three rinks the Royal bowlers made home advantage tell as they all built on early leads to produce three good successes.
Royal skip A. Jenkins with his rink of A. James, P. Smith and C. O'Brien led throughout against the efforts of skip Jim Silvester. 12 - 7 up after 12 ends was extended to a winning 17 - 12 margin at the close and 3 valuable league points secured. Likewise skip D. Hann with T. Ryan, C. Patten and D. Morgan saw a 18 - 6 score after 12 ends converted into a fine 25 - 17 victory against Girling's Phil Watkins and his rink. The final rink saw visiting skip Rob Jenkins and his reduced rink succumb to a 21 - 18 (adjusted to 21 - 13.5) defeat against the Royal rink which included P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe giving the home bowlers 13 league points and fourth position in the league with one game to play.
Royal Claim Hospital Cup - Weds. 11th August 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 64 Rhymney Gwent BC 50
The Redwood Hospital Cup has been competed for since the 1930s traditionally between the two Rhymney clubs. Although the contest has been infrequent in recent years the competition to hold the trophy is still as intense as ever between the local rivals. This year's competition was no exception. Had the Gwent side not been let down by late withdrawals then the result would have been that much closer.
Gwent skip Keri Denner battled away with his reduced rink of Eddie Matthews and Neil Jones to pull back from being 9 - 1 down after 8 ends to level at 10 - 10 after 13 ends against the Royal's T. Ryan, K. Cochrane, C. Patten and D. Morgan. Although finishing with a 14 - 16 advantage the Gwent bowlers had to forfeit a quarter of their score to finish at 14 - 12 in favour of the Royal. Gwent captain and skip Mal. Evans included young Ashleigh Perry in his numbers as he met the challenge of the Royal's N. James, D. Hann, P. Smith and C. O'Brien. The Royal bowlers proved too strong a unit for them and secured a fine 23 - 9 result. Close tussles ensued on the other two rinks where the Gwent's Andrew Wysoczansky and his men just held off the Royal challenge to claim a 13 - 15 success whilst Royal skip J. Watkins with A. James, captain J. Doyle and D. Lynch earned a four shots victory at 14 - 10 over the Gwent's Les Wooldridge and his bowlers.
The result gave the Royal side some consolation for the previous two defeats suffered at the Gwent's hands earlier in the season but the match brought good friendship on and off the green.
Rhymney Royal BC 92 Blaina BC 58 - Saturday 7th August 2010
The home side were rampant in this Monmouthshire Division two fixture against a visiting side who had sat on top of the pile for periods during the season. With the promotion and relegation on everyone's mind at this time of the year it was important that the Royal bowlers consolidated their position in the league and they did so in an emphatic way.
Victory across all rinks and maximum points left the visitors in a state of shock as they fully expected to gain a result in this contest but they found a home side with different ideas.
Royal skip J. Watkins with N. James, KR Evans and J. Doyle powered their way to a fine 20 - 14 win against Blaina's Mike Powell and his bowlers whilst Royal skip T. Ryan worked hard to achieve their 21 - 18 success against Phillip Wheeler's men. Blaina skip John Griffith and his bowlers found life difficult in their contest against the Royal's D. Hann A. Jenkins, A. James and C. O'Brien. The home rink opened up an impressive 20 - 8 lead after 15 ends which they extended to 27 - 12 at the close to give the home bowlers their third success of the afternoon. It was left to the final Royal rink which included P. White, C. Patten and D. Lynch to seal this whitewash with a good 24 - 14 victory against Blaina's J. Kitt and his bowlers. The result should secure the Royal's future in this division but with two games still left to play then anything could happen.
Llanhilleth BC 78 Rhymney Royal BC 77 - Wed. 5th August 2010
The curtain came down on the West Mon season for the Royal bowlers with a narrow defeat to Llanhilleth in this rearranged fixture, but the visitors can feel pleased with their performances with this being only their third defeat in this league and third place assured with the rink honours shared.
Llanhilleth captain Tom Tranter and his rink were involved in a close battle with up and coming Royal skip N. James with the result going to the last end. The lead changed hands constantly but the home bowlers claimed it with a fine double 19 - 17 at the last. In similar fashion the Royal rink skipped by K. Bartlett with K. Cochrane, R. Withers and captain J. Doyle claimed a single shot victory in their tussle with the home bowlers registering a 18 - 19 win. Home skip Lyndon Davies and his rink found the visitors led by skip D. Hann a real handful and succumbed to a 16 - 25 defeat in the face of some precision bowling by the Royal men. The match could not have been closer for Llanhilleth skip Les Bowd and his bowlers gained a 25 - 16 victory over the Royal's T. Ryan and his rink leaving the home team with a solitary shot victory and the ten points that go with it over the Royal visitors.
Rhymney Royal BC 67 Beaufort BC 81 - Weds. 28th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers lost only their second West Mon. league game of the season when they entertained Beaufort in this top of the table battle for runners-up spot in the league. Monmouthshire League one leaders Beaufort came to the Park with a fair sprinkling of league players which shows their strength in depth and they soon began to show this strength as they got to grips with the difficult home green.
Royal skip T. Ryan with A. Jenkins, I. Prosser and C. Patten built up an early 6 - 1 lead in their battle against J. Foote and his bowlers but the home rink got stuck on the 6 score for a further nine ends as the visitors raced into a 7 - 21 lead, a lead which they kept until they finally ran out 17 - 25 victors. A tight battle ensued between the visitors, skipped by Peter Williams and the home rink which included P. White, R. Withers and D. Morgan. There was never much in this contest as the lead changed hands frequently before the home bowlers claimed a single shot 17 - 16 victory on the last end. Beaufort skip Darren O'Callaghan and his rink took a while to get started but once they did they rapidly built up a 9 - 20 score against the Royal's K. Bartlett and his bowlers before recording a fine 11 - 27 win. The final rink saw Beaufort's Rhymney-born skip Clive Williams and his rink battle it out with the Royal's J. Watkins. Neither side gave much away with the score remaining close but a "five" on the 12th end changed the complexion of the game and the Royal men recorded a good 22 - 13 success. Although picking up just four league points in this game, the home bowlers still have one game left to clinch the third spot in the West Mon league and bring the curtain down on a worthwhile season in this competition.
Newport Athletic BC 89 Rhymney Royal BC 79 - Sat 24th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers came up against a home side with the smell of promotion in their nostrils and if their aspirations are fulfilled this season with entry into the top flight then they will not have experienced a more difficult contest than this one.
With the rink honours shared it was the score of one rink that determined the overall result. That rink was skipped by Newport's A. Burgess who aided by his trusted men ran out 33 - 13 winners against the Royal's D. Hann and his bowlers. The home side had the good fortune to hold the jack for seven ends in the middle of the game and accumulated no fewer than 19 shots in the process thereby ending the contest but more importantly it gave the home bowlers a solid foundation of 20 shots to build upon. The Royal visitors did not let the home side have it their own way. Only one other home rink managed a success with skip J. Abraham gaining a hard earned 25 - 15 win. The remaining rinks went the Royal way with skip J. Watkins assisted by N. James, R. Withers and J. Doyle securing a 16 - 24 success against R. Cope and his rink. In similar fashion Royal skip T. Ryan with A. Jenkins, KR Evans and D. Lynch registered a fine 15 - 27 win against R. Abraham but to no avail as the shot difference on that one rink secured a home victory and the 10 league points that went with it as the Athletic took one more step towards their goal.
Rhymney Royal BC 67 Ebbw Vale Welfare BC 60 - Weds. 21st July 2010
Ebbw Vale Welfare bowlers should be kicking themselves for letting this West Mon league game slip through their fingers after leading for most of the game. The hosts showed true spirit by staying in the game when it looked at one time that their first home defeat in this league would be the outcome. Trailing on three rinks by 30 - 37 at midway through the game and 54 - 56 with just 3 ends to go, the Royal men stuck to their task and turned the game to their advantage by winning three rinks and posting 12 league points at the same time with this last gasp victory.
The visitors had skip Jeff Ridley and his rink lead by 6 - 14 after 9 ends against the home bowlers led by T. Ryan, a lead which they extended to 13 - 19 at the end to claim their solitary success. Royal skip J. Watkins with his rink of N. James, J. Doyle and C. O'Brien found themselves 1 - 10 down after 6 ends but gradually pulled back to 13 - 15 with 3 ends remaining against Ebbw Vale's Jeff Short and his bowlers. The closing ends saw the home men clinch the contest 20 - 15 with some accurate bowling. The Royal rink led by skip D. Hann with P. White, R. Withers and C. Patten showed good early form in shooting into a 11 - 1 lead after 6 ends against skip Colin Salkeld and his bowlers but the visitors comeback came too late and the home rink registered a 18 - 11 winning scoreline. The closest contest saw Royal skip A. Jenkins battle it out with the visitor's Ron Hayward and his rink. The home side opened up an early 4 - 2 lead before the visitors turned it around to 7 - 8 at halfway. All square at 14 - 14 with 3 ends to go before the home rink, which included KR Evans, W. Dearth and D. Lynch, snatched a last end single to claim a 16 -15 result. Mixed feelings from both sides at the end after this close and enthralling contest but the Royal men gained the spoils with another battling performance.
Rhymney Royal BC 98 Abercarn BC 58 - Sat. 17th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers made amends for their 40 shots defeat at Abercarn earlier in the season with this home victory by the same score difference in this Monmouthshire Division 2 league game. With both sides chasing the league points a tight game was on the agenda but the home bowlers soon began to stamp their authority on the match with all rinks showing a lead by midway through the contest.
The first to make an impression was the home rink which included P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe who opened up a 12 - 3 lead after just 3 ends against Ken Driscoll and his bowlers. Although the visitors pulled back to within 2 shots at the 15th end, the home bowlers ran out comfortable 25 - 15 winners. The Royal rink skipped by T. Ryan with K. Cochrane, P. Smith and C. O'Brien recovered from their early jitters against Roger Peart and his rink to improve on their 11 - 5 lead after 9 ends by recording an excellent 32 - 12 win and provide the second success for the home side. Royal skip D. Hann with A. Jenkins, captain J. Doyle and D. Morgan overcame the challenge of Abercarn's John Beecham and his rink by registering a good 22 - 18 score after a close fought game.
The final contest to finish saw skip K. Bartlett, N. James, R. Withers and D. Lynch prove too strong for the visitors' rink skipped by Norman Ransome. The Royal men never looked back after taking a 7 - 4 lead after 9 ends to record a fine 19 - 13 victory and the fourth rink success of the afternoon giving the Royal maximum league points by the same scoreline of 98 - 58 and the same aggregate difference as the earlier match.
The Cwm BC 55 Rhymney Royal BC 74 - Wednesday 14th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers made the familiar journey to the Ebbw Valley where they contested this West Mon league game against old friends and adversaries from The Cwm Bowling Club. The match had added significance in that the Ray Withers Shield, held over from last season, was up for grabs so a keen contest was in prospect.
Feilding a much changed lineup, the Cwm bowlers made life difficult for the visitors with skip Philip King and his rink holding the upper hand throughout most of their battle with the Royal rink of A. Jenkins, J. Doyle, R. Withers and N. Protheroe but a strong finish and a single on the final end enabled the visitors to post a 17 - 18 victory. The Royal rink which included P. White, P. Smith and C. O'Brien proved to be too strong for young skip Adam King and his bowlers when they registered a 9 - 24 victory but the talented youngster will learn from this experience and will be a force in future years. The Cwm's Derek Suter can feel pleased with his rink's performance against the Royal's N. James, KR Evans , C. Patten and D. Lynch. The home bowlers went through a purple patch in turning a 3 - 5 score after 6 ends into a 12 - 5 lead after 11 ends before gaining a solitary home victory with a 15 - 12 result. Skip Gareth Suter saw his rink lead at 10 -8 at midway through his game against the Royal's T. Ryan, K. Cochrane, W. Dearth and D. Morgan but the visitors staged a strong finish and claimed the contest with a 14 - 20 scoreline providing the Royal bowlers with a 19 aggregate shots win, 12 league points and the right to hold on to the Shield until later in the season when it will be contested for again.
Blaenavon BC 123 Rhymney Royal BC 67 - Sat. 10th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers suffered their heaviest loss of the season when they were completely overwhelmed by a hungry Blaenavon side trying to make amends for being relegated from the top flight in the Monmouthshire league last season. The visitors had themselves high hopes of making steady progress in the league but it did not take very long for the home side to stamp their authority on the game.
After six ends the scoreline showed a 32 - 14 advantage to the hosts with only one Royal rink holding its own with a 6 - 6 score. This rink which included P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe also found themselves floundering at 20 - 9 at mid way against Blaenavon's S. Probert and his bowlers. A late surge from the visitors saw them pull back to 24 - 22 but they ran out of ends and had to suffer a narrow 25 - 23 reverse.The other Royal rinks suffered against more determined bowling with the Royal rink of T. Ryan, D. Hann, C. Patten and D. Lynch battling hard against skip A. Freeman and his home bowlers before going down with a 26 - 18 result. Blaenavon skips J. Langley and A. Brown both saw their rinks power to resounding wins against the Royal rinks skipped by K. Bartlett and A. Jenkins with 40 -12 and 32 - 14 scores respectively giving the home bowlers an emphatic 56 shots winning margin and maximum points to lift them up in the league table.
Rhymney Royal BC 84 Newbridge BC 66 - Sat. 3rd July 2010
Newbridge were the visitors to the War Memorial Park where they found the hosts keen to get back to winning ways after losing their last two MBA games. On a difficult green, scorched by the recent hot weather, it was the home bowlers who took the early initiative and built up a steady lead. Royal skip A. Jenkins and his rink of K. Cochrane, P. Smith and C. O'Brien led 11 - 6 after nine ends which they extended to 17 - 10 after fifteen only to see the visitors under skip Clive Cridland pull back to make it close finish in the home side's favour with a 19 - 15 result. Newbridge skip Eddie Harding and his bowlers were involved in a tight battle with the Royal rink of skip K. Bartlett, D. Hann, captain J. Doyle and D. Morgan with the lead changing hands during the course of the game. The visitors held a 6 - 9 advantage after nine ends only for the home bowlers to lead 11 - 9 after twelve.This pattern remained over the closing ends before the Royal rink claimed the spoils with a well-earned 19 - 14 victory. Another exciting game involved the Royal rink which included P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe against the Newbridge rink skipped by Brian Porter. The early ends were tight with the home bowlers holding a slight advantage but their pressure paid off in the end as they overwhelmed their tenacious opponents with a flattering 30 - 13 scoreline. With three rinks showing success, it remained for the Royal's final rink to produce the goods and give the home side maximum points but it was not to be as the Newbridge rink skipped by Malcolm Jones proved far too strong for the Royal rink of skip N. James, T. Ryan, C. Patten and D. Lynch. The visitors recorded a fine 16 - 24 result but this was not enough to save them suffering a 18 aggregate shots defeat against a resurgent home side.
Blaina BC 60 Rhymney Royal BC 73 - Weds. 30th June 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers recorded their fifth win in six games in this entertaining West Mon League game at Duffryn Park in Blaina. The host side, sporting a brand new pavillion, presented themselves as formidable opponents on a fast green conducive to swing bowling. The home rink skipped by D. Cording, opened strongly against the Royal rink of A. Jenkins, K. Cochrane, P. Smith and C. O'Brien leading 10 - 6 at the midpoint but the Royal boys dug deep into their resources to claw back the deficit and gain a well earned 16 - 20 success. Royal skip K. Bartlet and his rink of D. Hann, A. James and D. Morgan bowled steadily throughout their encounter with Blaina's Colin Wall and his bowlers. The visitors built up a 4 - 12 lead at half way and successfully held off the late challenge of the home bowlers in posting a 12 - 15 win. Holding a midway lead of 4 - 14 the third Royal rink, which included P. White, R. Withers and N. Protheroe, completed the task with an emphatic victory by 7 - 25 against the Blaina rink skipped by John Griffiths. The final Royal rink of skip N. James, T. Ryan, C.Patten and D. Lynch suffered a 25 - 13 reverse against Graham Wall's bowlers but their points difference was more than covered by the other Royal rinks who gained a 13 shots aggregate advantage and picking up the twelve league points to keep their momentum going in the West Mon League.
Rhymney derby match was a high-scoring affair
Rhymney Gwent 94 Rhymney Royal 72 - Sat. 19th June 2010
Rhymney Gwent were entertained at the Park by their sister club Rhymney Royal in a much-anticipated Mon. League division two fixture.The scoreline gives the impression of a comfortable win but this was not the case and doesn't tell the drama that unfolded over the course of this highly charged local derby. The Royal were favourites having enjoyed a better start to the campaign and predictably opened up a nine-shot lead by the fifth end.
At the halfway stage it was the Gwent who had recovered to lead by seven with two winning rinks and one level and this gap was maintained until the 16th end - the only difference being there was now only one winning Gwent rink, skipped by Colin Clabby whose 19-shot lead was covering the remaining rinks. Bythe 18thend the game had swung back in the Royal's favour as they led by a single, and there was no indication of the drama to come.
Over the final ends the Gwent amassed 26 shots to the Royal's three, with two winning rinks and one with the scores level to collect 11 of the points on offer when at many times during the game it seemed they would only collect two. The rink of Dave Thomas, Dean Wilde, Andrew Wysoczanskyj and skip Colin Clabby proved the catalyst for the win with a 25-shot advantage over Adrian Jenkins' four. It had not started well as they trailed 5 - 0 after three ends but then came a remarkable sequence of success for the Gwent rink as they conceded only a single shot over the following 17 ends, registering 33 shots in the process to lay the foundations for the success.
Another remarkable game saw Les Wooldridge and his rink of Eddie Matthews, Stendal Todd and Malcolm Siddle lead the Kelvin Bartlett four 18 - 10 and they looked well set for a win but conceded 14 shots over the next four ends to trail 24 - 18 with three ends renaining. Back they came with a six and a three to put them three up with the final end to play and with only a single conceded on the final end they ensured another Gwent winning rink. A third remarlable encounter saw Noel Tippett down 20 - 9 at the 15th end having been outplayed by the Royal rink skipped by Neil James. But again there was one final twist to come with Tippett's four registering seven shots over the final few ends to earn a share of the spoils. It could have been a Gwent win had it not been for a fine saving bowl from James when there was a six-shot lie against him, all within 12 inches of the jack. The remaining duel saw the more experienced Peter Cosh skip his rink of Cyril Patten, Ray Evans and Phil White edge out Keri Denner by five.
Gwent skips first: C. Clabby 33 A. Jenkins 8, L. Woodridge 27 K. Bartlett 25, N. Tippett 22 N. James 22, K. Denner 12 P. Cosh 17.
West Mon League - Wednesday 9th June 2010
Rhymney Royal B.C. 67 Six Bells B.C. 65
Rhymney Royal bowlers completed the double over their Six Bells counterparts by winning for the second time in five days. Having won convincingly by 29 shots the previous Saturday in the MBA league, this West Mon encounter was a much closer affair with just two shots dividing the sides in an exciting climax to the contest.
Six Bells skip Barry Paul and his rink were in red hot form against their Royal opponents building up a 7 - 17 lead after 12 ends and registering an impressive 8 - 25 victory to set a target for the other rinks. First to respond was the Royal rink of N. James with D. Hann, R. Withers and D. Morgan who stepped up to the challenge by turning in a 20 - 10 result after leading 10 - 6 at midpoint in their match against the Six Bell's rink skipped by Gary Heath. Next to follow was the Royal rink skipped by K. Bartlett with P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe who turned around a 8 - 10 score after 9 ends into a fine 22 - 13 win against Tim Phelps and his bowlers. All depended on the outcome of the final rink to finish between the Royal's A. Jenkins, A, James, J. Doyle and C. Patten and the visitors led by skip Ray "Tinker" Taylor. In a very close contest which saw the lead change hands frequently, the home bowlers held a narrow advantage at 17 - 15 going into the last end with the aggregate match score also poised delicately with just a few shots separating the sides. The Royal bowlers conceded 2 shots on the final end but this was enough to give the overall contest to the Rhymney side by just a 2 shots margin and the welcome 11 league points that went with it. An improved performance by the visitors but the home bowlers can take a lot of credit out of the fixture for the way they stuck at the task involved.
MBA Division 2 - Saturday 5th June 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 97 Six Bells BC 68
The home bowlers were keen to put the previous nights defeat against Brynmawr behind them as they entertained Six Bells at the War Memorial Park for this MBA league contest. Over the years the visitors have always been a bogey side to the Royal men with many close contests seemingly going in favour of the visitors so much was at stake in this match. Royal skip A. Jenkins with his rink of K. Cochrane, R. Withers and D. Morgan got off to a flying start against skip B. Line putting 8 shots on the board before any reply was forthcoming. The home bowlers continued their dominance to register a very good 29 - 12 victory to set the trend for the other rinks. Six Bells skip T. Phelps and his men again struggled to get to terms with their Royal counterparts who forged into an early 18 - 9 lead before finally finishing with a well earned 27 - 14 win. After leading for almost the entire contest the Royal rink of skip K. Bartlett, D. Hann, P. Smith and C. O'Brien let victory slip through their fingers on the last end as Six Bells skip G. Heath gained 5 shots to level the score at 19 - 19 and share the honours. In similar fashion visiting skip M. Hart and his rink gained a last end victory against the Royal rink of skip N. James, T. Ryan, capt. J. Doyle and C. Patten with a 22 - 23 scoreline to ensure that the visitors did not return home empty handed. A further 11 league points to add to their league total ensures that the Royal bowlers are starting to pick up momentum in this season's campaign.
Brynmawr BC 69 Rhymney Royal BC 44 - Friday 4th June 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers made a quick exit from the Monmouthshire Knockout Cup competition when they were comprehensively beaten by a more determined home side keen to make amends for their defeat in the league to their visitors earlier in the season. Wins across all four rinks does not happen very often against the Royal bowlers but there were no excuses this time. Home skip O. Dando and his rink worked hard to post a 18 - 15 win having let their opponents back into the contest over the closing ends. Royal skip A. Jenkins gained 8 shots over the last three ends to make the scoreline more respectable but the damage had been done during the earlier ends when the home bowlers built up a 15 - 2 lead. Brynmawr skip A. Williams inflicted the most damaging result in registering a good 25 - 8 win against his Royal counterparts. The remaining home rinks skippered by G. Congreve and E. George recorded fine wins of 15 - 13 and 11 - 8 respectively against their Royal opponents to complete the whitewash and gain their rightful place in the next round of the competition.
West Mon League - Weds. 2nd June 2010
RTB (Ebbw Vale) BC 100 Rhymney Royal BC 46
Unbeaten West Mon side Rhymney Royal travelled to Ebbw Vale for this their third match in the league and they came up against a star-studded RTB side who were themselves riding high with an unbeaten record in all competitions this season. The Royal bowlers were simply outclassed by the home bowlers who can boast numerous current and past international bowlers in their ranks. Former international Robert Price and his rink recorded a good 21 - 7 win over the Royal rink skippered by K. Bartlett whilst ex Rhymney bowler skip JK Evans and his rink which included ex Royal JC Evans proved too strong for the Royal rink skippered by J. Watkins with P. White, P. Smith and C. O'Brien in winning 22 - 14 although the visitors battled well until the closing ends. Young Royal skip N. James and his rink were swamped by the home rink of Robert Silcox and his men who recorded a 40 - 9 scoreline. The closest contest of the evening saw the Royal rink of skip A. Jenkins, K. Cochrane, KR Evans and N. Protheroe battle well against the RTB rink skippered by Scottish international bowler Stuart Anderson. There was very little in the contest as both sides bowled accurately throughout and the lead changed hands continually until the penultimate end when the home rink gained a three shots advantage. This proved too much for the visitors who, although gaining two shots, had to settle for a single shot defeat at 17 - 16 and see their team whitewashed by far more experienced opponents
MBA Division 2: Saturday 29th May 2010
Crickhowell BC 78 Rhymney Royal BC 59
Newly promoted Crickhowell gained an impressive first victory over the visiting Rhymney Royal side in this opening fixture of the Monmouthshire league Division Two. The visitors had high hopes of making a flying start to their campaign but they were brought down to earth by a more determined home side who adapted better to a difficult green and deserved their 19 shots aggregate victory. Young Royal skip N. James with his rink of J. Watkins, C. O'Brien and Royal captain J. Doyle provided the sole victory for the visitors when they gained a 17 - 20 success against skip P. Stahl and his home bowlers after leading throughout the contest. The only other plus for the Royal was the fact that their rink which included P. White, KR Evans and K. Cochrane pulled out all the stops to gain a creditable 17 - 17 draw against Crickhowell's S. Toms and his men after trailing for most of the contest. The other two home rinks recorded good wins with home skip P. Reed gaining a 24 - 9 success against the Royal's K. Bartlett and T. Rees securing a 20 - 13 win against skip A. Jenkins and his men. With only three league points to show for their endeavours the Royal bowlers will need to improve quickly if they are to make any sort of impression in this division this season.
WBA Carruthers Shield - Saturday 22nd May 2010
Abercarn BC 98 Rhymney Royal BC 58
Any hopes the Royal bowlers might have had of progressing in this tournament were quickly dispelled by a determined Abercarn side intent on progressing themselves. Home skip R. Peart and his rink led the way with a resounding 30 - 10 success against Royal skip K. Bartlett with A. James, R. Withers and D. Morgan. In similar fashion the Abercarn rink led by skip K. Driscall proved far too strong for the Royal rink of skip D. Hann, captain J. Doyle, W. Dearth and C. O'Brien in recording a 33 - 14 success. Royal skip J. Watkins with T. Ryan, P. Smith and C. Patten also suffered a reverse at 23 - 12 against Abercarn's J. Beecham and his bowlers. The one Royal bright spot was the solitary success of their rink against Abercarn's N. Ransome and his bowlers with a fine 12 - 22 victory which brought the curtain down on their efforts in this years tournament.
West Mon League - Weds. 19th May 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 74 Nantyglo BC 54
The home bowlers gained their second success in the West Mon League with this 20 shots win over Nantyglo Bowling Club. Young Royal skip N. James with his rink of T. Ryan, KR Evans and C. Patten recorded a good 18 - 11 success against Nantyglo's Fred Griffiths and his bowlers whilst Royal skip D. Hann with captain J. Doyle, P. Smith and N. Protheroe also produced a resounding 25 - 12 win against John Berry's bowlers. The third Royal success saw the home rink gain a single shot 17 - 16 win against Nantyglo's Ken Titford and his men. The only downside for the Royal was the fact that their skip K. Bartlett and his rink let a lead slip through their fingers over the closing ends with a 14 - 15 loss. Nevertheless it was 12 points gained in the league for the Royal side.
WBA Carruthers Shield - Saturday 15th May 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 82 Newport Dockers BC 72
The home bowlers gained their second win in the Carruthers Shield with this 10 shots win against visitors Newport Dockers. The Dockers shared the rink honours at 2 each and gave a good account of themselves in this close fought game. The Newport skip W. Tait and his rink pulled off a 14 - 19 win against the home rink which included P. White, G. Morris and K. Cochrane after trailing for most of the contest whilst fellow skip P. Collins and his bowlers also gave Royal skip J. Watkins and his bowlers a lesson in recording a 12 - 23 victory. The remaining Royal rinks both recorded resounding wins to clinch the victory. Royal skip N. James with T. Ryan, KR. Evans and C. Patten routed the Dockers D. Carter with a fine 28 - 13 win whilst the Royal rink skipped by K. Bartlett and including D. Hann, R. Withers and D. Lynch similarly gained an emphatic 28 - 17 win over J. Ramsey and his bowlers to earn the home side their second success in the competition.
West Mon League - Weds. 5th May 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 70 Brynmawr BC 62
The Royal bowlers opened their West Mon league competition with this fine win over visitors Brynmawr in what was a closely fought match. Royal skip N. James with his rink of P. White, J. Doyle and D. Morgan gained a 23 - 15 winm against Brynmawr's R. Cooper and his bowlers whilst K. Bartlett with D. Hann, G. Morris and K. Cochrane recorded a 27 - 10 success against his opponents. Unfortunately the other two home rinks did not have the same success with the Royal's A. Jenkins going down 8 - 21 to N. Hunt and skip J. Watkins losing by 4 shots at 12 - 16 to P. Carey and his bowlers. However the Royal bowlers gained an 8 shots aggregate win and the 10 points that go with it.
WBA Carruthers Shield - Saturday 1st May 2010
Cross Keys BC 94 Rhymney Royal BC 63
The home side completed a whitewash against their Royal visitors in this the second game in the WBA Carruthers Shield for the Rhymney side. Bouyede by their victory the previous week in this competition the visitors knew that a result at Division One Cross Keys was always going to be a tall order but the cup is the cup and anything can happen on the day. But it was not to be as the home side won all four rinks and a 31 shots aggregate winning margin to register their first win in the competition. Scores:Tommy Hancock 17 N James 15; Ian Slade 22 P Bernard 18; Simon Bushell 28 J Watkins 16; Andy Bushell 27 K Bartlett 14.
Ron Collins Cup - Weds. 28th April 2010
Rhymney Gwent BC 61 Rhymney Royal BC 60
Playing away on their own green the Royal lost this traditional cup game by the narrowest of margins - a single shot - to their close friends and coinhabitants at the War Memorial Park the Rhymney Gwent side. Although the rink honours were shared at 2 each the Gwent side led by skipper Malcolm Evans held on for a tight finish in a match played in a good spirit. Royal skip A. Jenkins with his rink of D. Lynch, C. Patten and J. Doyle registered a good 9 - 15 success against Andrew Wysoczansky and his team whilst fellow Royal skip P. Cosh with his rink of P. White, K. Cochrane and N. Protheroe recorded a similar 10 - 21 victory over Malcolm Siddle's rink.Gwent skip and current WBA President Noel Tippett led his rink to a three shots win over the Royal's J. Watkins and skip Colin Clabby guided his rink to a 24 - 9 emphatic success over the Royal's D. Hann and his bowlers to ensure a share of the honours but better still a single shot victory and their hands on the Collins Cup.
WBA Carruthers Shield - Saturday 24th April 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 93 Ynysddu BC 71
Rhymney Royal bowlers welcomed Ynysddu Bowling Club to a sunny War Memorial Park for their first group game in this season's Carruthers Shield tournament. The visitors were led by a former youthful-looking local lad Leighton Jones and his Mon. Division 4 side gave a really good account of themselves as they pressurised their Division 2 hosts for most of the game. Visiting skip M. Warwick and his bowlers opened by a commanding 0 - 16 lead after 10 ends and the home rink skipped by T. Ryan looked to be on a real hiding but two sixes dropped in three ends changed the complexion of the game and the Royal rink came back strongly to gain a 29 - 19 victory. Captain Jones and his bowlers had their hands full trying to contain the home rink which included P. White, K. Cochrane and N. Protheroe as the home bowlers built steadily to record a good 28 - 14 success whilst Royal skip A. James with his rink of I. Prosser, P. Smith and C. O'Brien worked tirelessly in gaining their single shot 21 - 20 win over Peter Simkins and his bowlers. Three rink wins but the fourth Royal rink skipped by A. Jenkins and included captain J. Doyle, G. Morris and C. Patten suffered a 15 - 18 reverse at the hands of more determined opponents. However a 22 shots aggregate victory saw the home side take their first step on the road to what they hope will be a long and successful Carruthers journey.
Royal Open With Friendly Wins
Rhymney Royal BC 76 New Tredegar BC 75
Rhymney Royal BC 82 Guest Keen Memorial BC 43
Rhymney Royal Bowling Club opened the new season with two wins in friendly matches against local opposition. In the first match against newly promoted neighbours New Tredegar the hosts were made to work hard against a determined side looking to build momentum for their first season in Mon. Division 3. The home side trailed for most of the match and it looked as though the visitors would record a rare victory at the War Memorial Park but a soplid finish by young skip N. James and his rink ensured that the Royal bowlers would claim the spoils with a single shot win. Nevertheless the New Tredegar side can take heart from the result which saw them lose just two rinks whilst drawing one and winning the other with a fine 9 - 22 score in skip G. Hough's favour.
This narrow victory was followed by the visit of Guest Memorial Bowling Club from Dowlais in what is becoming a regular fixture in the calendar. The Royal bowlers took heed of the lessons learnt from the previous match by settling into their rhythm sooner and building on a solid start which saw them open up a fine 48 - 15 lead at the mid point in the game. All four home rinks held leads which they built upon over the closing ends to register a 82 - 39 victory with Royal skip J. Watkins making a welcome return to the green in guiding his rink to a resounding 25 - 4 success.
Pre-Season Meeting: All members please note that the pre-season meeting will now be held on THURSDAY 1st April 2010 at 7.30pm in the Farmers Arms, Rhymney.
The last home game of the season for the Royal bowlers produced a close but influencial result on the final league positions in division 2 of the Monmouthshire league. The defeat for the visitors condemned them to relegation whilst the home success kept alive the Royal's slim hopes of promotion to the county's elite.
Full credit to the visitors for their battling performances across all rinks where their reward was just a solitary point for a draw in one of the contests. On this rink visiting skip Brian Gould and his bowlers thrice came back from trailing to level the scores against the Royal's N. James with J. Doyle, R. Withers and D. Lynch but settled for a shared 18 - 18 scoreline. On the other three rinks the Royal bowlers made home advantage tell as they all built on early leads to produce three good successes.
Royal skip A. Jenkins with his rink of A. James, P. Smith and C. O'Brien led throughout against the efforts of skip Jim Silvester. 12 - 7 up after 12 ends was extended to a winning 17 - 12 margin at the close and 3 valuable league points secured. Likewise skip D. Hann with T. Ryan, C. Patten and D. Morgan saw a 18 - 6 score after 12 ends converted into a fine 25 - 17 victory against Girling's Phil Watkins and his rink. The final rink saw visiting skip Rob Jenkins and his reduced rink succumb to a 21 - 18 (adjusted to 21 - 13.5) defeat against the Royal rink which included P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe giving the home bowlers 13 league points and fourth position in the league with one game to play.
Royal Claim Hospital Cup - Weds. 11th August 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 64 Rhymney Gwent BC 50
The Redwood Hospital Cup has been competed for since the 1930s traditionally between the two Rhymney clubs. Although the contest has been infrequent in recent years the competition to hold the trophy is still as intense as ever between the local rivals. This year's competition was no exception. Had the Gwent side not been let down by late withdrawals then the result would have been that much closer.
Gwent skip Keri Denner battled away with his reduced rink of Eddie Matthews and Neil Jones to pull back from being 9 - 1 down after 8 ends to level at 10 - 10 after 13 ends against the Royal's T. Ryan, K. Cochrane, C. Patten and D. Morgan. Although finishing with a 14 - 16 advantage the Gwent bowlers had to forfeit a quarter of their score to finish at 14 - 12 in favour of the Royal. Gwent captain and skip Mal. Evans included young Ashleigh Perry in his numbers as he met the challenge of the Royal's N. James, D. Hann, P. Smith and C. O'Brien. The Royal bowlers proved too strong a unit for them and secured a fine 23 - 9 result. Close tussles ensued on the other two rinks where the Gwent's Andrew Wysoczansky and his men just held off the Royal challenge to claim a 13 - 15 success whilst Royal skip J. Watkins with A. James, captain J. Doyle and D. Lynch earned a four shots victory at 14 - 10 over the Gwent's Les Wooldridge and his bowlers.
The result gave the Royal side some consolation for the previous two defeats suffered at the Gwent's hands earlier in the season but the match brought good friendship on and off the green.
Rhymney Royal BC 92 Blaina BC 58 - Saturday 7th August 2010
The home side were rampant in this Monmouthshire Division two fixture against a visiting side who had sat on top of the pile for periods during the season. With the promotion and relegation on everyone's mind at this time of the year it was important that the Royal bowlers consolidated their position in the league and they did so in an emphatic way.
Victory across all rinks and maximum points left the visitors in a state of shock as they fully expected to gain a result in this contest but they found a home side with different ideas.
Royal skip J. Watkins with N. James, KR Evans and J. Doyle powered their way to a fine 20 - 14 win against Blaina's Mike Powell and his bowlers whilst Royal skip T. Ryan worked hard to achieve their 21 - 18 success against Phillip Wheeler's men. Blaina skip John Griffith and his bowlers found life difficult in their contest against the Royal's D. Hann A. Jenkins, A. James and C. O'Brien. The home rink opened up an impressive 20 - 8 lead after 15 ends which they extended to 27 - 12 at the close to give the home bowlers their third success of the afternoon. It was left to the final Royal rink which included P. White, C. Patten and D. Lynch to seal this whitewash with a good 24 - 14 victory against Blaina's J. Kitt and his bowlers. The result should secure the Royal's future in this division but with two games still left to play then anything could happen.
Llanhilleth BC 78 Rhymney Royal BC 77 - Wed. 5th August 2010
The curtain came down on the West Mon season for the Royal bowlers with a narrow defeat to Llanhilleth in this rearranged fixture, but the visitors can feel pleased with their performances with this being only their third defeat in this league and third place assured with the rink honours shared.
Llanhilleth captain Tom Tranter and his rink were involved in a close battle with up and coming Royal skip N. James with the result going to the last end. The lead changed hands constantly but the home bowlers claimed it with a fine double 19 - 17 at the last. In similar fashion the Royal rink skipped by K. Bartlett with K. Cochrane, R. Withers and captain J. Doyle claimed a single shot victory in their tussle with the home bowlers registering a 18 - 19 win. Home skip Lyndon Davies and his rink found the visitors led by skip D. Hann a real handful and succumbed to a 16 - 25 defeat in the face of some precision bowling by the Royal men. The match could not have been closer for Llanhilleth skip Les Bowd and his bowlers gained a 25 - 16 victory over the Royal's T. Ryan and his rink leaving the home team with a solitary shot victory and the ten points that go with it over the Royal visitors.
Rhymney Royal BC 67 Beaufort BC 81 - Weds. 28th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers lost only their second West Mon. league game of the season when they entertained Beaufort in this top of the table battle for runners-up spot in the league. Monmouthshire League one leaders Beaufort came to the Park with a fair sprinkling of league players which shows their strength in depth and they soon began to show this strength as they got to grips with the difficult home green.
Royal skip T. Ryan with A. Jenkins, I. Prosser and C. Patten built up an early 6 - 1 lead in their battle against J. Foote and his bowlers but the home rink got stuck on the 6 score for a further nine ends as the visitors raced into a 7 - 21 lead, a lead which they kept until they finally ran out 17 - 25 victors. A tight battle ensued between the visitors, skipped by Peter Williams and the home rink which included P. White, R. Withers and D. Morgan. There was never much in this contest as the lead changed hands frequently before the home bowlers claimed a single shot 17 - 16 victory on the last end. Beaufort skip Darren O'Callaghan and his rink took a while to get started but once they did they rapidly built up a 9 - 20 score against the Royal's K. Bartlett and his bowlers before recording a fine 11 - 27 win. The final rink saw Beaufort's Rhymney-born skip Clive Williams and his rink battle it out with the Royal's J. Watkins. Neither side gave much away with the score remaining close but a "five" on the 12th end changed the complexion of the game and the Royal men recorded a good 22 - 13 success. Although picking up just four league points in this game, the home bowlers still have one game left to clinch the third spot in the West Mon league and bring the curtain down on a worthwhile season in this competition.
Newport Athletic BC 89 Rhymney Royal BC 79 - Sat 24th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers came up against a home side with the smell of promotion in their nostrils and if their aspirations are fulfilled this season with entry into the top flight then they will not have experienced a more difficult contest than this one.
With the rink honours shared it was the score of one rink that determined the overall result. That rink was skipped by Newport's A. Burgess who aided by his trusted men ran out 33 - 13 winners against the Royal's D. Hann and his bowlers. The home side had the good fortune to hold the jack for seven ends in the middle of the game and accumulated no fewer than 19 shots in the process thereby ending the contest but more importantly it gave the home bowlers a solid foundation of 20 shots to build upon. The Royal visitors did not let the home side have it their own way. Only one other home rink managed a success with skip J. Abraham gaining a hard earned 25 - 15 win. The remaining rinks went the Royal way with skip J. Watkins assisted by N. James, R. Withers and J. Doyle securing a 16 - 24 success against R. Cope and his rink. In similar fashion Royal skip T. Ryan with A. Jenkins, KR Evans and D. Lynch registered a fine 15 - 27 win against R. Abraham but to no avail as the shot difference on that one rink secured a home victory and the 10 league points that went with it as the Athletic took one more step towards their goal.
Rhymney Royal BC 67 Ebbw Vale Welfare BC 60 - Weds. 21st July 2010
Ebbw Vale Welfare bowlers should be kicking themselves for letting this West Mon league game slip through their fingers after leading for most of the game. The hosts showed true spirit by staying in the game when it looked at one time that their first home defeat in this league would be the outcome. Trailing on three rinks by 30 - 37 at midway through the game and 54 - 56 with just 3 ends to go, the Royal men stuck to their task and turned the game to their advantage by winning three rinks and posting 12 league points at the same time with this last gasp victory.
The visitors had skip Jeff Ridley and his rink lead by 6 - 14 after 9 ends against the home bowlers led by T. Ryan, a lead which they extended to 13 - 19 at the end to claim their solitary success. Royal skip J. Watkins with his rink of N. James, J. Doyle and C. O'Brien found themselves 1 - 10 down after 6 ends but gradually pulled back to 13 - 15 with 3 ends remaining against Ebbw Vale's Jeff Short and his bowlers. The closing ends saw the home men clinch the contest 20 - 15 with some accurate bowling. The Royal rink led by skip D. Hann with P. White, R. Withers and C. Patten showed good early form in shooting into a 11 - 1 lead after 6 ends against skip Colin Salkeld and his bowlers but the visitors comeback came too late and the home rink registered a 18 - 11 winning scoreline. The closest contest saw Royal skip A. Jenkins battle it out with the visitor's Ron Hayward and his rink. The home side opened up an early 4 - 2 lead before the visitors turned it around to 7 - 8 at halfway. All square at 14 - 14 with 3 ends to go before the home rink, which included KR Evans, W. Dearth and D. Lynch, snatched a last end single to claim a 16 -15 result. Mixed feelings from both sides at the end after this close and enthralling contest but the Royal men gained the spoils with another battling performance.
Rhymney Royal BC 98 Abercarn BC 58 - Sat. 17th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers made amends for their 40 shots defeat at Abercarn earlier in the season with this home victory by the same score difference in this Monmouthshire Division 2 league game. With both sides chasing the league points a tight game was on the agenda but the home bowlers soon began to stamp their authority on the match with all rinks showing a lead by midway through the contest.
The first to make an impression was the home rink which included P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe who opened up a 12 - 3 lead after just 3 ends against Ken Driscoll and his bowlers. Although the visitors pulled back to within 2 shots at the 15th end, the home bowlers ran out comfortable 25 - 15 winners. The Royal rink skipped by T. Ryan with K. Cochrane, P. Smith and C. O'Brien recovered from their early jitters against Roger Peart and his rink to improve on their 11 - 5 lead after 9 ends by recording an excellent 32 - 12 win and provide the second success for the home side. Royal skip D. Hann with A. Jenkins, captain J. Doyle and D. Morgan overcame the challenge of Abercarn's John Beecham and his rink by registering a good 22 - 18 score after a close fought game.
The final contest to finish saw skip K. Bartlett, N. James, R. Withers and D. Lynch prove too strong for the visitors' rink skipped by Norman Ransome. The Royal men never looked back after taking a 7 - 4 lead after 9 ends to record a fine 19 - 13 victory and the fourth rink success of the afternoon giving the Royal maximum league points by the same scoreline of 98 - 58 and the same aggregate difference as the earlier match.
The Cwm BC 55 Rhymney Royal BC 74 - Wednesday 14th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers made the familiar journey to the Ebbw Valley where they contested this West Mon league game against old friends and adversaries from The Cwm Bowling Club. The match had added significance in that the Ray Withers Shield, held over from last season, was up for grabs so a keen contest was in prospect.
Feilding a much changed lineup, the Cwm bowlers made life difficult for the visitors with skip Philip King and his rink holding the upper hand throughout most of their battle with the Royal rink of A. Jenkins, J. Doyle, R. Withers and N. Protheroe but a strong finish and a single on the final end enabled the visitors to post a 17 - 18 victory. The Royal rink which included P. White, P. Smith and C. O'Brien proved to be too strong for young skip Adam King and his bowlers when they registered a 9 - 24 victory but the talented youngster will learn from this experience and will be a force in future years. The Cwm's Derek Suter can feel pleased with his rink's performance against the Royal's N. James, KR Evans , C. Patten and D. Lynch. The home bowlers went through a purple patch in turning a 3 - 5 score after 6 ends into a 12 - 5 lead after 11 ends before gaining a solitary home victory with a 15 - 12 result. Skip Gareth Suter saw his rink lead at 10 -8 at midway through his game against the Royal's T. Ryan, K. Cochrane, W. Dearth and D. Morgan but the visitors staged a strong finish and claimed the contest with a 14 - 20 scoreline providing the Royal bowlers with a 19 aggregate shots win, 12 league points and the right to hold on to the Shield until later in the season when it will be contested for again.
Blaenavon BC 123 Rhymney Royal BC 67 - Sat. 10th July 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers suffered their heaviest loss of the season when they were completely overwhelmed by a hungry Blaenavon side trying to make amends for being relegated from the top flight in the Monmouthshire league last season. The visitors had themselves high hopes of making steady progress in the league but it did not take very long for the home side to stamp their authority on the game.
After six ends the scoreline showed a 32 - 14 advantage to the hosts with only one Royal rink holding its own with a 6 - 6 score. This rink which included P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe also found themselves floundering at 20 - 9 at mid way against Blaenavon's S. Probert and his bowlers. A late surge from the visitors saw them pull back to 24 - 22 but they ran out of ends and had to suffer a narrow 25 - 23 reverse.The other Royal rinks suffered against more determined bowling with the Royal rink of T. Ryan, D. Hann, C. Patten and D. Lynch battling hard against skip A. Freeman and his home bowlers before going down with a 26 - 18 result. Blaenavon skips J. Langley and A. Brown both saw their rinks power to resounding wins against the Royal rinks skipped by K. Bartlett and A. Jenkins with 40 -12 and 32 - 14 scores respectively giving the home bowlers an emphatic 56 shots winning margin and maximum points to lift them up in the league table.
Rhymney Royal BC 84 Newbridge BC 66 - Sat. 3rd July 2010
Newbridge were the visitors to the War Memorial Park where they found the hosts keen to get back to winning ways after losing their last two MBA games. On a difficult green, scorched by the recent hot weather, it was the home bowlers who took the early initiative and built up a steady lead. Royal skip A. Jenkins and his rink of K. Cochrane, P. Smith and C. O'Brien led 11 - 6 after nine ends which they extended to 17 - 10 after fifteen only to see the visitors under skip Clive Cridland pull back to make it close finish in the home side's favour with a 19 - 15 result. Newbridge skip Eddie Harding and his bowlers were involved in a tight battle with the Royal rink of skip K. Bartlett, D. Hann, captain J. Doyle and D. Morgan with the lead changing hands during the course of the game. The visitors held a 6 - 9 advantage after nine ends only for the home bowlers to lead 11 - 9 after twelve.This pattern remained over the closing ends before the Royal rink claimed the spoils with a well-earned 19 - 14 victory. Another exciting game involved the Royal rink which included P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe against the Newbridge rink skipped by Brian Porter. The early ends were tight with the home bowlers holding a slight advantage but their pressure paid off in the end as they overwhelmed their tenacious opponents with a flattering 30 - 13 scoreline. With three rinks showing success, it remained for the Royal's final rink to produce the goods and give the home side maximum points but it was not to be as the Newbridge rink skipped by Malcolm Jones proved far too strong for the Royal rink of skip N. James, T. Ryan, C. Patten and D. Lynch. The visitors recorded a fine 16 - 24 result but this was not enough to save them suffering a 18 aggregate shots defeat against a resurgent home side.
Blaina BC 60 Rhymney Royal BC 73 - Weds. 30th June 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers recorded their fifth win in six games in this entertaining West Mon League game at Duffryn Park in Blaina. The host side, sporting a brand new pavillion, presented themselves as formidable opponents on a fast green conducive to swing bowling. The home rink skipped by D. Cording, opened strongly against the Royal rink of A. Jenkins, K. Cochrane, P. Smith and C. O'Brien leading 10 - 6 at the midpoint but the Royal boys dug deep into their resources to claw back the deficit and gain a well earned 16 - 20 success. Royal skip K. Bartlet and his rink of D. Hann, A. James and D. Morgan bowled steadily throughout their encounter with Blaina's Colin Wall and his bowlers. The visitors built up a 4 - 12 lead at half way and successfully held off the late challenge of the home bowlers in posting a 12 - 15 win. Holding a midway lead of 4 - 14 the third Royal rink, which included P. White, R. Withers and N. Protheroe, completed the task with an emphatic victory by 7 - 25 against the Blaina rink skipped by John Griffiths. The final Royal rink of skip N. James, T. Ryan, C.Patten and D. Lynch suffered a 25 - 13 reverse against Graham Wall's bowlers but their points difference was more than covered by the other Royal rinks who gained a 13 shots aggregate advantage and picking up the twelve league points to keep their momentum going in the West Mon League.
Rhymney derby match was a high-scoring affair
Rhymney Gwent 94 Rhymney Royal 72 - Sat. 19th June 2010
Rhymney Gwent were entertained at the Park by their sister club Rhymney Royal in a much-anticipated Mon. League division two fixture.The scoreline gives the impression of a comfortable win but this was not the case and doesn't tell the drama that unfolded over the course of this highly charged local derby. The Royal were favourites having enjoyed a better start to the campaign and predictably opened up a nine-shot lead by the fifth end.
At the halfway stage it was the Gwent who had recovered to lead by seven with two winning rinks and one level and this gap was maintained until the 16th end - the only difference being there was now only one winning Gwent rink, skipped by Colin Clabby whose 19-shot lead was covering the remaining rinks. Bythe 18thend the game had swung back in the Royal's favour as they led by a single, and there was no indication of the drama to come.
Over the final ends the Gwent amassed 26 shots to the Royal's three, with two winning rinks and one with the scores level to collect 11 of the points on offer when at many times during the game it seemed they would only collect two. The rink of Dave Thomas, Dean Wilde, Andrew Wysoczanskyj and skip Colin Clabby proved the catalyst for the win with a 25-shot advantage over Adrian Jenkins' four. It had not started well as they trailed 5 - 0 after three ends but then came a remarkable sequence of success for the Gwent rink as they conceded only a single shot over the following 17 ends, registering 33 shots in the process to lay the foundations for the success.
Another remarkable game saw Les Wooldridge and his rink of Eddie Matthews, Stendal Todd and Malcolm Siddle lead the Kelvin Bartlett four 18 - 10 and they looked well set for a win but conceded 14 shots over the next four ends to trail 24 - 18 with three ends renaining. Back they came with a six and a three to put them three up with the final end to play and with only a single conceded on the final end they ensured another Gwent winning rink. A third remarlable encounter saw Noel Tippett down 20 - 9 at the 15th end having been outplayed by the Royal rink skipped by Neil James. But again there was one final twist to come with Tippett's four registering seven shots over the final few ends to earn a share of the spoils. It could have been a Gwent win had it not been for a fine saving bowl from James when there was a six-shot lie against him, all within 12 inches of the jack. The remaining duel saw the more experienced Peter Cosh skip his rink of Cyril Patten, Ray Evans and Phil White edge out Keri Denner by five.
Gwent skips first: C. Clabby 33 A. Jenkins 8, L. Woodridge 27 K. Bartlett 25, N. Tippett 22 N. James 22, K. Denner 12 P. Cosh 17.
West Mon League - Wednesday 9th June 2010
Rhymney Royal B.C. 67 Six Bells B.C. 65
Rhymney Royal bowlers completed the double over their Six Bells counterparts by winning for the second time in five days. Having won convincingly by 29 shots the previous Saturday in the MBA league, this West Mon encounter was a much closer affair with just two shots dividing the sides in an exciting climax to the contest.
Six Bells skip Barry Paul and his rink were in red hot form against their Royal opponents building up a 7 - 17 lead after 12 ends and registering an impressive 8 - 25 victory to set a target for the other rinks. First to respond was the Royal rink of N. James with D. Hann, R. Withers and D. Morgan who stepped up to the challenge by turning in a 20 - 10 result after leading 10 - 6 at midpoint in their match against the Six Bell's rink skipped by Gary Heath. Next to follow was the Royal rink skipped by K. Bartlett with P. White, KR Evans and N. Protheroe who turned around a 8 - 10 score after 9 ends into a fine 22 - 13 win against Tim Phelps and his bowlers. All depended on the outcome of the final rink to finish between the Royal's A. Jenkins, A, James, J. Doyle and C. Patten and the visitors led by skip Ray "Tinker" Taylor. In a very close contest which saw the lead change hands frequently, the home bowlers held a narrow advantage at 17 - 15 going into the last end with the aggregate match score also poised delicately with just a few shots separating the sides. The Royal bowlers conceded 2 shots on the final end but this was enough to give the overall contest to the Rhymney side by just a 2 shots margin and the welcome 11 league points that went with it. An improved performance by the visitors but the home bowlers can take a lot of credit out of the fixture for the way they stuck at the task involved.
MBA Division 2 - Saturday 5th June 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 97 Six Bells BC 68
The home bowlers were keen to put the previous nights defeat against Brynmawr behind them as they entertained Six Bells at the War Memorial Park for this MBA league contest. Over the years the visitors have always been a bogey side to the Royal men with many close contests seemingly going in favour of the visitors so much was at stake in this match. Royal skip A. Jenkins with his rink of K. Cochrane, R. Withers and D. Morgan got off to a flying start against skip B. Line putting 8 shots on the board before any reply was forthcoming. The home bowlers continued their dominance to register a very good 29 - 12 victory to set the trend for the other rinks. Six Bells skip T. Phelps and his men again struggled to get to terms with their Royal counterparts who forged into an early 18 - 9 lead before finally finishing with a well earned 27 - 14 win. After leading for almost the entire contest the Royal rink of skip K. Bartlett, D. Hann, P. Smith and C. O'Brien let victory slip through their fingers on the last end as Six Bells skip G. Heath gained 5 shots to level the score at 19 - 19 and share the honours. In similar fashion visiting skip M. Hart and his rink gained a last end victory against the Royal rink of skip N. James, T. Ryan, capt. J. Doyle and C. Patten with a 22 - 23 scoreline to ensure that the visitors did not return home empty handed. A further 11 league points to add to their league total ensures that the Royal bowlers are starting to pick up momentum in this season's campaign.
Brynmawr BC 69 Rhymney Royal BC 44 - Friday 4th June 2010
Rhymney Royal bowlers made a quick exit from the Monmouthshire Knockout Cup competition when they were comprehensively beaten by a more determined home side keen to make amends for their defeat in the league to their visitors earlier in the season. Wins across all four rinks does not happen very often against the Royal bowlers but there were no excuses this time. Home skip O. Dando and his rink worked hard to post a 18 - 15 win having let their opponents back into the contest over the closing ends. Royal skip A. Jenkins gained 8 shots over the last three ends to make the scoreline more respectable but the damage had been done during the earlier ends when the home bowlers built up a 15 - 2 lead. Brynmawr skip A. Williams inflicted the most damaging result in registering a good 25 - 8 win against his Royal counterparts. The remaining home rinks skippered by G. Congreve and E. George recorded fine wins of 15 - 13 and 11 - 8 respectively against their Royal opponents to complete the whitewash and gain their rightful place in the next round of the competition.
West Mon League - Weds. 2nd June 2010
RTB (Ebbw Vale) BC 100 Rhymney Royal BC 46
Unbeaten West Mon side Rhymney Royal travelled to Ebbw Vale for this their third match in the league and they came up against a star-studded RTB side who were themselves riding high with an unbeaten record in all competitions this season. The Royal bowlers were simply outclassed by the home bowlers who can boast numerous current and past international bowlers in their ranks. Former international Robert Price and his rink recorded a good 21 - 7 win over the Royal rink skippered by K. Bartlett whilst ex Rhymney bowler skip JK Evans and his rink which included ex Royal JC Evans proved too strong for the Royal rink skippered by J. Watkins with P. White, P. Smith and C. O'Brien in winning 22 - 14 although the visitors battled well until the closing ends. Young Royal skip N. James and his rink were swamped by the home rink of Robert Silcox and his men who recorded a 40 - 9 scoreline. The closest contest of the evening saw the Royal rink of skip A. Jenkins, K. Cochrane, KR Evans and N. Protheroe battle well against the RTB rink skippered by Scottish international bowler Stuart Anderson. There was very little in the contest as both sides bowled accurately throughout and the lead changed hands continually until the penultimate end when the home rink gained a three shots advantage. This proved too much for the visitors who, although gaining two shots, had to settle for a single shot defeat at 17 - 16 and see their team whitewashed by far more experienced opponents
MBA Division 2: Saturday 29th May 2010
Crickhowell BC 78 Rhymney Royal BC 59
Newly promoted Crickhowell gained an impressive first victory over the visiting Rhymney Royal side in this opening fixture of the Monmouthshire league Division Two. The visitors had high hopes of making a flying start to their campaign but they were brought down to earth by a more determined home side who adapted better to a difficult green and deserved their 19 shots aggregate victory. Young Royal skip N. James with his rink of J. Watkins, C. O'Brien and Royal captain J. Doyle provided the sole victory for the visitors when they gained a 17 - 20 success against skip P. Stahl and his home bowlers after leading throughout the contest. The only other plus for the Royal was the fact that their rink which included P. White, KR Evans and K. Cochrane pulled out all the stops to gain a creditable 17 - 17 draw against Crickhowell's S. Toms and his men after trailing for most of the contest. The other two home rinks recorded good wins with home skip P. Reed gaining a 24 - 9 success against the Royal's K. Bartlett and T. Rees securing a 20 - 13 win against skip A. Jenkins and his men. With only three league points to show for their endeavours the Royal bowlers will need to improve quickly if they are to make any sort of impression in this division this season.
WBA Carruthers Shield - Saturday 22nd May 2010
Abercarn BC 98 Rhymney Royal BC 58
Any hopes the Royal bowlers might have had of progressing in this tournament were quickly dispelled by a determined Abercarn side intent on progressing themselves. Home skip R. Peart and his rink led the way with a resounding 30 - 10 success against Royal skip K. Bartlett with A. James, R. Withers and D. Morgan. In similar fashion the Abercarn rink led by skip K. Driscall proved far too strong for the Royal rink of skip D. Hann, captain J. Doyle, W. Dearth and C. O'Brien in recording a 33 - 14 success. Royal skip J. Watkins with T. Ryan, P. Smith and C. Patten also suffered a reverse at 23 - 12 against Abercarn's J. Beecham and his bowlers. The one Royal bright spot was the solitary success of their rink against Abercarn's N. Ransome and his bowlers with a fine 12 - 22 victory which brought the curtain down on their efforts in this years tournament.
West Mon League - Weds. 19th May 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 74 Nantyglo BC 54
The home bowlers gained their second success in the West Mon League with this 20 shots win over Nantyglo Bowling Club. Young Royal skip N. James with his rink of T. Ryan, KR Evans and C. Patten recorded a good 18 - 11 success against Nantyglo's Fred Griffiths and his bowlers whilst Royal skip D. Hann with captain J. Doyle, P. Smith and N. Protheroe also produced a resounding 25 - 12 win against John Berry's bowlers. The third Royal success saw the home rink gain a single shot 17 - 16 win against Nantyglo's Ken Titford and his men. The only downside for the Royal was the fact that their skip K. Bartlett and his rink let a lead slip through their fingers over the closing ends with a 14 - 15 loss. Nevertheless it was 12 points gained in the league for the Royal side.
WBA Carruthers Shield - Saturday 15th May 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 82 Newport Dockers BC 72
The home bowlers gained their second win in the Carruthers Shield with this 10 shots win against visitors Newport Dockers. The Dockers shared the rink honours at 2 each and gave a good account of themselves in this close fought game. The Newport skip W. Tait and his rink pulled off a 14 - 19 win against the home rink which included P. White, G. Morris and K. Cochrane after trailing for most of the contest whilst fellow skip P. Collins and his bowlers also gave Royal skip J. Watkins and his bowlers a lesson in recording a 12 - 23 victory. The remaining Royal rinks both recorded resounding wins to clinch the victory. Royal skip N. James with T. Ryan, KR. Evans and C. Patten routed the Dockers D. Carter with a fine 28 - 13 win whilst the Royal rink skipped by K. Bartlett and including D. Hann, R. Withers and D. Lynch similarly gained an emphatic 28 - 17 win over J. Ramsey and his bowlers to earn the home side their second success in the competition.
West Mon League - Weds. 5th May 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 70 Brynmawr BC 62
The Royal bowlers opened their West Mon league competition with this fine win over visitors Brynmawr in what was a closely fought match. Royal skip N. James with his rink of P. White, J. Doyle and D. Morgan gained a 23 - 15 winm against Brynmawr's R. Cooper and his bowlers whilst K. Bartlett with D. Hann, G. Morris and K. Cochrane recorded a 27 - 10 success against his opponents. Unfortunately the other two home rinks did not have the same success with the Royal's A. Jenkins going down 8 - 21 to N. Hunt and skip J. Watkins losing by 4 shots at 12 - 16 to P. Carey and his bowlers. However the Royal bowlers gained an 8 shots aggregate win and the 10 points that go with it.
WBA Carruthers Shield - Saturday 1st May 2010
Cross Keys BC 94 Rhymney Royal BC 63
The home side completed a whitewash against their Royal visitors in this the second game in the WBA Carruthers Shield for the Rhymney side. Bouyede by their victory the previous week in this competition the visitors knew that a result at Division One Cross Keys was always going to be a tall order but the cup is the cup and anything can happen on the day. But it was not to be as the home side won all four rinks and a 31 shots aggregate winning margin to register their first win in the competition. Scores:Tommy Hancock 17 N James 15; Ian Slade 22 P Bernard 18; Simon Bushell 28 J Watkins 16; Andy Bushell 27 K Bartlett 14.
Ron Collins Cup - Weds. 28th April 2010
Rhymney Gwent BC 61 Rhymney Royal BC 60
Playing away on their own green the Royal lost this traditional cup game by the narrowest of margins - a single shot - to their close friends and coinhabitants at the War Memorial Park the Rhymney Gwent side. Although the rink honours were shared at 2 each the Gwent side led by skipper Malcolm Evans held on for a tight finish in a match played in a good spirit. Royal skip A. Jenkins with his rink of D. Lynch, C. Patten and J. Doyle registered a good 9 - 15 success against Andrew Wysoczansky and his team whilst fellow Royal skip P. Cosh with his rink of P. White, K. Cochrane and N. Protheroe recorded a similar 10 - 21 victory over Malcolm Siddle's rink.Gwent skip and current WBA President Noel Tippett led his rink to a three shots win over the Royal's J. Watkins and skip Colin Clabby guided his rink to a 24 - 9 emphatic success over the Royal's D. Hann and his bowlers to ensure a share of the honours but better still a single shot victory and their hands on the Collins Cup.
WBA Carruthers Shield - Saturday 24th April 2010
Rhymney Royal BC 93 Ynysddu BC 71
Rhymney Royal bowlers welcomed Ynysddu Bowling Club to a sunny War Memorial Park for their first group game in this season's Carruthers Shield tournament. The visitors were led by a former youthful-looking local lad Leighton Jones and his Mon. Division 4 side gave a really good account of themselves as they pressurised their Division 2 hosts for most of the game. Visiting skip M. Warwick and his bowlers opened by a commanding 0 - 16 lead after 10 ends and the home rink skipped by T. Ryan looked to be on a real hiding but two sixes dropped in three ends changed the complexion of the game and the Royal rink came back strongly to gain a 29 - 19 victory. Captain Jones and his bowlers had their hands full trying to contain the home rink which included P. White, K. Cochrane and N. Protheroe as the home bowlers built steadily to record a good 28 - 14 success whilst Royal skip A. James with his rink of I. Prosser, P. Smith and C. O'Brien worked tirelessly in gaining their single shot 21 - 20 win over Peter Simkins and his bowlers. Three rink wins but the fourth Royal rink skipped by A. Jenkins and included captain J. Doyle, G. Morris and C. Patten suffered a 15 - 18 reverse at the hands of more determined opponents. However a 22 shots aggregate victory saw the home side take their first step on the road to what they hope will be a long and successful Carruthers journey.
Royal Open With Friendly Wins
Rhymney Royal BC 76 New Tredegar BC 75
Rhymney Royal BC 82 Guest Keen Memorial BC 43
Rhymney Royal Bowling Club opened the new season with two wins in friendly matches against local opposition. In the first match against newly promoted neighbours New Tredegar the hosts were made to work hard against a determined side looking to build momentum for their first season in Mon. Division 3. The home side trailed for most of the match and it looked as though the visitors would record a rare victory at the War Memorial Park but a soplid finish by young skip N. James and his rink ensured that the Royal bowlers would claim the spoils with a single shot win. Nevertheless the New Tredegar side can take heart from the result which saw them lose just two rinks whilst drawing one and winning the other with a fine 9 - 22 score in skip G. Hough's favour.
This narrow victory was followed by the visit of Guest Memorial Bowling Club from Dowlais in what is becoming a regular fixture in the calendar. The Royal bowlers took heed of the lessons learnt from the previous match by settling into their rhythm sooner and building on a solid start which saw them open up a fine 48 - 15 lead at the mid point in the game. All four home rinks held leads which they built upon over the closing ends to register a 82 - 39 victory with Royal skip J. Watkins making a welcome return to the green in guiding his rink to a resounding 25 - 4 success.
Pre-Season Meeting: All members please note that the pre-season meeting will now be held on THURSDAY 1st April 2010 at 7.30pm in the Farmers Arms, Rhymney.