RTB started their season in fine form with a comprehensive 59 shot victory in this six rink friendly against Merthyr West End. The visitors were in control from the start, establishing a 53 shot advantage after just 10 ends. The four of G. Knapman, AK Price, B. Daniels and J. Norris rarely looked troubled as the raced to a 16 – 1 lead against the B. Cole four after just 9 ends. They managed to sustain this standard in the second half eventually running out comfortable 39 – 10 winners. After establishing an early 22-1 advantage, the four of W. Kirkby, B. Chambers, M. Lewis and A. Rigby withstood a second half rally by the J. Davies four, eventually winning 30 – 15. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): R. Price 25 – 10 J. Evans; JK Evans 26 – 10 PS Lynn; R. Silcox 16 – 25 N. Minnett; L. Thomas 20 – 17 T. Magness.
Girlings 51 RTB 124
RTB made a solid start to this seasons’ Carruthers Shield campaign as they romped to a comprehensive 73 shot victory against Girlings. After establishing a 37 shot advantage after 10 ends, RTB continued to pressurise the home team in the second half and extend their lead. The rink of R. Harvey, B. Birch, S. Batten and R. Price were in control from the start of the match, rapidly establishing a 25 – 3 advantage against the J. Silvester four. Further counts in the second half saw the visitors run out comfortable 45 – 7 winners. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): S. Anderson 32 – 7 P. Watkins; J. Tomlinson 32 – 13 B. Gould; and JK Evans 15 – 24 R. Jenkins.
RTB 104 Nantyglo 48
RTB maintained their unbeaten start to the season as they defeated local rivals Nantyglo by 56 shots in this Carruther’s Shield group match. The rink of H. Bull, JC Evans, L. Thomas and J. Tomlinson made a formidable start as they raced to a 31 – 0 lead after 12 ends against the R. Dando four. The deficit was too great for the visitors to overcome and the home side eased to a 39 – 5 victory. After leading 16 – 5 after 11 ends against the rink skipped by J. Bray, the S. Anderson four withstood a late rally as lead was reduced to 4 shots before winning four of the last 5 ends to secure a 26 – 13 win. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): R. Price 20 – 17 K. Howells; S. Harris 19 – 13 A. Williams.
Ebbw Vale Welfare 47 RTB 85
RTB made a successful start to the defence of their West Mon League title as they captured a maximum 14 points from their new neighbours!After establishing an 11 – 9 advantage, the rink of R. Wakely, M. Maunder, W. Hughes and S. Harris proved too strong for the D. Hughes four as they won the final 7 ends to win 25 – 9. The JK Evans four dominated the last four ends to defeat the J. Short rink 25 – 10. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): S. Batten 19 – 14 J. Ridley; R. Price 16 – 14 V. Evans.
Panteg House 35 RTB 157
RTB cruised through to the knockout stages of the Carruther’s Shield with a crushing 122 shot victory over Panteg House. After conceding only 2 ends in the entire match, the rink of H. Bull, JC Evans, R. Walters and J. Tomlinson ran out comprehensive 55 – 5 winners against the J. Garrett four. The S. Harris rink comfortably defeated the R. Gibbon four 37 – 8. A strong finish from the S. Anderson four saw the visitors defeat the A. Pask four, 32 – 9. After battling back to 12 – 8, the W. George four couldn’t contain the rink skipped by R. Price as they ran out 33 – 13 winners.
Six Bells 47 RTB 70
RTB maintained their unbeaten West Mon league record with a 23 shot victory against Six Bells, taking all 14 points available. The rink consisting of D. Buffin, M. Evans, R. Walters and S. Batten withstood a late rally by the M. Hart four to eventually win 18 – 11. After a steady start, the rink of H. Bull, M. Maunder, S. Baker and R. Price picked up 9 shots in 3 ends to run out 17 – 10 victors over the R. Everley four. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): JK Evans 19 – 13 G. Heath; L. Thomas 16 – 13 B. Paul.
RTB 81 Pontymister Athletic 54
RTB progressed to the last 16 of the MBA Knockout Cup with a hard earned 27 shot victory over Division 1 rivals, Pontymister Athletic. After a steady start, the rink of H. Bull, S. Baker, L. Thomas and J. Tomlinson dominated the latter stages, winning 6 of the final 9 ends to defeat the A. Goodwin four, 22 – 11. The S. Harris four proved too strong for the rink skipped by P. Huntley as they ran out 24 – 14 winners. The R. Price four held their nerve on the final end, picking up four shots to defeat the R. Venn four 18 – 13. The visitors only winning rink was that skipped by D. Lewis who defeated the JK Evans rink 17 – 20.
Caldicot 66 RTB 105
Defending league champions RTB bounced back from the disappointment of last week’s defeat as they claimed 12 of the 14 points available in this MBA Division 1 clash. Despite conceding four shots on the first 2 ends, the rink consisting of R. Harvey, W. Hughes, J. Brown and R. Price quickly overturned this early deficit as they raced into a 24 – 6 lead after 12 ends. The visitors continued their form in the final stages as they defeated the I. Parsons four, 31 – 10. The four of D. Baker, JC Evans, R. Silcox and JK Evans dominated the latter stages as they won the final 8 ends to defeat the B. Howard four, 25 – 9. In a high-scoring match, the J. Tomlinson edged out the rink skipped by K. Nash, 31 – 27 in a game that saw the visitors pick up a maximum 8 shots in the early stages before dropping 15 shots over the next 5 ends! Once again it was the visitors who finished the stronger of the two rinks, winning four of the last six ends to win the rink and secure another 2 points for the team. Caldicot’s only points came from a tense finish as R. Bryant moved the jack with his final bowl to secure a count of 5 shots which was sufficient to defeat the S. Harris four 18 – 20.
RTB 90 Caerphilly Town 62
RTB stormed into the last 32 of the Carruthers Shield after a hard fought 28 shot victory over Caerphilly Town. The home side started strongly and the standard of bowling was exceptionally high for both teams. The four of Howard Bull, Jamie Brown, Lee Thomas and Jonathan Tomlinson had the perfect start as they raced into a 10 – 0 advantage over the A. Atwood four. The home rink maintained their standards throughout the match, eventually winning 30 – 12. After a slow start, trailing 0 – 7 after 3 ends, the rink consisting of R. Underwood, JC Evans, JK Evans and S. Harris battled to establish a 13 – 11 advantage over the M. Wyatt rink with 4 ends left to play. Counts of 6 shots and 4 shots on the next two ends effectively sealed the win for the home team as the RTB rink ran out 24 – 13 winners. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): S. Anderson 21 – 18 M. Selway; R. Price 15 – 19 I. Henderson. RTB will now face local rivals Beaufort in the next round.
RTB would like to congratulate Steve Harris (RTB), Jonathan Tomlinson (RTB) and Owain Dando (Brynmawr) for their selection in the squad to represent Wales in the forthcoming British Isles Championships, which is to be played at Worthing next weekend. RTB would also like to wish Stewart Anderson all the best as he represents Scotland in the British Isles fours.
Beaufort 65 RTB 71
RTB maintained their 100% record in the West Mon league with a dramatic late comeback against local rivals Beaufort, taking 10 of the 14 points available. After a poor start by the visitors, Beaufort held a 17 shot advantage after 10 ends. The rink of T. Sefton, S. Harris, W. Hughes and R. Price won 8 of the last 10 ends against the J. Foote four, eventually winning 24 – 8. After trailing 9 – 16 with three ends remaining, the R. Silcox four scored 13 shots and conceded 1 shot in the final three ends to beat the D. Davies rink, 22 – 17. The JK Evans four fought back in the second half, after trailing 3 – 14, to reduce the deficit to 2 shots with 5 ends left to play. However, the Beaufort four held out with some excellent bowls from D. Davies (Jnr) to win 12 – 21. The T. Daniel four overcame the rink skipped by S. Batten, 13 – 19, to claim the remaining points.
RTB 86 Blackwood` 47
Defending MBA cup champions RTB advanced to the last 8 of this year’s competition with a solid 39 shot victory over Blackwood in a round that saw a number of the top flight clubs bow out of the competition. The home side had an excellent start, leading by 30 shots at the halfway stage. The four of H. Bull, S. Baker, R. Walters and JK Evans led the way with a resounding 29 – 13 win over the D. Witchell four. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): S. Batten 18 – 8 H. Jenkins; L Thomas 25 – 11 M Davies; R. Price 14 – 15 A. Witchell.
Whiteheads 66 RTB 69
RTB withstood a late fight back by Whiteheads to claim a well-earned 3 shot victory, taking 10 league points in the process. The R. Silcox four produced an excellent performance that saw them defeat the M. Strange four 23 – 7. The R. Price rink withstood a late rally to beat the N. Berry four 23 – 17. The JK Evans four lost to the A. Bradford rink 13 – 26 after the home skip played a number of excellent conversion shots. The L Thomas four narrowly lost 10 – 16 to the rink skipped by S. Humphreys.
RTB would like to congratulate S. Anderson on being a part of the rink that won the British Isles fours in Worthing.
RTB 113 Blaina 61
RTB took another step closer to retaining the West Mon league title by taking all 14 points available against Blaina. The home side were in fine form as they established a 32 shot advantage after 10 ends. The rink consisting of R. Underwood, I. Powell, B. Birch and R. Price led the way with a 33-13 win against the H. Knight four. The rink consisting of D. Buffin, S. Baker, W. Hughes and L. Thomas were also in excellent form as they defeated the C. Williams four, 30 -11. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB skips first):S. Harris 26 – 13 B. Reynolds, JK Evans 24 – 14 J. Kitt.
Beaufort 68 RTB 74
In what was arguably the tie of the round, RTB narrowly defeated a strong Beaufort side to advance to the last 16 of the Carruthers Shield. The crowd of spectators that gathered at Beaufort were treated to an outstanding game of bowls in which the lead changed hands numerous times. As is typical for this fierce local derby, sides were rarely separated by no more than just a few shots at any time. Despite trailing 13 – 15 after 15 ends, the rink consisting of D. Baker, R. Walters, R. Silcox and S. Anderson won the last 6 ends to defeat the T. Daniels four 30 – 15. The rink skipped by J. Tomlinson held their nerve in the last few ends to defeat the C. Williams four, 15 – 14. Some excellent conversion shots by Danny Davies towards the latter stages of the match saw the home rink eventually defeat the S. Harris four 19 – 10. The R. Price four narrowly lost 19 – 20 to the rink skipped by D. Davies (Jnr). RTB will now face a home tie against Glyncorrwg in the last 16 of the tournament.
Brynmawr 67 RTB 55
RTB’s unbeaten run in the West Mon league came to an end in the penultimate fixture of the league campaign against Brynmawr, with the visitors only taking 4 of the 14 points available. The four consisting of R. Harvey, JC Evans, B. Birch and R. Price edged the R. Cooper four 15 – 10, and the R. Silcox four beating the N. Hunt four 16 – 12, provided the visitors with their points total. Despite leading 12 – 2 after 6 ends, the S. Batten four conceded 10 of the next 12 ends to see this scoreline overturned by the A. Williams rink, 15 - 25. The G. Congreve four were always in control against the JK Evans rink, eventually winning 9 – 20. RTB now face Cwm in the final fixture of the league, needing a win to seal the league title.
RTB 90 Whiteheads 64
RTB bounced back from their midweek disappointment with a comprehensive 26 shot victory against Whiteheads in the Monmouthshire knockout cup quarter finals. The home side were in control from the start of the match and established an overall 33 shot advantage after 10 ends. The rink of R. Walters, S. Baker, JK Evans and S. Harris raced into a 19 – 7 lead after 10 ends and maintained their fine form in the latter stages to defeat the A. Bradford four, 32 – 12. The S. Anderson four withstood a late rally from the rink skipped by N. Berry to win 15 – 11. The J. Tomlinson four picked up a count of four shots on the final end to seal a hard-earned 19 – 14 win over the M. Strange four. Despite leading 20 – 10, the four skipped by R. Price were pegged back and eventually succumbed 24 – 27 to the S. Humphreys four. RTB will now face Beechwood in the semi final at Newbridge B.C. on Friday 30th July.
Beaufort 78 RTB 78
The third encounter in as many weeks between local rivals RTB and Beaufort ended in a hard earned draw for both sides, with both sides taking 7 of the 14 points available in this Monmouthshire Division 1 fixture. Despite the importance of this fierce local derby to both teams, the fixture was played in excellent spirits by both sides on and off the green and was once again a credit to the standard of bowls within Monmouthshire. The rink of R. Underwood, W. Hughes, R. Walters and R. Price finished their game in excellent form as they outscored the four skipped by J. Foote over the last four ends, 10 – 1, to win the rink 26 – 18. After trailing for most of the game, the S. Anderson four edged a close encounter with the rink skipped by D. Davies, 21 – 19. The S. Harris four saw a 13 – 9 advantage overturned in the latter stages by the D. Davies (Jnr) rink, eventually losing 14 – 22. In a typically nail-biting finish to this fixture, the visitors found themselves trailing by 1 shot with the final rink playing the last end. The J. Tomlinson four held the 2 shots required for the overall win with two bowls remaining. However, an excellent bowl by C. Williams to draw shot saw Beaufort lying match. There was even more drama to follow with the final delivery as RTB skip, Jonathan Tomlinson, attacked the head with his final bowl to move the jack and leave the visitors with the single shot needed to draw the match overall. The final rink score (RTB first): J. Tomlinson 17 – 19 C. Williams.
RTB 77 Glyncorrwg 81
RTB bowed out of the Carruthers Shield at the last 16 stage with a narrow 4 shot defeat at the hands of Glyncorrwg. After a poor start, the home side never recovered and found themselves trailing the West Glamorgan outfit from the early stages. Despite trailing 4 – 15 after 10 ends, the Stewart Anderson four rallied in the second half to reduce the deficit to a single shot as they picked up 5 shots on the final end, eventually losing 23 – 24 to the G. Simon four. The S. Harris four were also pipped at the post by the J. Tomlinson four as they conceded 2 shots on the final end, losing 18 – 19. After a tight first 10 ends, the R. Price four couldn’t contain the R. Watkins four as they lost 7 of the last 8 ends to eventually lose 12 – 25. The final rink saw RTB skip Jonathan Tomlinson drawn against his brother, Ross in a match that was truly a family affair! The visitors made the better start, racking up a 0 – 9 advantage after just 4 ends. However, the four of H. Bull, B. Birch, J. Brown and Jonathan Tomlinson dominated the rest of the match as they won 13 of the remaining 17 ends to eventually win 24 – 13.
RTB 79 Cwm 51
RTB recovered from last week’s disappointing loss at the hands of Brynmawr with a 28 shot victory over Cwm. The overall win gave RTB 12 of the 14 points available from the fixture and sealed a successful defence of their West Mon League championship. The rink of H. Bull, M. Maunder, B. Birch and S. Batten led the way with a comprehensive 31 – 11 victory over the A. King four. The home rink skipped by Robert Price proved too strong in the latter stages for the R. Price (Cwm) four, winning 6 of the last 8 ends to win 18 – 12. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): R. Silcox 15 – 11 J. Prior; JK Evans 15 – 17 D. Badcock.
Llanhilleth 65 RTB 68
A depleted RTB side produced a solid performance to defeat a determined Llanhilleth outfit by 3 shots in the quarter final of the Blaenau Gwent Cup. The rink of M. Evans, C. Jones, R. Harvey and S. Baker withstood a late rally by the L. Bowd four to win 15 – 9. The R. Silcox four produced a solid performance, recovering from a 4 – 9 deficit in the early stages to defeat the T. Tranter four, 18 – 16. After trailing 6 – 10, the B. Birch four won 8 of the final 11 ends to defeat the B. Green four, 18 – 15. After leading 12 – 5, the D. Baker four never recovered after conceding 11 shots in 2 ends, eventually losing 17 – 25 to the E. Davies four.
RTB will once again face an away fixture against Beaufort in the semi final.
Beaufort 60 RTB 50
Despite both sides missing a number of players for this Blaenau Gwent Cup semi final, a highly competitive encounter saw Beaufort defeat their local rivals by 10 shots as the home team and defending champions finished the stronger of the two sides. With the lead restricted to single figures and changing hands a number of times throughout the match, it was the home rink skipped by C. Williams that proved influential as they defeated the B. Birch four, 22 – 8. The D. O’Callaghan four narrowly defeated the D. Baker four 13 – 10. The rink skipped by J. Foote picked up four shots on the last 3 ends to draw 13 – 13 with the S. Baker four. RTB’s only winning rink was that of R. Silcox who defeated the P. Williams four 19 – 12.
RTB 116 Blackwood 51
RTB reignited their chances of winning their fourth successive MBA Division 1 title with an emphatic 65 shot victory against Blackwood, taking all 14 points in the process. The rink of JC Evans, R. Harvey, W. Hughes and S. Harris made an excellent start, leading the H. Jenkins four 25 – 4 after 12 ends. Despite a late rally by the visitors, the deficit was too much to overturn in the remaining ends and the home side romped to a comfortable 33 – 13 victory. After a closely contested first half, the R. Price four dominated the second half against the M. Bidgeway rink, winning 7 of the remaining 10 ends to win 28 – 10. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): JK Evans 30 – 16 T. Johnson; S. Anderson 25 – 12 A. Witchell.
RTB now trail Beaufort by 24 points with another two games (possible 28 points) in hand over the league leaders and another 6 games to play in total.
RTB would like to congratulate Jonathan Tomlinson for successfully defending his MBA singles title, and R. Harvey & S. Harris for winning the MBA pairs title. Commiserations to J. Brown, JK Evans and S. Harris who lost in the triples final. Good luck to all the players as they compete in the National Championships at Llandrindod Wells on 16th – 20th August.
RTB 98 Beechwood 49
Defending champions RTB progressed to their third successive MBA Knockout Cup final with a 49 shot victory over third division Beechwood at Newbridge. Despite having three of the four rinks leading after 9 ends, RTB found themselves trailing by 1 shot overall as the R. Price rink slumped to a 2 – 18 deficit. However, the R. Price four won 7 of the remaining 9 ends to overturn the scoreline and eventually defeated the S. Mitchell four 25 – 11. After a slow start the rink consisting of JC Evans, S. Baker, D. Baker and R. Silcox produced a solid second half performance to defeat the D. Spear four, 27 – 8. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): S. Harris 26 – 9 B. Carroll; JK Evans 20 – 11 D. Hill.
RTB will now face either Belle View or St. Julians in the final at Newport Athletic on Friday 13th August.
Pontyfelin 68 RTB 101
RTB gained some ground on league leaders Beaufort as they took the maximum 14 points available from this Monmouthshire Division 1 clash against Pontyfelin. After a slow start the visitors took a hold of the game, establishing a 34 shot advantage after 10 ends. The rink of R. Harvey, W. Hughes, J. Brown and S. Harris raced into an early 24 – 8 advantage over the T. Carr four after 12 ends, and proved too strong in the latter stages as they eventually ran out 37 – 16 winners. Despite both rinks making solid starts, the rinks skipped by S. Anderson and R. Price squandered early advantages as the home side fought back. However, both rinks held their nerve over the last few ends to win. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): R. Price 18 – 17 M. Noweld; S. Anderson 22 – 18 M. Jones; J. Tomlinson 24 – 17 M. Young.
RTB 83 Cross Keys 63
With a number of players missing, RTB produced an excellent team performance to defeat a spirited Cross Keys side by 20 shots and take 12 of the 14 points available from this MBA fixture. The final scoreline was deceiving as with 18 ends gone there was only 3 shots separating the two sides. It was the rink consisting of T. Sefton, W. Hughes, L. Thomas and S, Harris that produced an outstanding second half performance to run out 27 – 13 winners against the P. Watkins four after winning 10 of the last 12 ends. After establishing an early 11 – 4 advantage, the S. Anderson four also finished strongly to defeat the S. Bushell four 23 – 10. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): R. Price 19 – 12 I. Slade; JK Evans 14 – 28 A. Bushell.
RTB 101 Machen 64
RTB moved to the top of the Monmouthshire Division 1 League with a 37 shot win over Machen, taking all of the 14 points available. Once again the match was a closely fought contest with the home side only stretching their lead in the final few ends. The four consisting of R. Harvey, W. Hughes, JK Evans and S.Harris once again made an excellent start to the match as they raced into a 16 – 4 lead against the P. Williams four. The home four were able to maintain their advantage over the closing stages to eventually win 26 – 11. After 17 ends only 9 shots separated the two sides. However, large shot counts on all rinks saw the home side pick up 20 unanswered shots and pave the way for the overall win. The J. Tomlinson four withstood a late rally by the rink skipped by M. Lewis to eventually win 29 – 18. The R. Price four saw their early 14 – 5 advantage reduced to a single shot by the M. Doody four as they entered the closing stages. However, the RTB four held their nerve to win the match 26 – 16. The final rink saw the S. Anderson four let an early 12 – 6 advantage against the rink skipped by O. Williams slip away to a 17 – 21 deficit as they entered the final end. However, a count of 5 shots on the final end saw the home rink ensure that RTB gained the maximum points from this fixture.
RTB 92 St. Julians 55
RTB won the MBA Knockout Cup for the third consecutive year with a 37 shot victory against St. Julians at Newport Athletic Bowls Club. On a difficult surface and despite unfavourable weather conditions, the defending champions opened up a 10 shot advantage after 5 ends against their Division 3 opponents. However, RTB took control of the match and extended their lead to 23 shots overall after 12 ends. The rink consisting of R. Underwood, J. Brown, L. Thomas and J. Tomlinson raced into a 21 – 1 lead after 10 ends against the D. Kalahar four. This lead proved too much for the opposing four as the RTB rink ran out comfortable 31 – 6 winners. After a slow start, trailing 0 – 5, the rink of JC Evans, D. Baker, R. Silcox and S. Anderson took control of the match winning 10 of the last 14 ends to defeat the C. Mason four, 29 – 9. Despite trailing 3 – 12 at the halfway stage, the four of H. Bull, S. Baker, R. Walters and R. Price rallied in the latter stages to reduce the deficit to a single shot, eventually losing 16 – 17 against the rink skipped by T. Leighton. The rink of T. Sefton, W. Hughes, JK Evans and S. Harris saw an initial 10 – 4 advantage overturned by the B. Martin four as they eventually lost 16 – 23.
RTB 122 Chepstow 43
RTB took another step closer to an unprecedented third successive league / cup double with a resounding 79 shot victory over Chepstow. The home team dominated proceedings from the start as they established a 45 shot advantage after 10 ends. Once again, it was the rink of R. Underwood, J. Brown, L. Thomas and J. Tomlinson that made an excellent start, quickly establishing a 20 – 1 advantage over the A. Starr four. The hosts continued to apply the pressure in the second half, eventually winning 35 – 12. The S. Anderson four also dominated proceedings as they defeated the C. Davies rink, 29 – 9. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): S. Harris 30 – 11 K. Bolton; R. Price 28 – 11. RTB now lead second placed rivals Beaufort by 12 points with each side having 2 matches left to play.
RTB would like to wish J. Tomlinson, R. Harvey, S. Harris, J. Brown and JK Evans the best of luck as they compete in the National finals in Llandrindod Wells this week. Also good luck to all the other Monmouthshire competitors.
Brynmawr 36 RTB 106
RTB took a step closer to retaining their MBA Division 1 title with a crushing 70 shot victory against local rivals Brynmawr, taking all 14 points available. The game was played in difficult conditions on a cold, wet Thursday evening, and with difficulties with light expected, the game was shortened to 18 ends. It was the visitors who started strongest as the rink consisting of R. Harvey, R. Walters, JK Evans and S. Harris raced into a 19 – 2 advantage over the E. George four after 10 ends. The following five ends yielded a further 19 shots for the visitors extending their lead to 38 – 2. However, the home rink persevered in the latter stages to pick up 6 shots, reducing the deficit to 40 – 8. After the first 7 ends, the S. Anderson rink held a slender 7 – 3 advantage over the A. Williams four. However, the visitors once again dominated the latter stages, winning 10 of the 11 remaining ends to win 30 – 4. The J. Tomlinson four held their nerve to edge the O. Dando rink 16 – 11 and the rink skipped by R. Price picked up a 6 shot count on the penultimate end to ensure maximum points for the team, as they defeated the G. Congreve four 20 – 13.
RTB 89 Pontymister Athletic 62
RTB clinched a fourth successive MBA Division 1 title and their third successive MBA league and cup double with a 27 shot victory over Pontymister Athletic, taking 12 of the 14 points available from the fixture. The rink of JC Evans, D. Baker, R. Silcox and S. Anderson won the last 12 ends of the match to defeat the A. Goodwin four, 30 – 7. The rink skipped by R. Price established a 21 – 7 advantage against the R. Venn four. However, the visitors rallied in the latter stages to reduce the deficit to 6 shots, 21 – 15. The J. Tomlinson four also withstood a late rally by the rink skipped by P. Huntley, eventually winning 20 – 19. The visitors’ only points came from the rink skipped by B. Prothero as the visitors battled in the final few ends to defeat the S. Harris four, 18 – 21.
Belle Vue 49 RTB 104
RTB kept their hopes of winning the Gwent Bowls league (4-rink) alive with an emphatic 55 shot victory over Belle Vue, taking all 14 points available. The rink of T. Sefton, W. Kirkby, J. Norris and B. Chambers overturned an initial 2 – 6 deficit after 4 ends by winning the next 10 ends establishing a 27 – 6 advantage. Despite a late rally by the L. Szanto four, the visitors finished strongly to eventually win 35 – 13. After a close initial exchange, the M. Lewis four took control of the final stages of the match, winning 7 of the last 8 ends to defeat the R. Haines four, 26 – 10. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): I. Powell 22 – 11 P. Hinton; J. Hopkins 21 – 15 J. Tomkins.
Bedwas & Trethomas 89 RTB 61
RTB’s hopes of winning the Gwent Bowls league were dented following a 28 shot defeat against league rivals Bedwas & Trethomas, with the visitors only taking 2 points from the fixture. RTB’s only winning rink was that of G. Knapman, M. Maunder, R. Dunning and M. Lewis who defeated the A. Jones four 29 – 8. Other rink scores were as follows (RTB first): B. Chambers 12 – 27 K. James; J. Hopkins 13 – 25 J. Evans; I. Powell 7 – 29 DT Jones. Despite this setback, RTB still have 2 more games left to play than their league rivals and therefore still remain in contention for the league title.
Chepstow 84 RTB 97
The MBA Gwent Bowls 4 rink league was decided on this final league fixture as leaders RTB travelled to second-placed Chepstow. Having already captured the MBA Division 1 and MBA Knockout cup titles, RTB were chasing a grand slam of MBA titles for only the second time in history, knowing all too well that it was at this final hurdle that their opposition had scuppered their chances of the same accolade the previous season. The rink of M. Evans, M. Maunder, C. Jones and R. Dunning took control from the start of the match and never trailed the P. Modris four as they eventually ran out comfortable 26 – 14 winners. An excellent start by the rink of R. Wakely, AK Price, D. Baker and I. Powell saw the visitors holding a 30 – 9 advantage as they entered the closing stages against the P. Lawrence four. However, a late rally over the final few ends saw this advantage reduced to a final winning margin of 30 – 23. Despite trailing 3 – 9 against the K. Spencer four after just 7 ends, the rink of HR Bull, B. Cunningham, S. Baker and J. Hopkins won 10 of the next 11 ends to take a 23 – 11 advantage. Once again a late rally by the home side saw the lead reduced to a final score of 24 – 19. Despite a disastrous start, the four of B. Daniels, W. Kirkby, J. Norris and D. Buffin found themselves trailing 0 – 18 after 8 ends. The visitors dug deep to reduce the deficit by half over the next 6 ends and showed a great deal of character in the latter stages. However, the deficit was too great to overcome and they were eventually defeated 17 – 28 by the J. Bowsey four. RTB took 12 of the 14 points available from the fixture to claim the title.
RTB would like to congratulate L. Thomas, JK Evans, JC Evans, R. Harvey, R. Underwood and S. Anderson on reaching the West Mon competition finals to be played at Brynmawr BC on September 19th, with the club having representatives in the singles, pairs, triples and open fours finals.