Victoria Bowls Club league teams recorded two victories and two defeats in the latest round of league matches.

ALL four Victoria Bowls Club league teams were in action, which resulted in two wins and two defeats.

The A team were playing their first game in the lower division of the Premier League and even with home advantage, lost on all rinks to Weston Bath. Club captain Mike Manning, while disappointed with the start to the season, is confident the result will act as a wake-up call for future matches.

The B team travelled to Banwell and won on two of the three rinks, coming away with a welcome 10 points, with Mike Taylor skipping his rink of Harrison Whyte, Phil Fisher and Tony Bray to a 26-shot victory

The C team also won two rinks at home against Clevedon Prom B and mirrored the B team with an emphatic rink win of 18 shots by John Codrington, Graham Richards, Keith Holland and skip Derek Jones.

The D team travelled to Mark Moor and although losing the match, came away with a valuable four points courtesy of two rink wins skipped by John Griffiths and Dave Avery.

Victoria travelled to Castle Cary for their National Double Rink match and despite the best efforts of the team, were defeated by a good Castle Cary team and a heavy green on a cold night.

In the Over-60s KO Cup, the Saxons entertained Ashcombe Knights and made heavy weather of the victory. Only 19 shots up after 11 ends, they came strong towards the end to record a fine win of 42 shots, winning five rinks. Top rink performers were Roger Rockett, Terry Gatehouse and Tony Bray.

Although Victoria played six competitive games in the week, they were still able to accommodate two friendlies against local rivals Banwell at home and Bridgewater away.

Banwell put in a strong performance to win three of the four rinks, but a resounding victory by the rink of Pete Wyatt, Terry Gatehouse, Paul Leadbeater and Mike Manning, swung the result in favour of Victoria by just four shots.

The trip to Bridgwater again saw Victoria lose three of the four rinks, but this time a high shot victory by Mike Willetts, Bill Nicholls, Keith Holland and skip Derek Jones failed to overturn the result, with Bridgwater winning by 14 shots.

Victoria A 46 (0), Weston Bath 74 (12) (Somerset County League): P Lunn, K Curtis, P Leadbeater, M Stocker 19-21; R Fenwick, M Campbell, D Williams, C Gazzard 10-29; J Newman, A Uccellini, B Stock, M Cooper 17-24.

Victoria B 73 (10), Banwell B 47 (2): D Beard, M Fletcher, J Howell, D Hurst 25-16; P Wyatt, N Sell, H Gibbs, M Manning 15-24; H Whyte, P Fisher, A Bray, M Taylor 33-7.

Victoria C 89 (10), Clevedon Prom B 51 (2): R Austin, M Milliner, A Shattock, S Evans 24-19; J Codrington, G Richards, K Holland, D Jones 31-13; R Jacobs, E Sage, T Gatehouse, G Frost 14-19.

Victoria D 55 (4), Mark Moor 58 (8): W Nicholls, R Sleep, J Mingo-West, J Kerr 13-25; K Leahy, A Webb, R. Sparkes, J Griffiths 21-15; N Stocker, R Hollier, B Saward, D Avery 21-18.

Victoria 26, Castle Cary 49 (National Double Rink): D Fairhurst, N Sell, K Harvey, B Stock 14-22; M Campbell, J Newman, A Bray, D Williams 12-27.

Victoria Saxons 130, Ashcombe Knights 88 (Weston & District Over-60s Cup): R Rockett, T Gatehouse, A Bray 30-11; M Campbell, K Curtis, D Hurst 24-11; H Whyte, K Holland, D Williams 9-21; J Newman, M Manning, B Stock 26-12; M Taylor, D Sealey, M Taylor 22-17; P Lunn, A Uccellini, M Stocker 19-16.

Victoria 85, Banwell 81 (friendly): D Beard, P Fisher, J Howell, D Hurst 19-32; N Stocker, M Willetts, N Sell, D Jones 20-22; P Wyatt, T Gatehouse, P Leadbeater, M Manning 32-10; D Fairhurst, A Shattock, C Chudley, M Stocker 14-17.

Victoria 70, Bridgwater 84 (friendly): R Austin, C Chudley, G Frost 11-23; G Richards, R Rockett, J Mingo-West, E Sage 10-25; M Willetts, W Nicholls, K Holland, D Jones 34-9; J Codrington, M Milliner, D Hurst, M Manning 15-27.

WEST Sussex men’s tourist team were just the tonic Winscombe needed after some disappointing results last week.

An entertaining and social occasion, assisted by a good win for the home side made for the perfect antidote.

During the week, Winscombe played in a close and exciting encounter at Nailsea in the Clevedon & District Evening League. Two ends before the close, Winscombe were winning by nine shots, but conceded 11 shots in the final ends to lose by two.

There was still hope of a win on the last end of the last match on the green with the match skipped by Rob Lacy with Mike Nash, John Sprouting and new player Glyn Matthews, all square.

Nash had secured what looked like a two-shot lead when the two skips took their turn to bowl. Two good woods were delivered by Rob Lacy, but the Nailsea skip delivered two perfect woods to take the end by two shots and the match.

The Clevedon and District match earlier in the week saw Clevedon Prom have an easy win over a weakened Winscombe team.

The Weston Over-60s match against Isle of Wedmore was postponed due to persistent heavy rain.

In a friendly triples evening game at Ashcombe Park, reduced to five rinks, Winscombe won on three rinks and by 21 shots overall.

Only Winscombe A and C teams played in the Somerset County League. Once again the crazy fixture scheduling by the county saw Winscombe A visiting Bristol, while the C team were at home to a Bristol team. This meant that both greens were under utilised with only three rinks playing at each venue.

Both Winscombe teams had close games and won on two rinks to on, but both were on the losing side. At Bristol, the A team lost yet again on the last end, after being in a winning position, by holding three shots which would have secured a win by one. The last bowl of the match from the Bristol skip was a toucher to ensure Bristol won by three.

On the Winscombe green, the C team lost by eight shots, but increased their points tally by winning on two rinks.

Winscombe 144, West Sussex tourists 113: P John, D Peakall, J Sprouting, R Lowman 14-20; J Peters (guest), J Smith, P Fredersdorff, M Dorrington 22-23; S Easterby, G Coombe, K Whatling (c),L Collier 24-16; P Hopes, D Ford (guest), M Nash, T Ellis 23-10; K Mitchell (guest), K Headford, R Kibble, G Neville 16-14; R Weller, R Parsons (guest),A Kyprianides, R Lacy 19-18; D Johnson, D Beaverstock, M Hunter, A Watts 26-11.

Winscombe 86 (1), Clevedon Prom 116 (8) (Clevedon & District Co-operative Funeralcare League): P Hopes, B Prince, R Kibble, A Watts 12-33; J Sprouting, L Baldwin, L Collier, R Birmingham 17-22; P John, N Hansford, M Dorrington (c), M Nash 16-22; B Paul, D Peakall, K Whatling, W Ainsworth 19-20; R Sapsford, R Weller, P Fredersdorff, R Lowman 22-18.

Winscombe 96, Ashcombe Park 75(friendly): R Sapsford, M Dorrington (c), M Nash 21-11; J Swift, W Ainsworth, T Ellis 30-7; G Matthews, P John , G Neville 13-23; D Beaverstock, M Hunt, R Lacy 6-26; P Hopes, R Lowman, A Watts 26-8.

Winscombe 101 (2.5), Nailsea (6.5)103 (Clevedon & District Co-operative Funeralcare League): P Hopes, R Weller, R Lowman, A Watts 16-30; N Hansford, M Hunt, L Baldwin, M Adams 15-25; J Sprouting, G Matthews, M Nash, R Lacy 20-18; G Coombe, D Owen, K Whatling (c), L Collier 19-19; S Easterby, R Kibble, P Fredersdorff, W Ainsworth 31-11.

Winscombe A 53 (4), Bristol B 56 (8) (SCL): G Lloyd, R Kibble, R Feltham, M Adams 14-29; S Easterby, K Whatling (c), R Lacy, R Birmingham 18-14; R Lowman, L Collier, A Watts, T Ellis 21-13.

Winscombe C 54 (4), Bristol C 62 (8) (SCL): D Johnson, R Weller, J Sprouting, W Ainsworth 14-33; D Beaverstock, D Owen, P Hopes, M Dorrington 20-12; R Knight, A Kyprianides, B Paul, G Coombe (c) 20-17.

CLARENCE reached the second round of the Bowls England National Two Fours competition when they beat Clevedon Promenade by nine shots.

Roger Burrough’s rink lost by one on the last end, but captain-for-the-day David Stott led his men to victory by 10 and an overall win by 38-29.

Clarence rinks: B Rossiter, T Mannion, J Keay, D Stott 22-12; M Edlin, T Pritchard, G Barlow, R Burrough 16-17.

Clarence Blues made it two successive victories in Division 1 of the Weston & District Over-60s League when they beat Portishead RBL by 22 shots at home.

On a sunny morning, the rink points were shared, but the 15-shot win by Ivan Phipps, John Rogers and skip Brian Ballinger for Clarence in the last game to finish proved important.

The other winning home skips were Gerald Barlow and David Stott, the latter keeping up his 100 per cent record in his first Over-60s season.

Clarence Blues 106 (14), Portishead RBL 84 (6): R Flicker, D Thomson, H Sparks 17-18; R Dodson, J Keay, R Burrough 18-22; B Rossiter, T Mannion, M Edlin 12-16; B Underwood, T Ward, G Barlow 14-12; I Phipps, J Rogers, B Ballinger 22-7; A Bishop, M Adams, D Stott 23-9.

On the same day, the Golds, Clarence’s second team in the Over-60s League, travelled to newcomers Portishead, who beat them by a large margin.

On a difficult green, the Golds’ only winners were Chris Tippett, Mike Scoins and team captain Brendan Duffy, who scored two fives in their 17-shot victory. Len Lewis and Scottish newcomer Alan Kermack both made their debuts for the Golds.

Portishead 128 (18), Clarence Golds 80 (2): C Tippett, M Scoins, B Duffy 26-9; B Difford, T Comfort, M Davies 11-16; L Lewis, J Hayes, J Edwards 7-28; J Norris, K Marshall, M Phillips 8-27; F Al-Hinai, M Skyrne, D Jackman 14-20; J Larvin, M Peters, A Kermack 14-28.

In Premier Two of the Somerset County League, Clarence A were at home to a strong Taunton A team and, though battling well throughout, went down by six shots.

The only two points gained by the home side came from the rink skipped by David Stott, who won by 10. Roger Burrough’s men never recovered from conceding a six on the second end.

Clarence A 61 (2), Taunton A 67 (10): M Edlin, T Mannion, J Keay, R Burrough 14-26; B Rossiter, R Crawford, G Aldridge, D Stott 28-18; T Ward, T Pritchard, B Ballinger, D Towie 19-23.

Clarence B were at home to Portishead and went down by five shots in another close game. Their stand-out rink, skipped by John Edwards, came back from 16-9 behind after 13 ends to win by eight shots.

Clarence B 51 (2), Portishead 56 (10): B Difford, M Scoins, L Lakey, B Duffy 13-23; B Underwood, M Skyrme, M Adams, J Edwards 26-18; A Bishop, F Al-Hinai, D Jackman, G Barlow 12-15.

Clarence 131, Rock Park tourists 150: B Difford, A Taylor, M Skyrme, M Davies 28-17; M Peters, D Grier, I Phipps, T Ward 10-25; J Larvin, C Tippett, M Scoins, B Duffy 13-35; B Rossiter, J Kellaway, C Read, D Stott 29-11; R Dodson, J Birt, L Lakey, G Aldridge 17-18; L Lewis, K Marshall, A Bishop, M Edlin 15-25; J Stewart, B Cheffers, M Phillips, D Jackman 19-19.

Clarence/Wessex Ladies 65, Caldicot 50: M Woods, L Phipps, C Marshall, C Edlin 15-13; S Scoins, N Peters, P Turner, E Deane 16-13; I Hicks, M Moore, J Mannion, A Harris 18-11; E Stott, L Oldham, Pauline Dunn, J Bishop 16-13.

In the Somerset Championships, Mick Edlin, Tony Mannion and Gerald Barlow won 21-16 away against a Banwell triple. Then, in pouring rain, Edlin and Martyn Adams had a 21-17 pairs victory away against a Yatton duo.

Twenty-five members attended the AGM of Clarence’s short-mat section, when the following officers were elected - Chair: Audrey Harris; secretary: Adrian Gardiner; treasurer: Jo Mannion; committee: Pam Hawkins, John Larvis, Peter Ellis and John Stewart.

Retiring secretary Peter Mansell was presented with an engraved goblet in recognition of his 11 years’ service to the short-mat section.

Clarence is holding open days for prospective new members, both men and ladies of any age, throughout May on Sundays (10am-4pm) and Wednesdays (10am-1pm). The sessions are free, with all equipment supplied, and qualified coaches.

Junior coaching sessions for younger players have started and will continue every Thursday evening (from 6pm) for the rest of the season.

For more details, phone the club on 01934 632748 or coaches David Stott 01934 625404 and Roger Burrough 01934 627407.

ST ANDREWS entertained Ashcombe Park at home in the North Somerset Knockout Cup and although holding a comfortable lead for most of the game, Ashcombe fought back.

Only four shots down with the last rink playing their final end and with just the skips to bowl their last two woods, Ashcombe were lying three with a measure for four. Saints’ Gordon Wride delivered his first wood inches from the jack, which could not be beaten so St Andrews won by five shots.

St Andrews 108, Ashcombe Park 103: R Smith, J Warren, D Favis, D Bailey 23-20; G Tofte, R Venn, P Aldus, T Steer 11-33; K Uglow, A McMillan, S Davies, B Forse 21-15; M Goddard, A Horsburgh, B Reeves, G Guest 23-20; M Simpson, B McLeod, G Webber, G Wride 30-15.

St Andrews welcomed Rock Park from Barnstable, on tour from Devon in an entertaining game played over seven rinks, which the visiters edged by just four shots.

St Andrews 124, Rock Park 128: G Cooper, J Ling, A Horsburgh, D Bailey16-27; K Parker, A Cooper, B McLeod, B May 17-19; R Brereton, T Allen, B Forse, J Warren 17-12; B Rogers, R Venn, A McMillan, P Aldus 28-8; R Smith, M Simpson, A Ware, G Wride 24-15; B Reeves, G Burgess, G Tofte, S Davies 11-25; K Rodgers, A McNab, E Day, G Webber 11-22.

Saints played their annual mixed friendly game against Avon & Somerset Police and won on all four rinks.

St Andrews 81, Avon & Somerset Police 48: G Sims, Mrs M Wride, Mrs J Smith, Mrs M Favis 18-15; D Favis, Mrs W Allen, Mrs E Blight, G Wride 24-7; Mrs P Uglow, J Warren, T Allen, Mrs A Campbell 24-12; Mrs J Forse, Mrs E Reeves, R Venn, B Reeves 15-14.

WEDMORE played a Mid Somerset Mixed League match at home against Shepton Mallet, winning a rink, drawing another and losing one.

Only 15 ends were played due to bad weather. Ron Barron and his team ensured an overall win with a fine 15-4 result.

Wedmore 40, Shepton Mallet 30: R Barron, R Bull, M Perry, C Panchaud 15-4; R Newell, J Masters, J Harvey, K Burt 13-13; G Harvey, T Newell, V Matthews, B Cottrell 12-13.

Wedmore ladies played host to Victoria for a Top Club match and after an exciting afternoon, each team won two rinks, but Victoria won 80-58 overall.

Rink scores – singles: A Hughes 21-9; pairs: T Newell, M Ronald 3-36; triples: D Gallop, M Perry, P Cottrell 13-17; fours: M Trow, C Pettit, J Wheller, E Deverell 21-18.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary visited Wedmore for a mixed friendly match with Wedmore winning convincingly 94-54. The teams led by Roger Hughes and Ron Barron both achieved a 16 point winning margin.

In the second mixed friendly of the week, Chew Stoke came to Wedmore and, again, the home team enjoyed a good win 91-61. Pauline Cottrell and her team had the best differential, winning 25-10 on their rink.

Wedmore travelled to Minehead for a mixed friendly which was played in warm, sunny conditions. The match was won 82-65 by Minehead. Roy Hunt and his team had the only win of the day with a 20-17 result.

ST ANDREWS Bowls Club returned from a successful four-day tour of Oxfordshire, where they enjoyed fixtures against Faringdon, Burford, Witney and South Oxford bowling clubs.

The Saints won three of the four mixed matches and also found time to enjoy many of the sights the county had to offer.

For each match, trophies were awarded to the highest winning rink and wooden spoons to those on the losing rink. The trophy for the most valuable player was awarded to George Guest, whose fine play overcame a wooden spoon performance against Witney Mills on the last day.

As usual, misdemeanours on and off the green resulted in fines for bowlers and supporters with the money raised going to a deserving charity. The fines were supplemented by donations from the host clubs and a total of more than £300 was sent to Children’s Hospice South West.

AFTER two trials, three Ashcombe Bowls Club ladies, Averill Goacher, Mavis Main and Joan McInally, have been selected for county squad training at Yeovil.

Somerset’s first match will be against Dorset on June 1 at Lyme Regis.

Ashcombe Ladies 60, Ynys Port Talbot 101: B Alden, D Norville, J Wilkinson, E Hopkins 13-14; L Owens, B Benstead, M Parry, B MacGregor 6-18; J Matthews, S Bayntun, S Ford, T Roberts 9-19; M Tucker, R Powell, S Hopkins, A Freke 5-23; M Main, M Sell, L Cox, A Goacher 10-13; A Cox, S Davies, E Hopkins, S Weaden 17-14.

Ashcombe Ladies 54, Taunton 45: S Bayntun, R Powell, M Tucker, S Weaden 20-12; S Noyes, J Matthews, J Field, S Hopkins 17-20; S Appleby, M Sell, B MacGregor, B Cullen 17-13.

Ashcombe Ladies 75, Caldicot 68: M Tucker, S Bayntun, B MacGregor, S Weaden 22-10; A Cox, M Sell, J Field, A Goacher 13-29; L Owens, D Norville, B Groves, S Ford 17-17; J Matthews, S Davies, N Counsell, S Hopkins 23-12.

THE ladies of St. Andrews continued their winning ways with victories in all three of their latest matches.

They took full points in their Doreen Ralph Trophy game against Portishead RBL and won well away to Nailsea in the Top Club competition. In the next round of the Top Club, the Saints will play host to Wells ladies.

St Andrews Ladies 55, Portishead RBL 36 (Doreen Ralph Trophy): R McMillan, I Tofte, E Blight, J Ware 18-13; J Forse, W Allen, J Smith, M Favis 16-15; S Sinclair, M Wride, S Priory, A Campbell 21-8.

St Andrews Ladies 59, Wessex 44: P Uglow, M Wride, B Goddard 16-13; J Forse, S Sinclair, I Tofte, E Blight 18-16; R McMillan, J Pope, M Bailey, M Favis 25-15.

St Andrews Ladies 3, Nailsea 1 (Top Club) - singles: C Venn 21-16; pairs: J Ware, M Favis 22-15; triples: J Forse, V Buick, M Pattenden 14-13; fours: S Sinclair, M Wride, J Pitman, A Campbell 17-28.

VICTORIA ladies continued their bright start by winning all three of their matches and still remain undefeated.

The highlight of the week was their victory in the Top Club against the Isle of Wedmore. Each team won two of the disciplines, but the emphatic win by the pair of Marysia Angove and Sue Cooper by 33 shots and with Annie Holland’s triple also winning, set the scene for a victory. Victoria will now be away to Chew Stoke.

Victoria Ladies 2 (80), Wedmore 2 (58) - singles: M Chudley 9-21; pairs: M Angove, S Cooper 36-3; triples: C Sage, R Cleeves, A Holland 17-13; fours: S Newman, E Newport, S Harrison, M Hillman 18-21.

Victoria Ladies 56 Mark Moor 44: C Sage, E Newport, S Newman, M Chudley 25-11; G Poolman, R Bailey, R Cleeves, M Hillman 18-10; S Milliner, D Owen, A Austin, A Holland 13-23.

Victoria Ladies 67, Caldicot 31: S Lawrence, C Willetts, R Cleeves, S Cooper 25-8; H Webber, M Angove, E Newport, M Chudley 20-12; F Waters, C Sage, R Bailey, A Holland 22-11.

WINSCOMBE ladies had a busy and successful week, starting with a friendly game away against Long Ashton.

The team were boosted by a runaway win on the rink skipped by Angela Ainsworth to win overall by 22 shots.

Angela proved to be the star skip once again in the Wessex League game played at home against a strong Clevedon side. Together with another winning rink, the Winscombe team managed to more than cover the losses on their losing rink to end with a 12-shot lead.

The ladies continued their winning streak in their first North Somerset Triples League game played against Clarence at home. They had good wins on two rinks, most successful being the one skipped by Eve Watts, ably supported by Lyn Dyer and Lorna Whatling. Overall shot difference at the end of the game was just eight shots.

Winscombe Ladies 57, Long Ashton 35: M Sprouting, S Nash, E Watts, L Fredersdorff (c) 16-19; C Hopes, P Heal, J Rush, A Ainsworth 27-6; J Kimmins, S Lowis, S Lowman, M Adams 14-10.

Winscombe Ladies 65, Clevedon 53 (Wessex League): M Sprouting, J Rush, L Whatling, M Adams 23-14; S Lowis, S Caddy, S Nash, E Watts 13-30; C Hopes, L Fredersdorff (c), S Lowman, A Ainsworth 29-9.

Winscombe Ladies 56, Clarence 48 (NSTL): T Miles, W Weller, L Fredersdorff (c) 20-10; J Kimmins, S Lowman, A Ainsworth 14-30; L Dyer, L Whatling, E Watts 22-8.

WESSEX Ladies 51 (2), Clevedon 68 (8) (Wessex League): B Jones, N Peters, J Duffy, P Dunn 15-26; S Davies, P Hanson, C Walker, M Hawkins 20-16; I Hicks, S Bishop, J Binding, A Fewings 16-26.

Wessex Ladies 44, St Andrews 59 (friendly): V Edwards, S Davies, M McMillan, P Taylor 16-18; P Turner, B Jones, E Deane 13-16; I Hicks, S Bishop, J Binding, M Williams 15-25.

CLARENCE Ladies 48, Winscombe 56: S Pritchard, J Bishop, P Barnbrook 30-14; S Scoins, P Burrough, V Jones 8-22; P Flower, P Phillips, M Baker 10-20.

Clarence Ladies 44, Long Ashton 56: S Scoins, S Searle, C Edlin 14-17; M Woods, V Jones, M Baker 16-21; M Goodwin, A Harris, J Bishop 14-18.

Clarence Ladies 39, Clevedon Prom 87: P Fowler, C Edlin, P Burrough 7-23; J Colman, S Searle, M Noddings 11-19; A Ballinger, M Baker, V Collicott 10-28.

Friendly rink: L Phipps, M Goodwin, V Jones 11-17.