St Andrews began their Somerset County Women’s League programme with a narrow home victory over local rivals Ashcombe Park on Saturday.

Karen Cromey and Clare Andrews made their league debuts and Saints owed their win to Gloria Holborow, Audrey Powell and Jackie Pitman, who scored five shots in the last two ends, which proved decisive.

It has been a difficult start to the season for Saints women, with several of their top players not available for reasons of health and other commitments. However, when the Fear Cup and Southey Trophy start, they will be as competitive as ever.

St Andrews men had a mixed week, starting with a 40-shot victory over Isle of Wedmore in the Over-60s League to take 17 of the 20 points on offer.

However, the following evening they made an early exit from the North Somerset KO Cup at home to Ashcombe, who won by three in a tense finish. Jack Angove and Brian Reeves were the only winning home skips.

In the County League, St Andrews gained revenge against Ashcombe in the clash of the B teams, winning by 12 shots, as Ken Curtis’s rink saw them home with seven on the last two ends.

The A team won two rinks on a very heavy green in their league game at Burnham but went down by 25 and, the following day with a depleted line-up, they lost in the National Two Fours at Clevedon Prom.

Jack Angove progressed in the national men’s and mixed pairs, while a brilliant take-out shot by Darrell Johnston, which resulted in a seven, was decisive as he, Becky McMillan, Jackie Pitman and Si Angove beat a strong Portishead RBL team in the National Mixed Fours.

St Andrews are holding an open day for prospective new members on Sunday, May 29, from 10am-3pm. All equipment will be provided at the club’s Thirlmere Road green, with visitors just needing to wear flat-ish shoes. There is a large car park.

Results - Weston & District Over-60s League: St Andrews 116 (17) Isle of Wedmore 76 (3): R Venn, J Keay, B Reeves 15-15; K Uglow, A Cooper, D Hurst 23-12; L Fisher, R Brereton, D Bailey 15-17; N Bassett, A Dawes, A Ware 16-13; A Lay, G Cooper, C Howard 29-10; D Reynolds, R Potter, G Wride 18-9.
Bowls England Men’s Club Two Fours, Clevedon Prom B 46 St Andrews A 22: J Keay, I Lamb, G Wride, S Angove 9-21; T Wyatt, A Cooper, A McMillan, B Forse 13-25.
Somerset County Men’s League North Div One, Burnham A 73 (8) St Andrews A 48 (4): R Potter, R Venn, D Bailey, D Hurst 11-43; B Forse, D Holborow, A McMillan, D Johnston 21-15; J Keay, P Angove, G Wride, S Angove 16-15.
North Div Two, St Andrews B 70 (10) Ashcombe Pk B 58 (2): L Fisher, C Andrews, G Cooper, A Ware 20-23; D Reynolds, N Bassett, A Dawes, K Curtis 27-14; P Smart, A Frost, A Cooper, R Brereton 23-21.
North Somerset KO Cup, St Andrews 86 Ashcombe Pk 89: M Goddard, P Angove, D Bailey, S Angove 16-18; T Wyatt, R Venn, G Wride, S Stocker 12-17; J Keay, A Cooper, K Curtis, J Angove 24-11; R Potter, G Cooper, D Hurst, D Johnston 13-30; D Holborow, A Dawes, K Uglow, B Reeves 21-13.
Somerset County Women’s League, St Andrews 55 (6) Ashcombe Pk 50 (4): J Forse, C Andrews, D Baker 17-19; G Holborow, A Powell, J Pitman 25-15; K Cromey, B Goddard, S Sinclair 13-16.
Women’s DRT League, Clevedon Prom 75 (10) St Andrews 30 (0): M Wride, W O’Sullivan, B Goddard, M Frost 11-27; G Holborow, J Webb, C Andrews, S Sinclair 7-19; J Forse, M Tovey, F Allen, J Bishop 12-29.
Mixed friendly, St Andrews 67 Avon & Somerset Police 108: P Smart, Margaret Tovey, R Brereton 18-19; Wendy O’Sullivan, C Andrews, R Potter 10-29; Frid Allen, Jill Bishop, A Cooper 5-23; Jenny Webb, Maureen Frost, M Goddard 18-21; A Frost, Monica Pattenden, A Ware 16-16.
National competitions: men’s pairs: G Cunningham (Ashcombe Pk) 8 J & S Angove (St Andrews) 18; I Trunks/J Groves (Watchet) 23 B Forse/D Johnston (St Andrews) 13; mixed pairs: I Cracknell (Taunton Deane)/J Angove (St Andrews) 19 R & C Pearce (Clevedon) 11; mixed fours: R McMillan, J Pitman, S Angove, D Johnston (St Andrews) 25, H Naunton, T Winmill, S Secker (Portishead RBL) 13.