St Andrews notched up their best victory of the season when they beat local rivals Victoria by 43 shots in the Turnbull Cup.

Saints eased to victory on all four rinks, led by Richard Withers, making his club debut, who skipped his team home by 17 shots.

The home team were never behind, as Tony Steer’s quartet had a last-end win by three, while the rinks skipped by Brian Reeves and Barrie Forse were always dominant. Reeves’ rink included club press officer Jim Keay, making his season’s debut after heart surgery.

However, St Andrews showed their Jekyll and Hyde nature when they lost heavily at Winscombe in the Weston Over-60s League a day later. They were never in the hunt and had to concede a rink after nine of the 18 ends when George Webber was taken ill.

Alan Dawes, Don Bailey and Danny Favis at least earned Saints one point when they drew, having been two ahead playing the last end.

On Saturday, St Andrews did well to win away against a strong Clevedon side in a friendly that replaced the void County League fixture between the clubs. In baking heat, the teams skipped by Tony Steer and Tony Ware more than made up for a defeat on the other rink.

The first tourists’ match of the season, against Rhondda club Gilfach Goch, resulted in a six-shot defeat for St Andrews, despite having finished up on three of the four rinks..

Barrie Forse reached the area final of the Bowls England national over-55 singles when he won 21-12 at home to Danny Kite (Alexandra Park) on Friday. After a dominant performance, Forse will play Terry Priddle (Purnell) in the final on a neutral green.

Two other Saints’ teams were also in national action but Ken Uglow, following a brilliant 17-16 win with substitute Tony Steer over Clevedon stars Neil Westlake and Pip Branfield in the previous round, went out of the over-55 pairs when he and Robin Flaxman lost by seven at Bath.

Tim Wyatt, Sue Sinclair, Becky McMillan and Si Angove missed out on a county quarter-final place in the national mixed fours when they went down 22-11 at home to a Chew Stoke team.

There was some consolation for McMillan at the weekend as she skipped her rink to victory twice in the inter-county Amy Rose Bowl as Somerset girls qualified for the national finals.

Results - Somerset Turnbull Cup, St Andrews 91 Victoria 48: M Goddard, D Favis, R Venn, A Steer 22-19; T Wyatt, J Keay, K Curtis, B Reeves 20-10; D Holborow, D Bailey, D Hurst, B Forse 22-9; R Potter, R Flaxman, K Uglow, R Withers 27-10.

Weston & District Over-60s League, Winscombe 64 (11) St Andrews 37 (1): R Potter, D Hurst, B Reeves 9-17; R Venn, G Webber, A Steer 7-9 (conceded after 9 ends, illness); K Uglow, R Flaxman, G Wride 6-23; A Dawes, D Bailey, D Favis 15-15.

Friendly, Clevedon 48 St Andrews 64: R McLeod, R Brereton, D Hurst, D Bailey 13-22; J Keay, R Potter, G Cooper, A Steer 26-15; P Smart, A Cooper, R Venn, A Ware 25-11.

Tour match, St Andrews 69 Gilfach Goch 75: P Smart, R Venn, D Bailey, B Reeves 23-8; C Curtis, A Cooper, K Curtis, D Hurst 20-12; J Ling, R Brereton, R Flaxman, P Villis 23-20; D Reynolds, M Goddard, R Potter, G Cooper 3-35.