Tenby v Bargoed: Welsh Club Championship Round 1
20th June 2015
Sutton Street was witness to the Giltar Hotel sponsored Tenby Club play in their first Welsh Club Championship match of this season. Tenby have a very good record in this competition since 2008 – winning in 2009 and having reached finals day on three other occasions, losing at the semi-finals stage to Ferndale and RTB Ebbw Vale of two occasions. Rink 1: Lee Williamson returned to skipping action with Andrew Muskett, Peter Day and Aaron Lloyd. Leading 9-4 after five ends, this strong rink, all of whom are national champions, continued to dominate their opposite numbers. A further count of seven shots and then a five a few ends later extended their lead to 25-8. Further counts of a 5, 4 and 4 confirmed their superiority and although they themselves dropped a late count of 4 shots, the Tenby quartet ran out comfortable winners by 42-15. Rink 2: For the first time this season, Diment’s rink found themselves on a ‘middle’ rink having spent all of the season on rink 1 and having one outing on rink 4. The opposition skip played some telling shots immediately into the game to save at least 10 shots. Trailing 2-0 after two ends, the match became very close and very tactical with Diment scoring on the next 4 ends, but only singles. A further single by the Bargoed four had the score at seven ends 4-3 to Tenby. A count of three shots by the Diment four of Cameron White, Joe Richards and Ryan Thomas, provided some breathing space but losing the next three ends (2, 2 and 1) saw matter level again. Another count of ‘3’ by the Tenby four was again clawed back by the Bargoed rink over the next two ends and at end 16 the score stood 11 all. Then the Tenby four changed gear and scored on all remaining ends (2, 1, 3, 6 and 5) to run out what would seem like an easy win 28-11 but that could not have been further from the truth and credit to the Bargoed rink for the manner in which they played.
Rink 3: Luke Rees, Chris Court, Luke and Craig Guymer started off equally as tactical as Diment on rink 2. At 6 ends, the scores were all level at 3-3. Scoring counts of 4, 3 and 2 on the next 3 alternative ends saw the all under 25 international rink take a comfortable lead 11-6. However, the Bargoed rink came back into the game and won eight of the last ten ends to win by two (15-17). Rink 4: Mike Jackson, Jon Webb, John Roberts and Keiran Peregrine got off to a great start taking two counts of four and a double on the first three ends, mainly due to some brilliant second play by Jon Webb. A dropped single on the next end followed by two scoring ends of one shot saw a good lead at six ends (12-1). A dropped two followed by a dropped count of five on ends seven and eight saw the Bargoed four back into the game (12-8). However, the experienced Tenby rink steadied the ship and at thirteen ends led 17-10. Matters took another twist and the Tenby rink lost the next four ends to now be level 17-17. Winning the next two ends (both single counts) losing the next by a single and then taking a single on the last end saw a very close win 20-18. In summary, a very good start by Tenby winning by 44 shots. However, one must feel there is still room for improvement as Diment only pulled away on the last two ends and if we took away Williamson’s big win, then Bargoed could have easily have made life a little more uncomfortable for the home side. There were a lot of Tenby players on the sidelines, who could be in line for a call up, one of which is former Carruthers winning skip, Pat Currie and his ‘third’ on that day in 2009, Simon Evans.
On behalf of the Tenby Club, may be take this opportunity in congratulating our neighbours, Saundersfoot, on their good win against Cwmbran. Saundersfoot will play at home to Blaenrhondda, who beat Tenby last year by a single shot whilst Tenby will play Monmouthshire side, Brynmawr.