TAFF ELY BOWLS

FOLLOWING their opening National East League Championship at the Newport Stadium on Saturday, October 15 where the Taff Ely Bowlers secured a valuable share of the spoils (11 points apiece) – at the Goods Yard Stadium last Saturday, the Taff club entertained their Rhondda rivals where the hosts opened their account with a promising display that the overall score line showing a lead of 7 shots after 5 ends.

Colin Jones, Leighton Gowen, Dave Randell and Alan Malkin raced into a 9-0 lead on the number one rink of the Stadium, their opponents however capitalised on the lean spell that developed from the hosts with just two shots added by the 12th end in reply to the visitors reaching 13 shots. Regaining their rhythm Malkin & Co just allowed their opponents to add a further two shots to their credit whilst Colin Jones, Leighton Gowen and Dave Randell supported their skip with a polished performance in the latter stages of the encounter to secure their rink points with a 14 shots advantage.

On the other end rink of the three rink stadium, Colin Kirkham, Jack Griffiths, Mark Saunders and Brian Stock were finding their opponents matching performance battle it out for the rink honours, so close of their encounter was reflected in the score line as the first double was not obtained until the ninth end. At 10 ends Stock & Co trailing by the one shot 5-6 and dropping the first double from their opponents – on the next end Stock & Co secured a 7 shots scored for the hosts to take the lead 12-8. Dropping 7 shots the opponents were only to add a further 4 shots to their score whereas Stock & Co added a further six shots to gain their rink points with ironically a 7-shot advantage.

On the middle rink of the historic Goods Yard Stadium Ken Holt, Paul Bailey, Simon Coughlin and captain Adrian Dash was experiencing a more difficult morning session with their scoreline reading 5-21 after 15 ends.

A late rally on the remaining six ends, however, saw two counts of 5 shots plus 3 singles with their opponents collecting 3 shots on the final end. The late rally showed the determination from the hosts that assisted to reduce their deficit by knocking off a valuable 10 shots to a respectable six shots difference to their final score.

The afternoon session began with the electronic scoreboard in the stadium showing the hosts in front 66 shots – 51 shots. Bryn Roberts, veteran Charlie Foulkes, Tom Cannon and Reg Rand opened their encounter with fine play to gain a lead 14-7 at the halfway stage. With their opponents throwing every delivery of their bowls to thwart the hosts, Rand & Co kept the scoreline to a safeguard lead adding a one-shot advantage in the second half to gain their rink points.

On the two final rinks a very close battle in this keenly fought out fixture was taking place, with Ken Cullen, Mike Clarke, Howard Pullin and Lee Bridge securing their rink points with a last-gasp final end that saw the hosts trailing at the penultimate end 1415. With another highly keen performance from both teams, the hosts just one shot in front at 10th end the battle for the rink points were poised for an exciting finish and securing the two points was thanks to a count of three shots gained at the winning post.

Charlie Gittens, Rob Richards, Luke Hobbs and Ian Randell also found that another very hard game was developing with their scoreline at 10 ends just showing eight apiece. As the game reached its closing stages, Randell & Co were grateful that just the one shot in their favour gave them the honours to claim their rink points. With the afternoon session providing a tense atmosphere throughout, both sides can take credit for fine performances that was created in this lively fixture.

Taff Ely: 125 shots with 20 points.

Rhondda: 99 shots with 2 points.

Rink Scores: A Malkin 29-15; B Stock 19-12; A Dash 18 -14; R Rand 2517; L Bridge 17-15; I Randell 17-16. DURING a midweek match the over-60s bowlers hosted their visitors from the Cynon Valley club, where, with an opening game already under their belt, the Taff bowlers gained 10 points from that encounter and strived to maintain their performance so that a challenge to reach this year’s qualification for a place in the National play-offs where it is some years since the last opportunity arose.

The morning session began with the number one and two rinks being used in the Goods Yard Stadium. Both of the Taff Ely teams did not allow their opponents to settle with Colin Jones, Tony Hughes, Rob Richards and Jim Smith mounted up a score that included a six shots count on the 9th end for a lead of 17-5. With Jim Smith & Co securing a comfortable lead, on the number one rink, Ken Cullen, Colin Kirkham, Dave Randell and Alan Malkin had built up a score which included five shots gained on the 10th end to reach a lead of 155. With the scoreline not to the visitors’ satisfaction it had to be said that the visitors were providing a relative equally amount of fine play, however, the Taff bowlers had the edge over their opponents and stormed ahead on both rinks to end the morning session 68-27.

The opponents in the afternoon session were to experience a similar amount of shots gained as their team members did in the morning session.

Ken Holt, Aldwyn David, Tom Cannon and Reg Rand two thirds into their encounter led 18-8. The final third of the game saw the hosts gaining another 10 shots in reply to their visitors’ 3 shots. On rink two, the front two bowlers both Charlie Gittens and Charlie Foulkes, along with Howard Pullin and Brian Stock built up a commanding lead by the 12th end 18-5. On the next end their visitors doubled their scoreline with a count of 5 shots. Boosted with a 5 shots scored the opponents added a further two singles to their tally to narrow down their deficit. Adding a further seven shots to the 18 scored, Stock & Co held their opponents to score a further two singles to their credit.

With maximum points gained from this fixture the Taff bowlers know only too well that their next fixture is to travel to the Islwyn Stadium where they will face a strong opposition from the Caerfilli side.

Captain Rob Richards however, has great enthusiasm to lead his side into the encounter that will take place on November 9 with a result that hopefully will enhance the Taff Club to progress to reach their long awaited goal in reaching the National play-offs.

Taff Ely: 121 shots with 14 points

Cynon Valley 52 shots with 0 points.

Rink Scores: J Smith 32-16; A Malkin 36-11; R Rand 28-11; B Stock 25-14.