Business as usual for the Cavaliers (From Penarth Times)

Business as usual for the Cavaliers

WITH AUTUMN officially with us, it was only a matter of time before the new skittle season began and thankfully, the first round of matches got off to a satisfactory start.

It is always interesting to see how the new boys, and girls, got on in their new divisions.

From the 'boys' point of view it was very much a matter of carrying on where they left off, with all three of last season's champions winning at the first attempt. Cavaliers kicked off with an away win at home, defeating Lower Boys, who will no doubt be wondering how they contrived to drop 20 pins on their third roll and yet only lose by the small margin of three pins.

Conservative B and Pilot Regulars both won by six pins and will be relishing the battles ahead. Of the three runners-up from last season, we had one win, one defeat, and one draw. A real mixed bag that!

It was not such plain sailing for the 'girls', as the top two from last season, The Cariads and Cogan Wombles, each went down to heavy defeats. With such a short season, this slow start may come back to haunt them. Miller Girls did their best to avoid a winning start, but they just about managed to knock down the requisite pins for a two-pin win, and two points are in the bag.

Pandoras Delight also won by two pins. In the first division, Dolly Mixtures and Sexpots were both heavily defeated and will struggle if they do not get to grips with life in the higher division.

Of the relegated sides, only Railway Sleepers managed to stop the rot with a very comfortable victory over Legion Colts, with everyone else losing, except Terriers, whose card is not to hand at the time of writing. Early reports from the Malthouse, where Swan Stars suffered a nine pin reversal, suggest the Stars have a good chance of fielding a full side each week, and will be hitting the winning trail before too long.

Of the four relegated ladies sides, only Llandough Ladies failed to win, going down by two pins to the Happy Wanderers. The others, Swan E Brooks, Malthoppers, and Athletic Ladies all recorded resounding successes.

I know it's corny, but I couldn't resist it. Leo's Lassies seem to have unearthed a real gem in Pam Diamond who weighed in with the top score of the week, a massive 38 pins which included two nines and set the Lassies up for a sparkling nine pin victory over the Breezers.

By the time you read this, October will be with us and the Presentation Dance will be a matter of a few weeks away. I am sorry to have to report that several trophies are still outstanding, and unless they are returned forthwith, they will not be available to be presented to this year's winners. The culprits are Jeremy Barker and Dean Langmead, men's fours winners, Algie Jennings and Selwyn Jones, fours runners-up, Alison Lloyd, ladies singles runner-up, and The Sexpots, ladies fours winners.

Results - week ending Friday, September 28 Men's Premier Division: Coronation Sports 280, Ex's Sets 284; Unsportsmans 289, Cwrt-y-Vil 317; Con Men 280, Bulldogs 280; Lower Boys 304, Cavaliers 307; Legion Nomads 276, Dinas Powys Legion 274; Conservative B 287, Labour A 281. Men's First Division: Cefn A 274, Llandough Stars 267; Pilot Regulars 282, DP Athletic B 276; Swan Stars 290, Llandough B 299; Railway Sleepers 275, Legion Colts 253; Ex Teens 315, Marauders 329; Cogan Sprouts 255, Albion Wanderers 236; Llandough C 288, Conservative C 283. Men's Second Division: Cutters 309, Labour D 310; Legion A 299, Conservative A 220; Cefn Originals 247, DP Athletic A 269; Terriers v Clive Arms (no card); Llandough A 282, Shylocks 217; Coronation Oldies 280, Legion B 235; Penarth Athletic 272, Ex's B 273. Ladies Premier Division: Con Artists v Conservative Ladies (post); Pandoras Delight 306, Breakaways 304; Swan Jokers 256, Lower Girls 263; The Cariads 259, Old Pennies 277; Dinas Powys Cygnets 286, Miller Girls 288; Coronation Angels 298, Cogan Wombles 260. Ladies First Division: Jubilees 244, Goosey Ganders 250; Kestrels 279, Ex Isles 312; Llandough Ladies 246, Wanderers 248; Dolly Mixtures 246, Swan E Brooks 286; Sexpots 268, Allsorts 288; Brandy Belles 279, New Faces 291. Ladies Second Division: Stowaways 197, Coronation Muppets 146; Mo's Misfits 273, Malthoppers 304; Penny Farthings 250, Athletic Ladies 275; Breezers 300, Leo's Lassies 309; The Blues 262 Nuns on the Run 251. Men's Highest Scores: 35 S Rogan; 34 T Spear; 33 L Poole; 32 M Marsh, R Hicks, T Coslett; 31 P Williams, M Adams, P Mathias, J Cadle, K Squire, P Reddicliff, M Desmond. Men's Nines: P Colley, K Flanigan, J Goldsworthy, S Gill, S Allen, T Coslett, G Goodman, M Desmond. Bolter Kings: D Poole (2 sets) M Tunbridge, M Hollingsworth, C Harvey, P Youd, D Jones, A Harris, L Kihlberg, B Rice, B Pemberton, M Redford, P Hale, J Maggs, M Crates, B Moss, G H Jones, R Fussell, G Bale. Ladies Highest scores: 38 P Diamond; 35 S Jones; 34 J Smith; 33 J Hooper, E Allen; 32 J Harrison, J Dixon, S O'Connell; 31 J Restell, J Coslett, L Turner, P George; 30 D Jackson, S Rees, B Spriggs, L Morgan, D Thomas, K Fitzgerald, J Halls, J Merrett, H Warman. Ladies Nines: P Diamond (2 sets), J Owen, J Smith, S Rees, P Veron, L Morgan, S Colderly, S Docherty, E Allen, C Crates. Bolter Queens: E Roberts (2 sets), L Farrugia, A Brown, P Meek, M Coughlan, M Sullivan, S Diggins, V Hunt, M Edwards, L Williams, P Price, S Andrews, M Smith, P Goode, J Jones, B Harley, R Rees, P Johnson, R Thomas, C Buckingham, S Poppe, A Prosser.