PENARTH Bowling Club’s 2016 season continued with mixed fortunes last week with a winning start in this year’s Munro Cup competition and a somewhat forgettable outing for the Alliance team.

The ladies enjoyed success in the friendly against Whitchurch, having been defeated in the previous week’s encounter.

The Alliance side’s trip to Cardiff Athletic on Tuesday, April 19, proved to be something of a disappointment for the Penarth men. The Cardiff green was extremely grassy and very slow compared to the quicker paced Rectory Road and, once the home team sensed the discomfort of the visitors with the conditions they played long jacks to compound the visitors problems.

The end result was a whitewash and a 46-92 reversal with the only bright spot being a narrow defeat for Ron Maggs, who, with the help of Russell Daniel, Brian Fisher and Phil Davidge came out losers by a mere two shots.

Visits by Penarth to Cowbridge Bowling Club must currently be enjoying the same degree of popularity with the home side as Viking raids in seventh century East Anglia. Once again, Penarth overcame the challenge of the artificial surface to triumph by 66-59 in this year’s opening Munro Cup fixture on Wednesday.

Yet again, it was the inspirational Clive Fry who led the way in company with Haydn Trow, Phil Davies and Bob Lewis with a fine 21-12 win. Also well to the fore were Mike Conway, Alan Stockham, Bob Willmott and skip Dave Plank who were 14-11 ahead at the close.

In the opening week of the season the ladies visited friends and neighbours Penarth Windsor where a close fought match ended with the Windsor 10 shots to the good overall. The highlight for the Rectory road side was an excellent performance from Belinda Price’s rink, where Belinda, ably backed up by Lynda Jones, Joan Lewis and Kath Jenkins, won 21-10.

Betty Jones, teamed up with Joyce Allen, Lynda Williams and Lorraine Palmer, also performed well to notch up a more than creditable 14-all draw.

The friendly against Whitchurch ladies produced a very competitive game in which Penarth ran out narrow winners by just two shots after a spirited performance from the visitors. Captain Sue Croll led the way with a 14-10 victory with competent backing from Tricia Brinkworth, Val Turner and Chris Davies. With a strong finish from skip Betty Jones, who, well supported by Lorraine Palmer, Lynda Williams and Norma Duggan picked up four shots on the last two ends to squeeze through by a single shot and make the difference between winning and losing the match overall.

Next week’s matches are: Tuesday Mackintosh (away) – Alliance; Wednesday Victoria BC Weston (home) - friendly; Thursday Pontyclun (home) - Alliance and Saturday Ely Valley (away) - WBA.

The ladies entertain Fairwater on Tuesday and travel to Dinas Powys on Thursday for a further two friendlies.