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In their latest Gwent Bowling League division one match, Pontymister Athletic suffered a tough loss on the road to local rivals Crosskeys.

It had only been a few weeks since the pair last clashed, with Crosskeys looking to do the double over Pontymister after a 92-56 win in the Monmouthshire Bowling Association league.

On a cloudy Saturday, it was Crosskeys who proved to be too much for Pontymister once again, eventually running-out 63-39 winners to take all ten points.

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On rink one, Pontymister’s four of Mike Lyons, Richard Beaugie, Alan Taylor and Tom Guy played Mitch Santwris, B. Kane, G. Davies and Norman Bushell. 

Pontymister raced into a 2-14 lead on five ends thanks mainly to an “8” on the second end. Crosskeys reduced the deficit to 6-15 on the tenth end and then won four out of the next five ends, including a “4” on the 14th end to trail only 14-16 on 15 ends.

But with a “3” on the final end, Pontymister secured a 15-20 victory.

On rink two, the foursome of John Sheldon, Alan Elliott, Jason Bradshaw and Jason Webb trailed 5-3 to Crosskeys’ Chris Perry, Dave Greaney, B. Davies and Darren Hobbs on five ends.

It was 10-7 to the Keys on ten ends, but after this point, the home team took control with two counts of “5” on the 11th and 14th ends respectively to lead 24-9 on 15 ends, eventually winning by a thumping 28-10 scoreline.

Finally on rink three, the Mister Men rink of David Bowd, Dennis Lewis, and father and son combination of Ian and Jack Collier faced an uphill struggle against Alan Williams, C. Murphy, W. Hancock, and Russell Bryant despite having a good start and leading 1-5 on five ends. 

It was a case for Pontymister of “peaking too soon” as the Keys boys took control winning all of the next five ends to lead 11-5 on ten ends.

Pontymister did manage a “2” on the 14th end, but trailed 18-7 on 15 ends and eventually were well beaten 20-9.

That loss means Pontymister remain second in the league behind Monmouth, and Crosskeys move up one from bottom.