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Pontymister Athletic Bowls Club suffered a surprise loss to Cwmbran Park in a Monmouthshire Bowling Association match-up over the weekend.

The pair clashed at Field Road, Pontymister, on Saturday August 3 where the visitors led by eight shots at the halfway stage.

Relegation-threatened Cwmbran soon built on that lead, and went on to record a 20 shot win, with the final score 91-71 in their favour.

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Rink two saw Dai Bowd, Chris Simmonds, Richie Murphy and skip Dave Hill take on Kevin Clark, Howard Rees, Alex McGee and former Pontymister champion Mark Lewis. 

Playing on a tricky rink, nothing could separate the teams in the first-half of the game, but two fours on the 12th and 13th ends put the Cwmbran four in charge and they finished with a 13 shot win.

Rink three brought together late replacement Frank Trepleton, Ken McKinnon, Roger Simms and Andrew Goodwyn who were drawn once again against M. Metcalfe, G. Jones, Captain Bryn Berry and another former player in Simon Humphries.

The rivalry between Goodwyn and Humphries goes back years and neither wanted to yield in a highly competitive encounter. After a very tight start, consecutive fives on the 11th and 12th ends, gave the Mister Men control. The Cwmbran boys fought hard before eventually conceding by five shots.

Rink four saw the experienced Mike Lyons, Phil Huntley, Chris Beale and Monmouthshire champion Roger Venn up against Mark Wright, C. Pentney, Byron Thomas and yet another ex-player, Martin Strange.

Cwmbran were in fine form and controlled the game early on to open-up a 16 shot lead. The Mister Men looked down and out but battled back well to get within four shots before eventually losing by six.

Finally on rink five, Eammon Simmonds, Sid Phillips, captain Lloyd Turnbull and Ronnie Morgan played I. Wright, B. Summers, M. Williams and P. Luffman. 

Pontymister led for most of the game, but a late rally and some telling bowls pushed Cwmbran ahead where they recorded a six point victory.